Carlos Rodón turned in another strong outing, but the New York Yankees’ lack of offense and shaky bullpen spelled disaster in an 11-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium. The defeat drops New York to two straight losses in the series and keeps the club three games behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East race.
Rodón (16-6) was sharp through most of his six innings, scattering five hits with six strikeouts and just two runs allowed on 102 pitches. Detroit struck in the fifth when former Yankee Gleyber Torres delivered a two-run single after the bases were loaded, but Rodón escaped further trouble.
The Yankees’ bullpen again unraveled after a poor showing on Tuesday. Mark Leiter Jr. and Camilo Doval combined to allow four runs in the seventh and eighth innings, including a two-run homer by Riley Greene. Tim Hill and Luke Weaver struggled as well, surrendering five more runs, highlighted by Kerry Carpenter’s two-run blast and pinch-hitter Colt Keith’s two-run shot in the ninth. Outfielder Austin Slater finished the game on the mound to stop the bleeding.
Offensively, New York managed only five hits. Aaron Judge went hitless with two double-play groundouts, while Giancarlo Stanton struck out twice. The lone bright spot was rookie catcher Austin Wells, who launched his 21st homer of the season in the eighth to avoid a shutout.
Box Score | AL East Standings | AL Wild Card Standings
Rookie Cam Schlittler will take the mound in the series finale on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. as the Yankees look to avoid being swept.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].