He Yankees They were one win away from capturing the American League East, but a baserunning error by Gleyber Torres Perhaps it cost them the opportunity to do so.
Down 4-2 in the seventh inning, with runners on second and third and two outs, Juan Soto hit a single to right field that drove in a run, but Torres held at third base. The throw from the outfield reached home, but Adley Rutschman He threw to second after Soto successfully advanced.
However, Torres was halfway to the plate when the shortstop Gunnar Henderson He threw it back to Rutschman, who caught the Yankees second baseman on a rundown.
Torres was eventually removed and the Yankees’ threat ended.
“I just tried to protect Soto,” Torres said after the game. “In that situation, I just protected him. I was kind of between the plate and the plate, I feel like I was a little late, and after that, I got out.”
“His initial thought was that Juan might be out at second, so he’s trying to protect him,” the manager said. Aaron Boone “It has to be a bluff or sell everything and be done with it. It’s the tie race there.”
The out on the base paths also went Judge Aaronwho hit his 56th homer of the season earlier in the game, on the standby list. The Yankees would have just one more runner in the final two innings before their Finally, defeat by 5-3.
The play was also Torres’ sixth of the season at home, tied for the most in the majors with Tampa Bay. Yandy Diaz.
“It may have been just a little miscommunication, but he was trying hard the whole time,” Judge said of the play. “I think he wanted the score and he got the stop sign and he was in no man’s land at the time. At the end of the day, things like that can’t happen. We can’t keep hurting ourselves with mistakes like that on the bases. But it happened and we have to move on and get ready for tomorrow.”
“I have to be a little more aggressive,” Torres said. “If I make that decision, go right out and steal that run. That’s my mistake and I just have to be ready for tomorrow.”
The error overshadows Torres’ strong performance at the plate for the Yankees. In Tuesday’s loss, he finished 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
Over his last seven games, Torres is 12-for-33 (.364) with one homer and four RBIs. He has also reached base safely in 22 of his last 23 games. He’s doing all of this while becoming the leadoff hitter the Yankees have been missing for most of the season.
Since Torres moved into the leadoff spot on Aug. 16, the second baseman is hitting .320/.392/.463 with five homers, six doubles and 18 RBIs. To erase Tuesday’s crucial mistake, Torres will need to keep hitting and help the Yankees win one more game and clinch the division.
The Yankees will have another chance against these same Orioles on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.
