Yankees unable to overcome Will Warren’s rough outing in 9-2 loss to Rockies

After celebrating 2009 World Series championship team as part of the 76th Old Timers’ Day in franchise history, the current Yankees were defeated by the Colorado Rockies 9-2 on Saturday afternoon.

Here are some takeaways…

– Will Warren didn’t fare very well as he made his first start in place of right-hander Luis Gil, who landed on the injured list earlier this week with a what the team says is a “minor lower back strain.” The Rockies were able to jump on the youngster early and often, as they scratched across six runs (five earned) on seven hits over his three innings of work. He now has a brutal 9.68 ERA and 1.81 WHIP over his first four big-league outings this season.

The top of the third was a frustrating and ugly one for both sides of the battery, as Warren balked twice within a span of a few pitches to advance runners into scoring position, and a few batters later, Austin Wells committed catchers interference with to let a batter reach in a two-strike count. The Rockies ended up tacking on two more runs after that on back-to-back knocks from Brenton Doyle and Nolan Jones.

– The Yankees’ offense wasted be chances in each of the first two innings, but they were finally able to break through in the third, as Jazz Chisholm Jr. lined an RBI double into the left-center field gap. The slugger picked up another single later in the game, giving him a pair of knocks in just his second game back from a minimum stint on the IL.

– Alex Verdugo snapped an 0-for-21 skid as he sat on an 0-2 curveball and cracked it into the Yankee bullpen for a solo homer to cut into the lead in the bottom of the fourth. It was the left-handed hitting outfielder’s 11th home run of the season and his first since before the All-Star break (July 6).

– Aaron Judge reached base once with a hit-by-pitch, but he saw his four-game homer streak and 11-game hitting streak come to an end. Yankee fans will have to wait a little longer to see the captain officially reach the third 50-home run season of his career.

Game MVP: Jake Cave

Cave was square in the middle of things for the Rockies’ offense in this one as he went 4-for-5 and his two-run home run in the top of the seventh helped put the game away for good.

Highlights

Upcoming schedule

Marcus Stroman (8-6, 3.82 ERA) takes the mound against left-hander Austin Gomber (4-8, 4.64 ERA) as the Yankees and Rockies close out their three-game set on Sunday at 1:35 p.m.