NEW YORK — After allowing 20 earned runs in his previous 13 2/3 innings, left-hander Carlos Rodon didn’t pitch badly against the Reds on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium. But the home run got to him and the Yankees were beaten 3-2.
Unlike his previous three starts, Rodón didn’t let the first inning get out of hand. In fact, he retired the Reds in order. But in the next inning, Rodón found himself at a disadvantage when he allowed a two-run homer to Noelvi Marte.
“I kind of threw that fastball down and in. That ball was supposed to go up,” Rodon said.
Rodón calmed down until the fifth inning, when he allowed a solo homer to Stuart Fairchild to make it three runs. Rodón made the mistake of throwing a slider to Fairchild down and in.
“There were some pitches I would like to get back,” Rodon said. “… I would like to prevent some runs from being scored and give the guys a better chance. Now it’s time for the next (outing).”
Rodón lasted until the sixth inning, when manager Aaron Boone pulled him with one out and 95 pitches (57 strikes). From the look on his face, Rodón didn’t want to leave the game, saying, “No way. No way.” It took teammate Gerrit Cole to calm him down in the dugout.
“You’re competing. I didn’t want to start off the wrong way,” Rodon said. “I wanted to stay and get those last two outs of that inning. I understand they handed the ball to Tonkin. He gets two outs easily. It’s great.”
Boone said he liked the way Rodón threw the ball and expects him to gain momentum in his next start against the Rays next week.
The Yankees attempted to rally in the seventh inning. After Reds left-hander Andrew Abbott left the game with one out, Anthony Volpe doubled to drive in Jahmai Jones and Austin Wells off Fernando Cruz to make it a one-run game. Volpe advanced to third on a wild pitch, and after Juan Soto walked, Aaron Judge came to the plate with two runners on base but hit into a double play to end the threat.
“He’s the best hitter in the world,” Cruz said. “There’s no better way to compete than to get him to hit into a double play in a game like that.”
The next inning, the Yankees had runners on first and second with two outs, but Reds left-hander Justin Wilson struck out Trent Grisham to end the threat.
The Bronx Bombers didn’t have much luck with closer Alexis Diaz in the ninth inning. After Wells led off with a walk, Volpe wasn’t considered to bunt to advance the runner.
“I thought it would be tough to double team,” Boone said. “It’s risky to have Soto and Judge on the team.”
Instead, Volpe hit into a double play. Soto followed and flied out to left fielder Spencer Steer to end the game.
The Yankees have lost 13 of their last 18 games and are 1 1/2 games behind the AL East-leading Orioles pending the outcome of Baltimore’s last game in Seattle.
