New York Yankees: Tanaka Gets Shelled As Yanks Fall to Brewers 5-3 (Highlights)
Jul 9, 2017; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka (19) between innings against the Milwaukee Brewers at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

On a sun-drenched afternoon in the Bronx, Masahiro Tanaka struggles and the offense leaves a small village on the base paths as they lose the game and the series to the Milwaukee Brewers.

  • New York Yankees: 45-40
  • Masahiro Tanaka: 7-7, 5.25 ERA
  • Milwaukee Brewers: 49-41
  • Jimmy Nelson: 7-4, 3.20 ERA
  • Boxscore

Coming off an enormous, emotional comeback walk-off win Saturday, “struggle” was the word of the day for both Masahiro Tanaka and the Yankees’ offense as they fell to the Brewers 5-3 Sunday afternoon.

Tanaka got hit early and often, leading to an early exit as Travis Shaw and his four RBI led the charge for Milwaukee.

As for the bats, the Yankees lineup went a dismal 1-for-16 with runners on base today. In fact, they managed to bring either the tying or go-ahead runs to the plate in each of the last four innings but never did come up with the big hit.

They finish the season’s first half having dropped eight of their past nine series.

Mighty Tough for Masahiro Tanaka

Just like in yesterday’s contest, a Yankee starter allowed the first two batters of the game to reach base and were once again bitten by the long ball, putting themselves in a sizable first-inning deficit.

Tanaka gave up back-to-back singles to Jonathan Villar and Eric Thames. Having already used 20 pitches; Tanaka then threw a slider that didn’t slide to Travis Shaw, who obliterated it into the right-centerfield seats for his 19th home run of the season to give Milwaukee a 3-0 lead for the second consecutive afternoon.

Tanaka was on the wrong side of the home run ball once again in the top of the second inning, this time with a solo shot to center by Stephen Vogt that let the Brew Crew jump out to a 4-0 lead. The long ball is Vogt’s fourth blast since joining the Brewers late last month.

The Yankees answered in the bottom of the inning. Chase Headley delivered a RBI single that scored Jacoby Ellsbury, cutting Milwaukee’s lead to 4-1. Then “Red Thunder,” Clint Frazier, put his lightning-fast bat speed on display once again.

Frazier took a Jimmy Nelson fastball deep to right-center and over the wall for an opposite-field two run shot to pull the Yankees back to within one at 4-3. Frazier’s bomb was the third of his young Major League career, and second in as many days.

https://twitter.com/TheRenderMLB/status/884120118992785409

In the fifth, Tanaka surrendered consecutive singles to Thames and Domingo Santana to spell the end of his atrocious afternoon. The Japanese native was lifted for Chasen Shreve, who allowed Thames to score on a RBI single to center by Shaw for a 5-3 lead.

Tanaka’s final line: 4.1 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 5 K.

 

What’s Next

A much needed four-day All-Star break getaway is just what the doctor ordered for these reeling Yankees.

Tomorrow, however, we will be reminded of the bright future that lies ahead for the Bombers as Gary Sanchez and Aaron Judge are slated to participate (and dominate) in the 2017 Home Run Derby. The event is scheduled for 8:00 PM and can be seen on ESPN.

*BOLD PREDICTION*

With the Judge and the Sanchino on opposite sides of the bracket, I predict that we will have an all-Yankees final, much to the chagrin of Logan Morrison and Yankee haters everywhere, with the MVP candidate Aaron Judge taking home the crown.

After losing my eyesight as a result of a brain tumor in 1996, baseball and music ushered me back to reality and led me to who I am today. I turned my love of the game and for my New York Yankees into writing for the best company in sports: Elite Sports NY. i use my Psychology & Music degree from James Madison University to articulate my thoughts in my writing and use my vocal/piano skills to professionally play music in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.