New York Yankees fans furious after one-run loss to upstart Baltimore Orioles: "We are a bad ballclub" "It’s the same garbage every year"
The New York Yankees have fallen to third place in the American League East. The Baltimore Orioles rallied past their division rivals to win 7-6 on Friday and supplant the Yankees for second place in the division.
Baltimore celebrated its home opener and took a 4-0 lead through three innings before New York countered with three runs in the fourth and two more in the sixth for a 5-4 edge.
However, the Orioles hammered away at the Yankees bullpen and scratched out three runs over the sixth and seventh frames to take a 7-5 lead.
New York mustered up a lone run in the eighth, but could not knot the contest despite having two runners on and nobody out in the inning.
Baltimore closer Felix Bautista secured the save by striking out DJ LeMahieu and Anthony Volpe before walking Aaron Judge to force Anthony Rizzo into a harmless flyout to end the game.
FINAL: Orioles 7, Yankees 6.
Needless to say, the New York Yankees fanbase overreacted.
@Yankees we are a bad ballclub, its obvious were not a postseason caliber team. its clear the bluejays orioles and rays are better than us. we might be a 4th place team this year and i wish i was joking.
@Yankees It’s the same garbage EVERY YEAR! https://t.co/H0VvsouYo5
@Yankees Sloppy game, should’ve won that
As usual, when the New York Yankees lose, manager Aaron Boone is squarely in the crosshairs of the fanbase. Boone was largely taken to task for turning to reliever Jimmy Cordero in the seventh-inning as his bullpen mate Ron Marinaccio floundered. Cordero gave up New York's lead on a wild pitch after giving up a game-tying double.
@Yankees First Aaron Boone loss of the season. Baseball is officially back!
@Yankees Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman after they lead their mighty Yankees to their 6th consecutive disappointing season https://t.co/BdEZUiKTjN
@Yankees First manager fumble of the season. Low leverage bullpen arms in high leverage situations, higher leverage arms in lower leverage situations. IKF pinch hit why?
With Josh Donaldson headed to the injured list and Aaron Hicks not getting any playing time, Yankees fans turned their rage on a third player: Isaiah Kiner-Falefa.
Kiner-Falefa came on as a pinch-hitter for Franchy Cordero after Cordero had hit a home run earlier in the game, and it did not go well. Kiner-Falefa went 0-2 with one strikeout in the contest and remains hitless on the season.
@Yankees IKF time to take a trip buddy
@Yankees DFA IKF
Storm clouds are also brewing when it comes to Volpe, the team's rookie shortstop. The 21-year-old top prospect, who seized the starting shortstop role this spring, has already been deemed the heir apparent to Hall of Famer Derek Jeter. However, he has struggled mightily through the first week-plus of his first regular season.
He struck out three times in the game, going 0-4 to drop his batting average to .143. The patience of legendarily impatient Yankees fans is being tested.
@Yankees Volpe on a slump but ITS OKAY! https://t.co/pjGekM6UNk
@Yankees I really like Volpe but Holy shit he can't hit anything right now.
New York Yankees remain in Baltimore through the weekend
The New York Yankees, on their first road trip of the year, take on the Orioles twice more at Camden Yards this weekend.
Following that, they head to Cleveland for a three-game series starting Monday.