NEW YORK -- When Spencer Jones first examined the Yankees’ schedule, this was the trip he had circled – a homecoming series in the stadium where the Encinitas, Calif., native had once attended games to cheer on the local team, dreaming of an opportunity to play in the Major Leagues.
For one half-inning, Jones had the storybook moment he’d hoped for, thrilling his family and friends with a go-ahead, 10th-inning hit off Mason Miller. But Luis Campusano called game in the home half, belting a two-run walk-off homer off Paul Blackburn that sent the Yankees to a 3-2 loss on Friday evening.
The Yankees fell to 4-10 in extra-inning games this season.
Before Jones and Campusano stole the show late, the Yankees provided a potential playoff future in the middle innings. Max Fried hurled 5 2/3 sharp innings in his second start back from the injured list, handing the ball off to Will Warren, who recorded seven outs without permitting a hit in relief.
Ben Rice hit his team-leading 36th home run, a 444-foot blast to straightaway center field facing Walker Buehler in the third inning.
Trent Grisham exited early with right hamstring discomfort, removed from the game one inning after he was unable to reach Xander Bogaerts’ second-inning RBI single. Grisham dealt with a right hamstring strain earlier this season, landing on the injured list in mid-June.
Bogaerts’ run-scoring hit was the only run San Diego produced against Fried, who scattered four hits with a walk, striking out four in a 72-pitch effort.
The Yankees did not deal for a reliever like the Padres’ Adrian Morejon ahead of the Trade Deadline in early August, in part because they did not want to part with top prospect George Lombard Jr., who returned to the lineup on Friday after missing four games with soreness in his right knee.
But their reasoning also centered around internal reinforcements, expecting they would only need to use four starters in the postseason, freeing Warren and Ryan Weathers for relief duty.
The Yankees did not need Warren in the rotation this turn because of off-days on Thursday and this coming Monday.