The New York Yankees can’t catch a break. Just when they appeared to be on the verge of snapping a seven-game losing skid against their division-rival Boston Red Sox, an overturned call all but wiped away their chances.
In the eighth inning of the Yankees-Red Sox series finale on Sunday, shortstop Anthony Volpe singled on a line drive to left field with a man on first base. Red Sox left fielder Rob Refsnyder slipped while trying to field the baseball, which allowed third baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa to score from first and give the Yankees a 6-5 lead.
Kiner-Falefa was initially ruled safe at home as he slid into Red Sox catcher Connor Wong. However, the call was eventually overturned on a Red Sox challenge. The score stayed at 5-5 entering the final inning.
The Yankees seemingly took the lead on the Volpe single but the call at the plate was overturned. The Yankees then challenged that the catcher blocked the plate but that didn't work. Tie game heading into the ninth pic.twitter.com/NfDjz4eb18
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) August 20, 2023
The Yankees tried to challenge the play after the overturn ruling, arguing that the Red Sox catcher was blocking the plate. However, umpires deemed Wong’s setup at the plate was legal and that he reacted to the trajectory of the ball.
“If I’m just watching a baseball game, it seems fine,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, via Bridget Reilly of the New York Post. “But some of the calls they’ve made on blocks, you’re like man it gets a little gray there.”
“It’s tough. It’s tough. It’s a gut-punch today and especially in the fashion we lost,” Kiner-Falefa said.
The Red Sox went on to score in the top of the ninth and seal the series sweep of the Yankees.
Despite the sweep of the Yankees, Red Sox manager Alex Cora — who was ejected in the sixth inning — still blasted the umpires after the contest.
The loss extends the Yankees’ losing streak to eight — their longest consecutive string of defeats since 1995. Through Sunday’s contests, the Yankees hold a 60-64 record and are 9.0 games out of the final AL Wild Card slot.
