How Ugly WAS It?

The 9th inning of last night's Yankee game was so ugly. How ugly was it? It was so ugly, Muhammad Ali had to come back from the dead and fight it.

The Yankees were facing the Cincinnati Reds, who got off to one of the worst starts in baseball history. They won 2 of their 1st 4, then lost 20 of their next 21. But they've gone 32-30 since, including winning their last 5, 2 of those in walkoff fashion

The Yankees started off pretty, to use another of Ali's favorite words. DJ LeMahieu singled, Gleyber Torres doubled, and Anthony Rizzo doubled both of them home. In the 3rd, Torres and Rizzo walked, and Josh Donaldson singled Torres home. It was 3-0 Yankees after 3 innings.

That should have been enough for Gerrit Cole and the bullpen to get the job done. Certainly, Cole did his job, going 7 innings, allowing no runs, 4 hits, and only 1 walk, striking out 11. Michael King pitched a perfect 8th.

Aaron Boone brought Clay Holmes in to pitch the 9th. He'd been great until his last appearance, against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, when he blew a save for the 1st time this season.

Now, how many times have I told you that walks can kill you, especially the leadoff variety? Holmes allowed a walk and a single, hit a batter to load the bases, allowed an RBI single, and hit another batter to force in another run. He didn't get a single out.

Boone took him out, and brought in Wandy Peralta. He induced 2 ground balls that led to force plays at home plate, and it looked like the Yankees might get out of it. But he gave up a single to Jonathan India, and that scored the tying and go-ahead runs.

Boone had given Aaron Judge the day off -- a day after a day on which the Yankees weren't even scheduled, so he'd already had a day off. He led off the bottom of the 9th, and struck out. LeMahieu drew a walk, so there was hope. But Torres grounded into a double play to end it. At first, Torres was ruled safe at first, but the Reds appealed, and the replay proved he was out.

Reds 4, Yankees 3. WP: Reiver Sanmartin (2-4). SV: Alexis Diaz (3). LP: Holmes (4-1).

This was a disgrace. The fact that the Reds got off to a terrible start doesn't really matter. The opponent doesn't matter: You just can't allow yourself to lose like that.

The series continues tonight. Luis Severino starts against Mike Minor. Hopefully, this one won't be ugly like the last one.