"Volpe is becoming a problem" - Fans blast Anthony Volpe after Yankees' 3-2 loss vs. Guardians
New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe was heavily criticized by fans after his team lost a close 3-2 game against the Guardians in Cleveland. Volpe made a series of mistakes that, in retrospect, cost the Bombers a crucial result against a fellow postseason challenger.
With Guardians runners in first and third base and the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Volpe muffed a seemingly routine ground ball hit by center fielder Angel Martinez. This led to Kyle Manzardo running to home plate for the Guardians' lead and Bo Naylor to second base.
Volpe's horrific night continued in the eighth inning, when he swung at a ball that was way out of the strike zone with Aaron Judge in scoring position and Jazz Chisholm Jr. at first base with two outs. This effectively ended the night for the Yankees as they were stranded with just two runs against the Guardians' three.
"Volpe was useless. Avoid the sweep tomorrow," one fan said.
"Anyway we can have Volpe bat 10th or 11th?" a fan questioned.
"Volpe is becoming a problem," a fan noted.
Yankee fans also expressed their worries that they might be swept by the Guardians.
"YOU LOST A SERIES TO THE CLEVELAND GUARDIANS?!?!?!?! YOU ARE UNSERIOUS," a fan exclaimed.
"Just find a way to win one and go back home," one fan pleaded.
"Let's get back on the winning streak," a fan requested.
The Yankees would certainly want to avoid a sweep in a three-game set in Cleveland for the first time in team history. The last time they were swept by the Guardians was back in August 2017 in a two-game series when the squad was still known as the "Indians."
Yankees fall to Guardians, surrender AL lead
The New York Yankees' 3-2 defeat to the Guardians dropped the Bombers to a 14-10 record with a win percentage of .583. Consequently, the Guardians improved to 14-9 and now hold an AL-best .609 win percentage.
Ben Rice continued his hot start to the season as he smashed a leadoff home run for his sixth homer of the season. Jazz Chisholm's sacrifice fly in the sixth gave the Yankees a 2-0 lead.
However, the Guardians stormed back half an inning later when Mark Leiter Jr. threw a wild pitch that gave Steven Kwan the runway to run home for Cleveland's first run. Kyle Manzardo then hit a liner to right field that Aaron Judge failed to catch despite laying out, tying the game as Nolan Jones was brought home.
Finally, the Guardians took the lead courtesy of an Anthony Volpe fielding blunder that sealed the comeback for Cleveland.