BUFFALO, N.Y. � They'd listened to Brian Cashman's version of a 'Ya Gotta Believe' speech and they received a fine starting pitching effort by J.A. Happ.
And nothing changed for the Yankees.
This is what a .500 club looks like; stranding 10 baserunners, tightening up in the clutch and flirting with losing their grip on a playoff spot � in a season when 16 teams make the tournament.
On Tuesday night, it was Taijuan Walker and three relievers who pitched the Blue Jays past the Yankees in a 2-1 victory at silent Sahlen Field.
That's five straight losses for the Yankees (21-21), who've dropped seven of their last eight games and 15 of their last 20.
Happ's one mistake proved fatal, yielding a two-run homer to Jonathan Davis in the second inning.
The veteran lefty pitched into the seventh inning, only to watch the lineup fail time and again with runners in scoring position.
And they played like a vulnerable club.
Walker was in trouble in the first inning, walking three straight batters with two out, but Mike Tauchman flied out on a 3-and-1 pitch to end the frame.
Aaron Hicks got himself thrown out attempting to steal third base in the third inning, with one out and Gleyber Torres up.
And after they loaded the bases with none out in the fifth inning, Tauchman's sacrifice fly was all they could get.
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Before the game, manager Aaron Boone wanted his club to be more obsessed about their plan, feeling the results would follow.
"And I'm really confident if we can get to that place mentally where we can free ourselves, this team will take off."
Hours later, they were still stuck and searching for answers.
