Yankees

Yankees Waste Too Many Chances, Fall to Twins 5-4 in 13 Innings

By ••2 min read
Yankees Waste Too Many Chances, Fall to Twins 5-4 in 13 Innings

AI Overview

The Yankees fell to the Twins 5-4 in 13 innings Wednesday at Target Field, despite tying the game in the ninth and taking leads in the 10th and 11th. New York struck out 17 times, left 13 runners on base and failed to score after loading the bases with nobody out in the 12th. Aaron Judge left in the sixth with tightness in his lower right leg, while Clarke Schmidt returned from elbow surgery.

The Yankees had every chance to steal this game.

Instead, they struck out 17 times, left 13 runners on base and eventually watched the Minnesota Twins walk them off, 5-4, in 13 innings Wednesday night at Target Field.

Victor Caratini ended it with a single up the middle off John Schreiber, scoring automatic runner Luke Keaschall from second and denying New York a sweep.

For a team trying to keep pressure on Tampa Bay in the AL East, this was a frustrating one to give away.

Yankees Offense Waited Too Long

Twins starter Zebby Matthews completely shut New York down for 6 innings, allowing just 2 hits while striking out 8.

The Yankees did not score until they were down to their final out in the 9th.

George Lombard Jr. singled, Paul Goldschmidt followed with another hit and Anthony Volpe finally delivered, ripping a 2-run double to right to tie the game, 2-2.

That should have been the moment that changed everything.

Instead, the Yankees spent extra innings trading runs with Minnesota.

Ali Sanchez singled home Cody Bellinger in the 10th to make it 3-2. Keaschall answered for Minnesota in the bottom half.

Jose Caballero’s sacrifice fly gave New York another lead in the 11th. Royce Lewis answered with his own sacrifice fly.

Then came the 12th.

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Anthony Volpe started at second, Ben Rice walked and Bellinger singled to load the bases with nobody out. That’s the game right there.

The Yankees came away with nothing.

Heliot Ramos grounded into a double play that erased Volpe at the plate, and Sanchez struck out to end the threat.

17 Strikeouts Is Not Winning Baseball

The biggest problem wasn’t complicated.

New York struck out 17 times.

Spencer Jones struck out 5 times by himself. Ryan McMahon struck out 4 times. Luis Garcia Jr. struck out 3 times.

You cannot continuously hand away that many at-bats and expect the bullpen to keep rescuing you in extra innings.

Carlos Rodon gave the Yankees a solid start, allowing 2 runs over 6 innings with 5 strikeouts. Clarke Schmidt also made his first appearance in 14 months following elbow surgery and recorded 2 strikeouts in 2/3 of an inning.

Another concern came earlier when Aaron Judge was removed for a pinch-hitter in the 6th because of tightness in his lower right leg.

The Yankees fall to 88-64 and head into Thursday’s off day after missing an opportunity to finish off the sweep.

Next up: Gerrit Cole gets the ball Friday as the Yankees open a series in Arizona.

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