Yankees Lose In Walk-Off Fashion To White Sox

May 23, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda (18) reacts after being pulled during the fifth inning at U.S Cellular Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

I know we ask all the time where would the Yankees be without Masahiro Tanaka, but where would the Yankees be without Adam Warren and Dellin Betances? They pitched a combined three innings of shutout ball, striking out five and giving up three hits, but David Robertson would blow it in the ninth for the first time this season as the Sox won 6-5.

The Yankees got to former Yankee Hector Noesi in the first inning. Derek Jeter walked and Mark Teixeira singled. Brian McCann hit his seventh homer of the season.

Hiroki Kuroda started and didn’t get through five innings and didn’t in part because of Kelly Johnson‘s lacking defense at first base.  Adam Eaton led off the bottom half of the first with a single, stole second and then scored when Johnson couldn’t pick Yangervis Solarte‘s throw out of the dirt.

Johnson’s bad defense reared its ugly head in the fourth. Alejandro De Aza reached on a fielder’s choice. Tyler Flowers followed with a single. Eaton hit a slow roller that Brian Roberts made a great play to get to, but didn’t make as a good a throw on it, one that a regular first baseman could have picked. The ball rolled into the dugout allowing the run to score.

The Sox took the lead in the fifth, and in the process knocked out Kuroda. Adam Dunn walked and Alexei Ramirez followed with his seventh homer of the year.

The Yanks would take the lead in the seventh off reliever Scott Downs. Roberts and pinch-hitter Alfonso Soriano singled. Jake Petricka came in and Brett Gardner got an excellent bunt down to move the runners along. Jeter would walk to load the bases. A wild pitch would bring home a run, and Jacoby Ellsbury would bring home another on a sac fly.

It wouldn’t matter though. Dayan Viciedo singled and then Dunn launched a massive walk-0ff homer for the win.

A battle of lefties tomorrow at 2:10 ET. Vidal Nuno faces John Danks.