Tanaka can't hold on as Yankees lose ground

NEW YORK -- The Yankees had an early-morning arrival coming off their six-game road trip, and to manager Aaron Boone's dismay, it showed. Three late errors prompted the first-year manager to decry his club's sloppy play in a 6-2 loss to the White Sox on Monday, urging them to pick up the energy level through the rest of their homestand.
"I thought all in all, we were a little sluggish tonight," Boone said. "We did not play our best game. I'm frustrated that we didn't play our best, but we've got to get on with it. We're in a tough stretch now. We've got to get some rest and turn the page."
The evening started with promising notes for the Yankees, as Masahiro Tanaka pitched out of a bases-loaded, none-out jam in the fourth inning and was rewarded a few batters later, as Gleyber Torres slugged a two-run homer that cleared the center-field fence and landed on the netting that covers Monument Park.

Having been stymied in the fourth on two strikeouts and a Yoán Moncada grounder that tipped from Tanaka to Torres, Chicago ensured that Tanaka did not repeat his escape two innings later. Moncada ripped a two-run double and Nicky Delmonico lifted a sacrifice fly, boosting the White Sox to a lead they would not relinquish.
"Obviously the fourth was a tough inning," Tanaka said through an interpreter. "I think in that sixth inning, I think I was maybe overthrowing a little bit, trying to force too much. That got me off really controlling the ball. Maybe that was the reason why I gave up some runs."

A diving grab by left fielder Shane Robinson ended the sixth, but Robinson committed an error the next inning on a Yolmer Sánchez single that set up Tim Anderson's RBI double. First baseman Luke Voit and pitcher A.J. Cole also committed miscues as New York fell 6 1/2 games behind the idle Red Sox in the American League East.
"All in all, we didn't play a very clean brand of baseball tonight," Boone said.

The Yankees had won all five of Tanaka's previous starts against the White Sox. He was charged with four runs and 10 hits over seven innings and said that he felt too excited at times.
"I think I was able to control myself better in the fourth inning," Tanaka said. "It was the same type of situation in the sixth inning. In my mind, I'm trying to get through that inning. Just a little bit overthrowing from being too amped up."

Torres' homer off Carlos Rodón was his 20th blast of the season, securing a milestone for the Yankees. With Torres and Miguel Andújar (21), New York has a pair of rookies who have hit 20 or more home runs for the first time in franchise history -- the eighth time the feat has been achieved in the Majors, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, and the first since Jay Bruce (21) and Joey Votto (24) did it for the Reds in 2008.
"It's good. We feel super comfortable," Torres said. "We've got a good relationship. We feel super good. We just try to do the job, try to help the team and don't put any pressure on ourselves. Just try to help, I think is the most important."

Rodon permitted two hits over seven innings, walking four and striking out two with a wild pitch to remain undefeated in nine starts since June 30.
"I thought he threw the ball well," Boone said. "We had a couple of opportunities there but really weren't able to mount much against him. Gleyber smoked the ball for the home run, but we got a glimpse of why Rodon has been having some success."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Following Torres' homer, an effectively wild Rodon retired the next eight batters before issuing a pair of walks to open the seventh, placing the tying run aboard. Kyle Higashioka fouled out on a 3-1 pitch and Ronald Torreyes grounded into a double play.
"I'm looking for a fastball to drive, something in the middle of the plate," Higashioka said. "He throws a ball in off the plate and I expand a little bit. That's on me for going out of the strike zone."

SOUND SMART
The Yankees have six players with 20 or more homers, the most on one team in the Majors this season: Giancarlo Stanton (32), Aaron Judge (26), Didi Gregorius (22), Andujar (21), Aaron Hicks (21) and Torres (20). It's the fourth Yankees team with at least six 20 home run hitters (seven in 2009, six in 2004, six in 1961).

UP NEXT
The Yankees and White Sox will continue their series Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. ET, with right-hander Lance Lynn (8-9, 4.84 ERA) set to make his fifth start and sixth appearance for New York. Lynn is coming off his first loss as a Yankee, having absorbed the loss in a 5 1/3-inning effort at Miami last week. Chicago will counter with right-hander James Shields (5-15, 4.59).