Yankees drop series finale to Mariners, 3-2, after costly first-inning error

The Yankees dropped the series finale in Seattle on Thursday afternoon, 3-2, failing to secure a sweep of the Mariners.

Here are the takeaways…

-Back on the field less than 24 hours after clinching – and celebrating – a postseason berth on Wednesday night against the Seattle Mariners in a game that went to extra innings, the Yankees didn’t have the best start to Thursday’s series finale.

After spoiling a chance to take an early lead with two runners on and one out thanks to a walk and an error by third baseman Josh Rojas on a ground ball hit right at him by Aaron Judge, New York surrendered three runs in the opening frame due to an error that the Mariners capitalized on.

–Clarke Schmidt loaded the bases on a walk and two singles, the second a bunt hit by Luke Raley, but got Justin Turner to hit a fly ball that should’ve resulted in a run-scoring out, the second out of the inning. However, rookie Jasson Dominguez dropped the ball in left field, which allowed the runner to score and kept the bases loaded with still just one out. Jorge Polanco followed with a sacrifice fly of his own to make it 2-0 before J.P. Crawford singled home the third run of the inning.

Two of the three runs were unearned, but it was a laborious inning for Schmidt who needed 26 pitches to finally retire the side.

-Dominguez tried to make up for his error with a leadoff double in the second, but with two outs the 21-year-old was thrown out at home plate trying to score on Anthony Volpe’s single to Raley in right field. Playing shallow, Raley got to the ball quickly and unleashed a strike to catcher Cal Raleigh who applied the tag on a sliding Dominguez for the third out.

-The Yankees managed to get on the board the following inning thanks to Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s two-run homer off right-hander Logan Gilbert that cut their deficit to 3-2.

-In the fourth, New York got the first two runners on but a flyout and two strikeouts left them stranded, a theme for the Yanks throughout the day who finished 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position (the only hit being Volpe’s single that resulted in an out).

-Meanwhile, Schmidt had to weave through traffic on the bases for most of his outing. His only clean inning was his last one in the fifth. The right-hander went five innings and allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits and three walks while striking out seven.

–Jake Cousins entered the game in the sixth, but after a hit-by-pitch and a strikeout the reliever was forced to leave the game with what was later announced as right pec tightness. The right-hander has been a stalwart in New York’s bullpen with a 2.37 ERA in 38 innings this season so his injury bears keeping an eye on.

–Juan Soto also had an injury scare after crashing his knee into the right field wall on a catch in the seventh inning, but the outfielder stayed in the game after getting looked at by trainers. He went 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts

-The Yankees had their chances to tie or take the lead, but could never manage the big hit, mustering just six hits on the afternoon. Dominguez led the pack with a 2-for-4 game, but his first-inning error proved to be the difference maker.

-With the Baltimore Orioles beating the San Francisco Giants earlier in the day, New York’s division lead shrank to four games as its magic number remains at six.

Game MVP: Logan Gilbert

The right-hander did just enough to earn his eighth win of the season, striking out nine and getting out of trouble when he needed to.

Highlights

What’s next

The Yankees finish up their last road trip of the regular season in Oakland to take on the Athletics for a three-game series starting Friday night. First pitch is scheduled for 9:40 p.m.

RHP Gerrit Cole (6-5, 3.97 ERA) goes for New York while the A’s counter with RHP J.T. Ginn (0-1, 4.94 ERA).