WASHINGTON, D.C. — No qualified starter had a worse ERA than the 5.73 mark Patrick Corbin had entering Tuesday’s game, but that didn’t stop the struggling left-hander from stifling the Yankees for six innings.
A Yankees fan since childhood, Corbin was a disaster for most of his time in Washington, but the Bombers failed to score a single run against the highly paid pitcher. The Yankees have had their share of struggles against lefties this season, and that was the case as Corbin allowed just two hits in six innings in a 4-2 Nationals victory.
He also allowed two walks and struck out six batters on 104 pitches.
Meanwhile, Yankees ace Gerrit Cole had his night spoiled by two long pitches in the fourth inning. That’s when former Yankees prospect Andres Chaparro and Jose Tena hit back-to-back home runs.
That gave the Nationals two more runs after Joey Gallo, another former Yankee, got Washington on the board with a groundout in the second inning.
Cole didn’t allow another run, but he went just five innings, totaling six hits, one walk and seven strikeouts on 91 pitches.
With Tim Mayza out in the sixth inning, the Nationals scored another run after the Yankees shot themselves in the foot several times.
With one out, Jose Trevino committed a throwing error that put Dylan Crews on second base. The rookie then managed to steal third base, but only because Jazz Chisholm Jr., who committed a throwing error in the first inning, missed his throw attempt. Gallo then reached base on a fielding error by DJ LeMahieu, allowing Crews to score.
A hit by Gallo then caused Trevino to throw to an uncovered second base. Gleyber Torres was charged with the error, but the Yankees stopped the bleeding at that point.
The Nationals also looked a little sloppy in the eighth inning, but the Yankees couldn’t take full advantage after Aaron Judge hit into a bases-loaded double play on an error. The Yankees scored a run on the play, but that was it.
Anthony Volpe added a run on a groundout in the ninth after Chisholm doubled and stole third base, but Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan eventually ended the game after a few extra-base hits the Yankees couldn’t take advantage of.
The Yankees and Nationals will now face off on Wednesday in a deciding game. Two left-handers will start the game, with Carlos Rodón slated to start against MacKenzie Gore.
