The New York Yankees lost their eighth game in a row on Sunday, falling 6-5 to the Boston Red Sox (box score). Sunday's defeat not only represented the second time this season the Yankees had been swept by the Red Sox, but it also tied this year's Yankees team with the 1995 club for the longest losing streak the franchise has suffered during the Wild Card Era (1995-onward).
Sunday's loss saw the Yankees come from behind to tie the score on three separate occasions, including in the seventh inning, when Anthony Volpe launched a timely three-run home run. Alas, Clay Holmes would surrender a run in the ninth inning on a Justin Turner double. The Yankees created some positive momentum in their portion of the ninth. Greg Allen doubled to lead off the frame, and DJ LeMahieu then reached after being hit by a pitch.
Anthony Volpe game-tying 3-run blast
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) August 20, 2023
🎥: @PrimeVideo pic.twitter.com/aK0meB4zJj
From there, the Yankees saw Aaron Judge and Gleyber Torres each strike out on a combined seven pitches. Ben Rortvedt then flew out to center to end it.
The Yankees have had longer losing streaks in the distant past. The longest drought in franchise history occurred in 1908 when they dropped 12 in a row. They've lost as many as 11 consecutive on two occasions, neither more recent than 1913. There've also been seven separate nine-game losing streaks, including between September 13, 1982 and September 21, 1982.
Yankees' longest losing streaks
- 1908: 12 games
- 1913: 11 games
- 1911-12: 11 games
- 1982*: 9 games
*-most recent of seven separate nine-game losing streaks
Another loss, then, will have the Yankees suffering from their worst losing streak in nearly 41 years.
As if it couldn't get worse for the Yankees, they'll enter Monday's day off with a 60-64 record on the year. They have not finished in last place in the division since 1990, yet the fourth-place Red Sox now hold a six-game advantage with 38 games remaining on the schedule.
