NEW YORK – The afternoon began with CC Sabathia at the center of the infield, examining the plaque that will hang in Monument Park. Its text contained no mention of an obscure fact: that he’d surrendered the most recent inside-the-park home run at Yankee Stadium.
The next nine innings changed that. Jeremiah Jackson legged out a fresh inside-the-parker that cleared Spencer Jones’ head in center field, part of a lopsided 10-2 loss to the Orioles in the first game of a single-admission doubleheader at Yankee Stadium.
“I’m pretty sure the wind was playing with it a little bit,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “It looked like it was off the end of the glove and ricocheted in a funny way. I think if he gets the right read and route, he probably makes the play.”
The Yankees took the field having learned that they will officially face the Red Sox in the American League Wild Card Series, confirmed by Boston’s win over the Cubs at Fenway Park in a doubleheader opener. Game 1 will be at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday.
“It’s been in the works here for the last month or so,” Boone said. “Obviously a tremendous rivalry, and a team that’s had a resurgent season after a really difficult start.
“I think they’re really good; I’ve felt that way all year. I’m also real confident that if we play our game and pitch like we’re capable of, we’ve got a good chance to move on. We’ve got to play our best starting Tuesday.”
Rookie right-hander Brendan Beck took the loss, knocked for a career-high seven runs in five innings.
Pete Alonso homered twice, claiming the AL lead with 43, and Dylan Beavers launched a grand slam in the rescheduled portion of the doubleheader necessitated by Saturday’s forecast of inclement weather.
Jackson’s inside-the-park homer was the first in the Bronx since May 4, 2014, when the Rays’ Wil Myers clipped a drive off Sabathia that eluded Jacoby Ellsbury in center field.
Amed Rosario had a run-scoring single in the fourth inning off Trevor Rogers, who tossed four innings in his final start of the year. Paul Goldschmidt added a ninth-inning sacrifice fly.
Alonso’s homer was his 16th career blast against the Yankees, the most by any player in his first 43 games against the Bombers.
Anthony Volpe made his first Major League start at third base.
Volpe did not see much action. Facing David Bednar, Christian Encarnacion-Strand knocked a ninth-inning double off the third-base bag, a play Volpe did not have a chance on.
“There’s something to be said for being in there, thinking through the situations, moving and setting up how you’re supposed to,” Boone said.