O Yankees were up 4-1 heading into the ninth Monday night against the Seattle Mariners, as it seemed clay holmes was about to extend the team’s winning streak to eight games.
However, things fell apart for Holmes and the Yanks as the closer gave up four runs in just 0.2 IP, handing the Mariners a 5-4 victory. It’s only Holmes’ second save of the season (13 of 15) and first earned run allowed, but he was still frustrated with the performance and took the blame for the loss.
“Yes, that’s on me,” said Holmes. “I feel like I made some good pitches and definitely some balls found some holes, but I was ahead of some guys there, 0-2, 1-2, and I got them on base, which could have been a great out. one of those outings where I felt like my stuff was there, maybe trying to chase a little too much with some guys there. Some balls found some holes and didn’t go there.
Holmes went on to say he felt capable of turning a double play in the ninth, but wasn’t able to make the pitch tonight when it mattered.
“I thought my stuff was good enough tonight, but I didn’t pitch when I needed to,” Holmes said. “Some of the two frontcourts were competitive, some weren’t, and I think if a few more were competitive and in the zone, tonight would have been different.”
Despite the defeat, Holmes is confident he can “bounce back tomorrow” thanks to the people at the clubhouse. Aaron Judge supported him and said that “things like this will happen”, even when you have “one of the best close-ups in the game”.
“Yes, you feel that, every time you lose and ruin the game,” Holmes said. “I have complete confidence in myself and the people around me, Trevy (José Trevino), the throwing coaches. Because of the process I have in place, I know where I am and I will be able to recover tomorrow and finish the work tomorrow. Like I said, having the players here around you, the coaches, helps you stay ready and I think we’ll be ready to get one tomorrow.”
After the defeat, the manager Aaron Boone was asked if he was surprised that Holmes was unable to get out of the ninth inning, acknowledging that “those things that happen every now and then” in baseball.
“I mean, sure, it’s baseball,” Boone said. “I thought he threw the ball well again. I mean, it just didn’t bounce our way in that inning. He was on the attack, some hits on him, a bloop, and then they got some good hits there to finish off, obviously, the big rally, it’s one of those things that happens every now and then.”
He added: “Sometimes that’s baseball. Again, I thought he, the whole inning, threw the ball well. It just didn’t bounce our way that inning… They were able to make contact and find some holes.”
