ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The final count from one nightmare of a bottom of the first inning for the Yankees: three errors, four misplays and somehow, largely thanks to Cam Schlittler, just one run.
Against a team that famously puts the ball in play often on a home turf that famously can be difficult to adjust to, the Yankees looked as if they had never played on this stage of the ALDS or at this locale of Tropicana Field.
After playing clean defense in the Game 1 loss Saturday to the Rays, the Yankees did just about everything wrong to start Monday’s Game 2.
On Schlittler’s second pitch, Yandy Díaz chopped the ball to third baseman Ryan McMahon, who appeared to misjudge the turf bounce as the ball ticked off his glove for an error.
After a (legitimate) Jonathan Aranda single put two on, Junior Caminero sent a bouncer up the middle. George Lombard Jr. ranged over and backhand-flipped to Jazz Chisholm Jr. to record the only potential out on the play — but Chisholm wildly spun and threw to first, far off-line of Luis García Jr., enabling Díaz to score and Caminero to reach second base.
The comedy of errors was only going to grow funnier for Rays fans.
Schlittler appeared to strike out Liam Hicks, but what looked like strike three instead became a catcher’s interference, Austin Wells reaching too far forward and connecting his glove with Hicks’ bat.
With runners on first and second, Chandler Simpson grounded to Chisholm, who fielded and rushed a throw to Lombard. The rookie came off the base to catch it and then lunged back to record the out with a split-second to spare.
After Victor Mesa Jr. grounded to Chisholm — who fielded and threw to first base without incident, a development that needed to be reported — Schlittler had escaped a 19-pitch, 17-strike first inning in which everything went wrong except for his strike-throwing abilities.
