The bottom team of the AL-East division, the New York Yankees, locked horns with the top team of the same division, the Tampa Bay Rays, last weekend. Despite odds being stacked against them, the Bronx Bombers put up a heartwarming fight. However, towards the end of the rubber game, they lost a gigantic lead by a whisker and eventually lost the hard-fought series.
Gerrit Cole, the Yankees ace pitcher, stepped up on the mound for his eighth start of the season. Nestor Cortes was originally scheduled to start for the weekend, but an unexpected throat injury forced him out. Hence, the ace had to step in. His flawless scoreless outing came to an end in the fifth inning as the pitcher gave away a gigantic lead which ended up costing the game to the Bombers.
Aaron Boone Livid With The Strategic Call As Gerrit Cole Loses Six Run Lead
The New York Yankees stepped on the Tropicana Field for the rubber game against the mighty Tampa Bay Rays. Despite losing the series opener, the New York-based team staged a hard-fought comeback and leveled the series. Moreover, the team looked poised for another great matchup as their ace, Gerrit Cole, made a start on the mound. Cole has been the Yankee’s best pitcher this season, with an ERA of below 2 prior to Sunday’s game. He remained the only Yankee to have not lost a game and also the only pitcher to have not allowed a home run.
However, all of those things came to an unfortunate end on Sunday. After pitching four scoreless innings, the Yankees manager decided to let Gerrit Cole continue as he did have many relievers in the bullpen. However, the decision quickly fell apart as Cole ended up giving away two homers and lost a hard-earned six-run lead. Aaron Boone then pulled him out, but it was too late. The Rays had already found the momentum and went on to capitalize it into a stellar win. Later, Boone admitted that he should have pulled Cole up a little earlier but eyeing the pitcher’s experience in pressure situations, he thought it was the ideal move. Even Cole felt gutted after the loss and took accountability for the same.
Boone, Cole Satisfied With The Yankees Performance Over The Weekend Despite Gutting Loss To Rays
The series loss to the Tampa Bay Rays would surely sting the New York Yankees for a while. They kept them on the edge for the whole weekend and literally made them strive hard for the win. The fighting spirit of the Yankees is what impressed Aaron Boone and Gerrit Cole. Cole, who was the main culprit of the series loss, said the Yankees gave a tough fight to the Rays and put up a really competitive performance. They have grown as a team throughout the weekend, which is a welcoming sight.
On the other hand, Aaron Boone said the loss was tough to deal with, but it’s part of the sport. Moreover, the skipper believes the team will register comeback wins when their backs are stacked up against the wall. They, as a team, have the ability to make a comeback from literally any stage. While the loss was certainly heartbreaking, they have to move on and focus on the coming week.
