NEW YORK _ All the Yankees needed was a victory, and the American League East would be theirs for the first time since 2012. It was a simple mission in theory, but some poor fielding and a weak night of offense precluded them from accomplishing it.
Instead of a win, they fell 3-2 to the Los Angeles Angels in front of 38,106 at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday.
But when they left the field, their chances of winning the division were still alive for the night. The Rays, who are in second place in the division, were playing the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
If the second-place Rays went on to lose, the Yankees would be division champs. If Tampa Bay eventually won, the division crown would be delayed for at least another day.
All the Yankees could do was wait for the final result.
CC Sabathia made what likely was his final start at Yankee Stadium, allowing two runs over 2? innings while walking two batters and striking out four.
Aaron Judge hit a game-tying two-run home run, but the rest of the Yankees' offense couldn't muster anything up.
Giancarlo Stanton returned to the Yankees' lineup after missing 73 games with a sprained PCL in his right knee. He had a solid night, hitting a double to the gap in left-center field in his first at-bat.
Stanton, who batted fifth and played left field, grounded out and struck out in his other at-bats. He played five innings in the field.
But for the most part, this wasn't a good game for the Yankees.
Sabathia allowed two singles in the first inning, but then struck out four straight batters to get to the third.
He couldn't get through that frame, giving up RBI singles to Albert Pujols and Kevan Smith to give the Angels a two-run lead.
Sabathia left the game to a standing ovation and his teammates came out of the dugout to greet him.
The 39-year-old has already announced this is his final season and he isn't likely to start in the playoffs. He's not even assured a spot on the postseason roster at this point.
The Yankees' offense, though, bailed him out on Wednesday.
DJ LeMahieu walked to lead off the third and Judge then hit a line-drive home run into the right-field stands to tie the game.
But the Yankees gave a run right back in the sixth, courtesy of some poor fielding.
Reliever Adam Ottavino gave up a lead-off double to Michael Hermosillo and then Matt Thaiss reached on an infield single that Ottavino was late to cover first base on. Then Fletcher also reached on an infield single to load the bases. Again, Ottavino was late covering first.
Simmons then flied out to center before Pujols hit a slow roller back toward the mound for what could've been a double play.
Ottavino fielded it and threw to home to try to get the force on Hermosillo, but he made a terrible throw from about 15 feet away. It sailed by catcher Kyle Higashioka and went to the backstop.
