Jordan Montgomery gave up only two hits and two walks against the Rays on Saturday. They all came back to hurt him.
The left-handed gave the Yankees a chance to win the game, but fell victim to the long ball in a 6-3 defeat at Yankee Stadium.
The two hits that Montgomery gave up more than six-plus innings were both homeruns. He walked only two batters, but one came home to score and the other led off the seventh inning before Montgomery’s day ended frustratingly. He was charged a total of four points.
“I thought he threw the ball well,” said manager Aaron Boone. “Clearly two mistakes that cost him with the long ball. But overall, I thought he was six strong [innings]I thought his was secondary [stuff] was good. His fastball and cutter were both playing. He was in charge of the game. Six strong innings, a manageable pitch count, men batted out. I thought he threw the ball really well. “
Montgomery had given up a pair of homeruns in his last start, also against the Rays, which resulted in a no-decision after being charged with four runs in five innings. The Yankees eventually won that game at Tropicana Field last Sunday.
The lefthanded pitched better in the jump-off on Saturday, but was tagged with the loss.
“It’s not great,” said Montgomery. “But I gave us a chance to win, so that’s all I can do.”
Both homeruns that Montgomery gave up were 0-0. The first came in the second inning, when Rays-catcher Francisco Mejia hit a solo-homerun to the short veranda in the right field to take the 1-0 lead.
After the Yankees tied the score in the bottom of the second inning, Montgomery walked Austin Meadows on four pitches in the fourth inning. With two outs, however, Manuel Margot took him deep with a two-run shot into the Rays bullpen.
“Just 0-0, trying to be aggressive, throwing strikes,” said Montgomery. “They have a hold on it.”
Montgomery offered length for a rotation it had recently lacked alongside Gerrit Cole and worked in the seventh inning to spell the bullpen for a day.
“I always try to go deep and take some pressure off other guys,” said Montgomery.