Aaron Boone blew it. That was the evaluation of Michael Kay and his YES Network compatriots regarding Boone’s call to bring Nestor Cortes in the game.
Aaron Boone blew it.
That was the evaluation of Michael Kay and his YES Network compatriots regarding Boone’s questionable decision to bring Nestor Cortes in during the bottom of the 10th inning in what became a Yankees’ 6-3, 10-inning loss to the Dodgers in Game 1 of the World Series in Los Angeles.
With runners on first and second and one out, Boone decided to take out righty Jake Cousins and go with Nestor Cortes, who hadn’t pitched in a game since Sept. 18, to face Shohei Ohtani.
Cortes got Ohtani to fly out to left field, thanks to an incredible catch by Alex Verdugo, who fell out of play in left field but held on to the ball, a la Derek Jeter’s famous running catch into the stands against the Red Sox in 2004.
Boone then intentionally walked Mookie Betts to load the bases so Cortes could face lefty slugger Freddie Freeman.
Freeman sat on a first-pitch fastball and made Cortes and the Yankees pay, blasting the game-winning grand slam.
