NEW YORK _ There was talk in the air of catching the Red Sox in the AL East last Monday when the Yankees began their seven-game homestand against the White Sox and Tigers.
Now, after they fell to a disappointing 3-4 on the homestand with an 11-7 loss to the Tigers on Sunday at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees have to turn their attention to the growing reality that a wild-card playoff game is more likely their October future.
Lance Lynn allowed six runs in 3 2/3 innings as the Yankees split the four-game series with the lowly Tigers. The Yankees were managed _ and managed oddly _ by bench coach Josh Bard as Aaron Boone served a one-game suspension for making contact with an umpire during an argument on Friday. The suspension was announced before the game.
Bard had his moment to make a big decision with the Yankees trailing 8-4 in the eighth inning and the bases loaded and two outs. Bard called on Neil Walker to pinch hit for Austin Romine against right-hander Victor Alcantara even though he had Giancarlo Stanton on the bench. Stanton, who has 33 homers this season and 300 in his career, was given his first game off since May 28.
Walker hit an RBI infield single to make it 8-5. Another pinch hitter was called for, but again in wasn't Stanton who hit for Adeiny Hechavarria. It was slumping Greg Bird, who sent a screaming line drive to the right-field wall for the third out. Another few feet and it would have been a grand slam.
Still, the Yankees were only down three runs. But Bard called in left-hander Stephen Tarpley for his major-league debut in the ninth and left him in to absorb a three-run inning. Even though the Yankees had eight other relievers who were available, no one even warmed up as the Tigers went up by six on a two-run single by Ronny Rodriguez and run-scoring single by Dawel Lugo.
The Yankees made it 11-7 in the bottom half on Gleyber Torres' two-out, two-run single off Shane Greene. With the tying run on deck, Greene struck out Luke Voit to end it.
