Yankees 1-2 Mariners: New York loses nerve, game, and skipper

New York Yankees 1-2 Seattle Mariners

The New York Yankees wasted an exceptional mound effort from standout Max Fried and succumbed to a tight 2-1 contest against the Seattle Mariners in 11 innings Tuesday night at T-Mobile Park. J.P. Crawford’s decisive walk-off hit against reliever Tim Hill sealed New York’s fate and ended Seattle’s four-game losing streak.

The setback not only interrupted the Yankees‘ momentum following a stretch of offensive fireworks but also revealed a concerning pattern — squandered opportunities in crucial situations and growing strain on a bullpen that has been shouldered a heavy workload recently.

Crawford delivers in clutch as mariners edge Yankees in 11

With Leody Taveras positioned at second base to begin the bottom of the 11th under MLB’s extra-inning protocol, Crawford acted decisively. On Hill’s (3-1) first offering, the Mariners shortstop attacked a low sinker and slapped it down the left-field line. The ball hugged the chalk and rolled barely fair, bringing home the winning run and handing the Yankees just their second defeat in their past seven outings.

The walk-off stroke came after Anthony Volpe had knotted the score 1-1 in the ninth inning’s top half via a fielder’s choice that plated Cody Bellinger.

Fried delivers another masterpiece — but support lacking

Max Fried, the Yankees’ clear-cut ace and MLB ERA leader, crafted yet another stellar performance, surrendering just one run across five innings while fanning five batters. His sole misstep came on a sharply hit RBI double by Cal Raleigh, a drive that narrowly stayed within the playing field but easily produced the game’s initial run.

Fried entered the contest sporting a 1.05 ERA, the third-lowest by a Yankee through eight starts in franchise history. He limited Seattle to four hits and departed the mound facing a 1-0 deficit, hoping for a late rally that nearly materialized but ultimately fell short.

Woo neutralizes Yankees attack

Seattle starter Bryan Woo matched Fried’s pitch-for-pitch. The 24-year-old right-hander held the Yankees scoreless through 6 1/3 innings, allowing just two runners to reach scoring position throughout the evening. Woo, quietly establishing himself among the AL’s most reliable arms, has now completed at least six innings in all eight starts this season, tying Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler for the MLB lead.

He recorded six strikeouts without issuing a walk, consistently frustrating Yankees hitters with inside fastballs and precisely located cutters.

Missed opportunities plague Yankees

New York managed merely five hits and went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position, a stark departure from their 11-run outburst just one night earlier. After scraping across a tying run in the ninth, the Yankees failed to manufacture another tally in extra innings.

Their inability to advance the automatic runner in both the 10th and 11th — combined with a strikeout and groundout with the go-ahead run at third — highlighted an evening of wasted chances.

Key moment & stat

Crawford’s game-winning single came on the very first pitch from Tim Hill in the 11th inning’s bottom half. In a challenging left-on-left confrontation, Crawford pounced on a sinker and found just enough territory inside the left-field line to end the contest. The placement — mere inches from being foul — characterized a game of narrow margins that didn’t favor New York.

Bryan Woo became the only pitcher in MLB this season to work at least six innings in all eight starts, joining Zack Wheeler atop that leaderboard. He silenced a Yankees lineup that had produced 39 runs during its previous four contests.

Yankees’ pitching remains strong — but bullpen taxed

The Yankees’ relief corps has performed admirably this season, but signs of fatigue are beginning to emerge. Tim Hill, appearing in his third game across four days, absorbed the loss. Combined with lengthy outings from Fried and recent bullpen activity following Cabrera’s injury and extra-inning battles, exhaustion could become a factor in upcoming games.

Yankees roster

Up Next

Wednesday, May 14 — T-Mobile Park, Seattle

• Yankees starter: RHP Will Warren (2-2, 4.75 ERA)
• Mariners starter: RHP Luis Castillo (3-3, 3.95 ERA)
• First pitch: 4:10 p.m. ET

The Yankees will attempt to capture the series in the rubber match with Will Warren taking the hill, facing Luis Castillo, who has historically performed well at home. Following a quiet offensive showing, New York hopes to rebound and conclude the road trip with momentum before returning to the Bronx.

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