New York Yankees 1, Washington Nationals 2
NEW YORK — In a disheartening turn of events, the New York Yankees prolonged their losing streak to nine games, a feat not witnessed in 41 years. This unfortunate outcome unfolded when Tommy Kahnle yielded a decisive home run to CJ Abrams with only two outs remaining in the eighth inning, resulting in a narrow 2-1 defeat against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.
Since their victory over the Marlins in Miami on August 11, the Yankees have been unable to secure a win, marking their initial nine-game losing streak since the period spanning September 13 to 21, 1982. This was during the concluding month of a season that saw them win 79 games and transition through three managers – Bob Lemon, Gene Michael, and Clyde King.
The deadlock at 1-1 was shattered when CJ Abrams, with remarkable speed, connected with a first-pitch changeup from Kahnle (1-2), propelling the ball off the right field foul pole. This marked Abrams’ 13th home run of the season and his sixth in seizing the lead for the Washington Nationals this year.
In his season debut, Carter Kieboom swiftly homered in the third inning on just the second pitch he faced, having returned from Tommy John surgery that kept him out of the entire previous season.
Amidst the contest, Ben Rortvedt managed to deliver a home run and both hits for the Yankees. However, this only amounted to two hits in total, marking the fifth instance this year where they were limited to such a tally. New York’s struggles continue, with their record now at 12-27 since reaching a 10-game advantage over .500 on July 4. Their offensive struggles are evident as well, having been held to one run or less in four out of the last six games.
Carlos Rodón turned in his most impressive performance as a member of the Yankees, allowing just one run and six hits across six innings. This outing marked his eighth start with the team. Having returned after a two-week absence due to a left hamstring strain, the southpaw not only showcased his skills but also benefited from the strong defensive efforts of the outfield. The Yankees’ outfield managed to prevent three Nationals hitters from converting singles into doubles.
The action in the fourth inning included Keibert Ruiz attempting to advance to second base but oversliding the bag, resulting in him being thrown out by right fielder Aaron Judge. Additionally, Ildemaro Vargas was thwarted in his efforts to stretch his hit into a double as rookie left fielder Everson Pereira made a precision relay throw to shortstop Anthony Volpe. Volpe then executed a seamless throw to second baseman Gleyber Torres, successfully completing the play.
Pitching in front of his family and friends who had gathered from nearby New Rochelle, New York, Josiah Gray pitched a solid six innings despite issuing five walks.
In the seventh inning, Mason Thompson (4-4) came in and managed to get DJ LeMahieu to pop out on the very first pitch, leaving a runner stranded. Hunter Harvey followed this up in the eighth inning by striking out both Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, executing a 1-2-3 inning.
Kyle Finnegan held the line in the ninth inning, leaving a runner stranded and securing his 22nd save in 29 opportunities.
UP NEXT
On Wednesday, it will be a matchup between left-handed pitcher MacKenzie Gore of the Washington team and right-handed pitcher Luis Severino of the New York squad. Gore holds a record of 6 wins and 9 losses with an earned run average (ERA) of 4.38, while Severino’s record stands at 2 wins and 8 losses with a considerably higher ERA of 7.98. In his recent outing against Boston, Gore put up an impressive performance by pitching 6 and 1/3 scoreless innings. On the other hand, Severino’s last six appearances have seen him struggle, with his ERA reaching 9.00 during this period.
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