What put a pause on Yankees power show against Phillies? Fans blame Hicks, Donaldson

Wednesday April 5, 2023

The Yankees, who were averaging six runs per game before the second face-off with the Phillies, were held scoreless for the first eight innings on Tuesday and had only two hits until the ninth in that game. Lefty Matt Strahm and the Phillies’ relievers nearly shut down the Yankees who dominated the first series with their power show.

LeMahieu’s ninth-inning home run off Craig Kimbrel was the only time the Yankees got to second base and made sure they wouldn’t be shut out.

Yankees power show fails to deliver

The Yankees were just having one of those nights when their famed offense failed to fire. A frustrated crowd of 35,392 watched the Phillies win their first game of the season, 4-1, over the Yankees on Tuesday night in The Bronx at Yankee Stadium. Five different Phillies pitchers shut down what had been a red-hot Yankees offense, limiting them to four hits and one run.

The Yankees’ bats never got going until it was too late. They didn’t score until there were only two outs left. DJ LeMahieu’s solo home run to the opposite field off Phillies reliever Craig Kimbrel got the crowd in the Bronx going again.

DJ's 1st homer of the year 🤖💪 pic.twitter.com/Cnx7RuUUH0
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 5, 2023

Giancarlo Stanton’s single brought the tying run to the plate, but Josh Donaldson’s foul pop busted it and he became the last out in the 4-1 loss.

“They made they made their pitches, they hit their spots when they needed to,” Aaron Judge said. “I think we got a couple of pitches to hit there and weren’t able to put a good swing on it while they hit their spots when they needed to.”

After scoring a lot in the first four games, the Yankees’ offense has slowed down. By the time they won on Monday night, the Yankees had hit nine home runs. This was only the fourth time in the history of the team that they had hit multiple long balls in each of the first four games of a season.

Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees on April 4, 2023. — (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

LeMahieu’s late charge didn’t get support

Before the ninth, the Yankees had no offense at all. The team’s only hit in the first six innings was a sharp single up the middle by Volpe in the bottom of the third. An infield single by Gleyber Torres to start the bottom of the seventh brought a Yankees rally.

But the only good thing for the New York Yankees last night was LeMahieu’s home run, which came with one out in the bottom of the ninth against Phillies closer Craig Kimbrel. LeMahieu is at the opposite end of the popularity curve from Hicks, who was opposed tooth and nail by fans, and Donaldson on the chart. Torres tried to steal, but Donaldson hit the ball to right field, which started a double play that ended the inning.

Aaron Hicks of the New York Yankees on April 4, 2023. — Charles Wenzelberg / NYP

After Aaron Hicks struck out in the fifth inning and walked back to the dugout with his head down, the crowd booed him loudly. As he put his helmet and bat away, he stood still in the dugout. There wasn’t much for the 35,392 fans to cheer about, and they may have cheered the loudest when Aaron Hicks got out. Aaron Judge saw and went over right away to comfort the outfielder, who has now gone 0-for-7 to start the season.