The Yankees were one Aaron Judge swing away from an improbable win on Tuesday, which would have extended their winning streak to nine games.
Instead, Judge grounded out with the bases loaded against former Yankee David Robertson, as the Yankees lost, 4-1, in The Bronx in a game that took just 2 hours 16 minutes.
“We’re always fighting,” Judge said. “We got the winning run up and just didn’t get it done.”
It is the first time in a while they’ve had to say that, but they dug themselves too deep a hole against Chicago on a chilly night at Yankee Stadium against Miguel Gonzalez.
Luis Severino was dominant at times, but was done in by a pair of homers — a solo shot by Leury Garcia in the third and a three-run blast by Avisail Garcia in the seventh, which came two batters after a botched double play.
“He threw one bad pitch,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of Severino. “His stuff was as good tonight as we’ve seen it.”
Severino gave up just three hits in a career-high eight innings. He struck out 10 and didn’t walk anyone, but he still was no match for Gonzalez, who didn’t allow a base runner until Starlin Castro’s infield single to lead off the fifth.
Castro was erased immediately when Judge hit into a double play.
Austin Romine’s infield hit and Jacoby Ellsbury’s bunt single to lead off the next two innings were also wasted. It wasn’t until the ninth that the Yankees finally got multiple runners on base — and none of their four hits left the infield.
After pinch-hitter Chase Headley reached second on a single and an error to open the ninth and Brett Gardner followed with a one-out walk, Gonzalez was replaced by Robertson.
Robertson walked Ellsbury to load the bases before Matt Holliday struck out.
Starlin Castro’s walk forced in Headley for the Yankees’ only run of the game before Judge grounded out to short.
“You feel like you’ve really got a chance there,” Girardi said. “We had the middle of the order and some guys who can hit home runs.”
This time, none of them did.
The offense, which had scored 16 runs the previous two games, wasn’t the only culprit.
After Tim Anderson led off the seventh with a single, Melky Cabrera hit a grounder right at Pete Kozma, who was filling in at shortstop with Ronald Torreyes at third to give Headley a night off from starting.
Kozma, on the roster only because of Didi Gregorius’ shoulder injury, botched the play and the Yankees didn’t record an out.
With runners on first and second and no one out, cleanup-hitter Jose Abreu inexplicably bunted — straight up in the air — and Austin Romine caught it for the first out.
Garcia made up for Abreu’s mistake by blasting a hanging 2-0 slider out to left for a three-run homer to make it 4-0.
Though Severino refused to blame Kozma for the miscue, the shortstop took responsibility for the play — and the homer.
“I make that play, there’s two outs, nobody on and he doesn’t have to make that pitch,’’ Kozma said.
And Girardi acknowledged the error “changed the complexion of the inning.”
The failed comeback meant an end to the Yankees’ longest winning streak since they won 10 straight in June 2012, as they suffered their first loss at home this season.
“We couldn’t get [Severino] any runs early and we couldn’t get him enough runs late,’’ Judge said. “So now we’ll try to start another streak [Wednesday].’’