Two physical errors and one mental error from the Yankees turned a San Diego single into a Little League home run.
The Yankees dug a hole in Sunday afternoon’s series finale in The Bronx against the Padres with one embarrassing play and two overthrows in the second inning.
With Ha-Seong Kim on second base, Jose Azocar lined a single into center field, and Harrison Bader came up throwing — far too strong.
Yankees center fielder Harrison Bader airmailed a throw home over catcher Kyle Higashioka in Sunday’s second inning, and pitcher Gerrit Cole did not back Higashioka up.YES Network
Yankees catcher Kyle Higashioka then made matters worse when his throw toward third soared into left field.YES NetworkBader sailed a throw over catcher Kyle Higashioka, who then sprinted back because starting pitcher Gerrit Cole, who remained by the mound, did not run behind the plate to back up on the play.
Higashioka retrieved the ball and had a chance to throw out Azocar at third base, and the catcher, too, came up too strong.
Higashioka airmailed third baseman DJ LeMahieu, who stood helplessly as the ball went into left field and Azocar scored after a single, two errors and one mental mistake by Cole.
The Padres took a 3-1 lead on the play.
The Yankees responded by scoring six runs off Yu Darvish in the third to chase him after 2 ⅔ innings and ultimately adding another run to take an 8-3 lead.
