CLEVELAND – It doesn’t happen often, but when Aaron Boone gets run, he always gets his money’s worth.
For the second time in his first season as manager of the Yankees, the typically mild-mannered Boone was ejected over what he thought was a missed call, and then let the umpires have it in an expletive-filled tirade during the sixth inning of his team’s impressive 5-4 victory over the Indians on Saturday night at Progressive Field.
As Boone later found out, though, the umpires got the call right. (As Joe Girardi found out, however, you can never be too careful with a foul tip in Cleveland.)
But he didn’t know that at the time, and Boone dropped his fair share of four-letter words on homeplate umpire Ed Hickox and crew chief Jerry Meals before retreating in the clubhouse and his office to watch the rest of the game on television.
“I’m trying to take inventory of what’s going on and try and influence a little bit of a decision there,” said Boone, who was called “The F-BOMBER” on the Daily News’ back page after his first ejection in Texas in May.
“Especially as they get together there (to discuss the call), and at that point I’m thinking foul ball. Obviously we can’t challenge something like that, so I just didn’t want it to be a bad look when the ball went straight back to the screen. So just kind of out there trying to fight for the situation, really.”
That’s all Boone’s players can ask for, really, their skipper to stick up for them and fight for his team. Boone also showed accountability for his decision to run Aaron Judge with one out in the eighth in Friday’s loss, which resulted in a strike-‘em-out, throw-‘em-out double-play to end the inning with Giancarlo Stanton on deck.
Boone obviously has a ton of talent on his roster, but aside from some questionable decision-making in riding his starters too long at times, he’s done a pretty good job this season, preaching communication. And even if everyone else doesn’t see him lose it often, his players sure do.
In many ways, this win was emblematic of how the Bombers have played under Boone at times, able to overcome their mistakes with power-hitting and a power-bullpen.
Miguel Andujar, who ranks last among 21 qualifying third baseman in advanced defensive metrics like defensive runs saved and ultimately zone rating, made a pair of miscues in the field.
With the Yankees leading 4-2, runners on second and third and two outs in the sixth, Brandon Guyer hit a grounder to Andujar that took a tricky bounce, forcing him to play the tough in-between hop.
Andujar would’ve had an easier time with it had he charged from the beginning, but despite holding onto the ball, his throw was wide to Greg Bird, and both runners scored to tie the game, leaving CC Sabathia baffled as he was lifted from the game despite pitching better than his line showed.
Then, in the ninth, Andujar and Austin Romine miscommunicated on Guyer’s popup, which dropped foul. Andujar was charged with his seventh error on the play, which should have been easier for him since he was coming in. The miscue didn’t hurt the team, as Aroldis Chapman worked around a walk to seal the deal, but it’s still something that needs to be worked out.
Ultimately, the zany game was won on Romine’s Little League homer leading off the seventh, a double and two errors allowing him to cross the plate with the go-ahead run. “Why does everybody have fun watching a catcher trying to run to third?” Romine jokingly asked.
Boone was just glad Romine, who has dealt with leg issues, was fine when he returned to the dugout.
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