The Logical Thing to Do Didn't Work

The Yankees began a 4-game series with the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium last night. At first, it looked like a good old-fashioned pitchers' duel, with Masahiro Tanaka pitching for the Yankees, and Andrew Cashner for the O's.

The game was scoreless going into the bottom of the 6th inning. Then Aaron Judge launched an opposite-field home run, to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead. Things were looking good.

And then, Aaron Boone did the exact opposite of what Yankee managers usually do in this situation -- the very thing that I've wanted Yankee managers to do for years, but Joe Girardi simply wouldn't do it: Take a starter who's pitching well, and leave him in.

It was the logical thing to do: Over the 1st 6 innings, Tanaka had allowed no runs, 2 hits, and no walks. Never mind how many pitches he had thrown: He was doing great.

This time, the logical thing to do turned out to be a mistake. As that most famous of logic-driven fictional characters, Mr. Spock (played by Leonard Nimoy on Star Trek), would have said, "Fascinating."

In the top of the 7th, Tanaka allowed a leadoff single to Jonathan Schoop, and then lost the lead by giving up a home run to Adam Jones. He got an out, then allowed another hit, and Boone had seen enough.

But Chad Green, one of the Yankees' more reliable relievers, was no better, and before he could close the door, the Birds had scored 5 runs.

In the bottom of the 7th, the Yankees answered with a Didi Gregorius double and a Neil Walker single. Tyler Wade drew a walk, and the tying run was brought to the plate.

The batter was Miguel Andújar, one of Brian Cashman's precioussss prospects, in what was, obviously, the biggest at-bat of his career so far. He popped up to end the inning.

I do not blame Andújar for not being ready for this situation. I blame Cashman for trusting a rookie for situations like these, instead of signing a proven major league player.

Adam Warren pitched a scoreless top of the 8th, a good sign. In the bottom of the 8th, the Yankees got a leadoff walk from Brett Gardner, and loaded the bases with 2 outs, but didn't score. Mixed in there was a strikeout by Giancarlo Stanton -- who may yet turn out to be the Johan Santana of the 2018 Yankees.

Dellin Betances pitched a scoreless top of the 9th, a good sign. In the bottom of the 9th, Wade drew another walk, but was stranded.

Orioles 5, Yankees 2. WP: Cashner (1-1). SV: Brad Brach (1). LP: Tanaka (1-1).

The series continues tonight, with CC Sabathia starting against Kevin Gausman. Last season, CC was 9-0 when starting games that followed a loss. We may need him to do that well again.