Yanks Lose 3rd In A Row For First Time This Year

 

By Andrew Rosario

 

 

There is always a first time in every sport. First base hit in baseball, first home run, first strikeout and first save among many others. First touchdown catch and pass in football. First dunk and 3-pointer in basketball. First shutout and hat trick in hockey. 

 

Monday night, the New York Yankees joined the list of first for this year as they lost for the third time in a row in the 6-4 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. It followed them getting swept in a double header last Sunday to the Chicago White Sox. Those losses were overshadowed by the confrontation between Yanks third baseman Josh Donaldson and Chicago’s outfielder Tim Anderson getting into a heated confrontation when Donaldson called him “Jackie” in reference to the revered Jackie Robinson. It resulted in both benches flooding the field with Anderson having to restrained by several of his teammates. 

 

No players were ejected. Donaldson denied using “Jackie” in a racist way. Anderson and manager Tony La Russo were not buying it. “I was a disrespectful comment,” said Anderson. According to Anderson, Donaldson called him “Jackie” earlier in the game. La Russo said “it was a racist comment.”

 

 

Major League Baseball issued a statement Monday after announcing that Donaldson would be fined (the amount was not disclosed) and suspended for 1 game “for his inappropriate comments.” Donaldson immediately appealed.

 

The Yanks got off to a good start Monday night as Aaron Judge blasts a solo shot in the first inning giving starter Gerrit Cole a 1-0 lead. Catcher Jose Trevino plated Aaron Hicks the next inning upping the lead to 2-0 before Cole would give it all back in the third.

 

Cole gave up 4 runs (5 total) after another Judge bomb tied the game at 4. In 8 innings, Cole struck 11 walking no batters. Baltimore added an insurance run after a Robinson Chirinos sacrifice fly scored Rougned Odor. Said Cole of his start, “it was a peculiar night. That inning is a little tough to digest. A lot of credit to them.” 

 

Judge has been white hot as the Yankees have a record of 29-13 (best in the American League and tied with the Mets in the majors) even with the losing streak. Over the last 11 games, Judge has gone deep 6 time including 4 multi home run games. The humble Judge downplayed his start saying, “just trying to do my job just like everyone else in this building.” Judge turned down a multi-year contract offered during spring training saying he would not negotiate once the season began.

 

The series continued Tuesday and Wednesday before they travel to Tampa for a 4-game series against the Rays. The last place Orioles have to be feeling good about themselves after the win Monday night.