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Anthony Volpe, DJ LeMahieu cost Yankees a run in bizarre error

Posted on by angelo
Anthony Volpe, DJ LeMahieu cost Yankees a run in bizarre error

If DJ LeMahieu had run slower, the Yankees would have scored a run.

If Anthony Volpe had run faster, the Yankees would have scored a run.

A bad baserunning play cost the Yankees dearly.

In the bottom of the third inning of Friday’s series opener against the Red Sox in The Bronx, Volpe was on third base and LeMahieu was on first with one out.

Ben Rice hit a ground ball to first baseman Romy Gonzalez, who stepped on the bag and threw it to second base, where shortstop Ceddanne Rafaela was waiting.

If Volpe had scored before the double play was completed, the run would have been scored.

But Volpe didn’t run hard and was still a few steps from home plate when Rafaela caught the ball.

If LeMahieu had hit the brakes hard and tried to reverse toward first base, maybe an extra second or two would have allowed Volpe to score.


DJ LeMahieu was tagged out heading to second base on the play.
DJ LeMahieu was tagged out heading to second base on the play.

Anthony Volpe slowed down as he drove home.
Anthony Volpe slowed down as he drove home.

But LeMahieu simply redirected himself away from the baseline, tagged by Rafaela shortly before Volpe touched the plate.

The double play kept the score at 0.

The Yankees entered the game having lost 13 of their last 17 games.

Most of their pitches and hits have fallen short, though their effort level was recently put under the microscope after center fielder Trent Grisham failed to load a routine single in Thursday’s loss and grounded out, allowing a Reds runner to take an extra base.