NEW YORK — Aaron Boone stood at his usual perch near the top step of the Yankees dugout in the late innings on Wednesday, chomping on Dubble Bubble. He occasionally squinted at the lineup card as though searching for a hidden code, then folded it into his back pocket.
Especially in the late innings, answers have been elusive.
Carlos Rodón turned in six innings of two-run ball, but for the second consecutive evening, the Yankees’ relievers stumbled mightily. Camilo Doval, Tim Hill and Luke Weaver each surrendered late homers in an 11-1 loss.
“We’ve played good teams,” said catcher Austin Wells, who homered in the defeat. “You can’t get away with as many mistakes against teams like that. I definitely think they’ve made some good swings on some good pitches, and also we’ve put ourselves in holes.”
Outscored 23-3 in the series so far, the defeats have been historic, and not for any reasons that will earn space in the Yankees Museum.
This marked the first time that New York’s relievers combined to allow at least nine earned runs in two straight games. It’s also the third time the club has lost consecutive games by 10 or more runs (also Sept. 26-28, 1908, and Aug. 27-28, 1988).
“These last two nights have obviously been rough,” Boone said.
It was just last weekend that the Yankees crowed about having what they believed could be the Majors’ most formidable bullpen heading into October; Fernando Cruz said the club’s assemblage of talent is “scary,” adding, “I don’t think there’s a bullpen better than us. If you put the names together, it’s impossible.”
There’s still time to prove that, especially with David Bednar looking like the club’s new closer, but Detroit’s relentless attack has exposed fresh cracks in the argument.
“I have a lot of confidence in their ability and their stuff, but we’ve got to bring it together,” Boone said. “We haven’t done that consistently enough yet. Can we do it? That’s what we’re going to find out, and that’s what we’re going to need to do if we’re going to make a big run at this.”
The Yankees are past the halfway point of a 12-game gauntlet against postseason contenders. They handled themselves capably through the first six, taking two of three in series against the Astros and Blue Jays, but have been unable to finish games against the Tigers.
Held to two hits over five innings by Jack Flaherty, it was a tight game early. Gleyber Torres knocked in a run charged to Mark Leiter Jr. in the seventh, part of a three-RBI performance for the former Yankee, and the Tigers teed off for five runs in the eighth, with Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter homering.
Torres received a pleasant acknowledgement from the Bronx crowd during Tuesday’s series opener, but his reception was less warm on Wednesday. His first hit came off Rodón, who had the bases full in the fifth, one pitch from escaping. Torres had other ideas, stroking a 96.1 mph fastball into center field for a clean knock.
Then, as they did Tuesday, the wheels came off. Through the first two games of this series, Yankees relievers have permitted 18 earned runs and 18 hits over six innings, with six walks and three home runs sprinkled throughout.
It wasn’t as ugly as Tuesday’s nine-run seventh inning, when Detroit sent 14 batters to the plate, but it sure wasn’t pretty.
“They seem to swing the bat pretty well at the end of the game,” Rodón said.
New York’s 4.54 bullpen ERA is 24th best in the Majors, and none of the clubs with higher ERAs (Twins, A’s, D-backs, Angels, Rockies, Nationals) are in playoff position.
“It’s a mixed bag,” Boone said. “He flashes that swing and miss with the slider. Obviously it’s a big arm with the cutter and the sinker. The strike-throwing hasn’t been great, and that’s hurt him in some outings.”
Wells said that, as Slater walked to the mound, he suggested a two-pitch repertoire — the lob and something a little quicker, perhaps 50 mph or so. Wells said he didn’t bother calling for that one.
“I just kind of let him do his deal,” Wells said.
