So a weird series, in a weird season, got a little weirder last night at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. The Yankees, as the visiting team, or their road gray uniforms. But the host Philadelphia Phillies wore throwback uniforms, the powder blue road uniforms that they wore from 1972 to 1988. So both teams were wearing road uniforms.
Jordan Montgomery continued his comeback from injury. Intending to be careful, the Yankees might not have let him pitch more than 4 innings anyway. But allowing 5 runs in 4 innings made the decision easier.
The Yankees gave him 2 runs in the 2nd inning, and scored 2 more in the 7th, as Gary Sanchez, off to a terrible start at the plate this season, shook off the rust with a home run. And, between them, David Hale and Jonathan Holder, who both also spent significant time on the Injured List last season, pitched 4 scoreless innings.
But it was not to be enough. Phillies 5, Yankees 4. WP: Deolis Guerra (1-0). SV: Hector Neris (2). LP: Montgomery (1-1).
The Yankees close the series at 9-3, leading the American League Eastern Division by 4 games each over the Baltimore Orioles, the Tampa Bay Rays and the now-Buffalo-based Toronto Blue Jays. The hated Boston Red Sox are 5 back.
The Yankees begin a 4-game series in Tampa Bay tonight, including a traditional, if 7 innings each, doubleheader tomorrow. Tonight, Masahiro Tanaka starts against Blake Snell.