A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to Losing: Yankees Didn't

All the signs were there, for the Yankees' series finale with the Texas Rangers, for an ugly loss. Gerrit Cole, our ace, did not have his good stuff. And the opposing starter with Nathan Eovaldi, who always seems to have great stuff against us, after Brian Cashman got rid of him too soon.

Sure enough, Cole gave up 3 runs in the 1st 2 innings, including, as he so often does, a home run. Meanwhile, the Yankees wasted a leadoff double by Gleyber Torres in the 1st inning.

But a funny thing happened on the way to losing: We didn't. Cliché Alert: Walks can kill you, especially the leadoff variety. And delivering a leadoff walk to Giancarlo Stanton is not a good look for a pitcher. But that's what Eovaldi did in the 2nd inning. He then gave up back-to-back doubles to Jake Bauers and DJ LeMahieu, and the Yankees were within 3-2.

That 3-2 score held until the bottom of the 8th. Anthony Volpe led off with a double. Jose Trevino singled, but Volpe couldn't score. Oswaldo Cabrera pinch-ran for Trevino. Torres hit a fly ball to right, but that was too short to score Volpe, either. But Harrison Bader doubled home Volpe and Cabrera, giving the Yankees the lead. Anthony Rizzo was intentionally walked to set up a force play. It didn't work: Stanton singled Bader home.

Cole could not finish the 5th inning. But, between them, Jimmy Cordero, Nick Ramirez, Ron Marinaccio and Michael King pitched 4 1/3rd shutout innings, allowing just 2 hits and a walk. Overall, it was the kind of performance Cole should have given, but didn't.

In the end, we got the result: Yankees 5, Rangers 3. WP: Marinaccio (4-3). SV: King (5). LP: John King (no relation, 1-1).

With the season nearly half-over (hard to believe), the Yankees are 9 1/2 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Eastern Division, 8 games in the all-important loss column. If the current standings hold to the end of the season, the Yankees will have the 5th seed in the AL Playoffs.

The Yankees have a travel day today, flying out to the Pacific Coast, where they will play the Oakland Athletics -- probably not for the last time, as their lease at the Oakland Coliseum will keep them there at least through next season. But, with the Howard Terminal ballpark deal having fallen through, and Las Vegas ready to build them a new ballpark, their days in the East Bay may finally be numbered.