Nestor Cortes’ home-turf magic unraveled during a disastrous 9-1 loss to the Rays on Saturday in The Bronx.
The Yankees southpaw, who typically excels at home, had a rare off day on the Stadium mound, surrendering six runs, eight hits — three of which were homers — and two walks.
“It’s tough,” Cortes said. “I felt like early on it was pretty good and then I lost a little bit of the outside rail with the fastball, and I was behind the count a lot.”
Over 4 ¹/₃ innings and 92 pitches, Cortes struck out a season-low one batter.
The Rays’ Curtis Mead smashed a third-inning RBI double to score the game’s opening run.
In the following inning, after a single and a walk put two runners on base, Alex Jackson hit a three-run bomb just beyond the right-field wall, barely escaping Aaron Judge’s leaping attempt.
“This is a team I’ve faced a few times already, and I feel like they know what my strengths are,” Cortes said. “It’s about being able to command and spot your pitches more than anything else, and that’s what it came down to today. I felt like I didn’t locate the best I can.”
Isaac Paredes, Tampa Bay’s third baseman who might be a target for the Yankees at the trade deadline, belted a breaking ball over the left-field wall in the fifth.
Two batters later, Randy Arozarena hit his first of two homers to left-center.
“I thought the profiling stuff was there, just probably not his best stuff,” manager Aaron Boone said of Cortes’ performance. “He had a hard time finishing some guys.
“I think the time before when he walked him [Jackson], he had 1-2 on him and threw a close pitch, then he wasn’t able to finish it off there, and that led to that first run.”
Cortes had proven to be more comfortable at home entering Saturday’s matinee — his 11th start at the Stadium this year — with a 1.81 ERA. Across his 10 starts on the road, he is 0-5 with a 6.04 ERA.
“He maybe just didn’t have his best stuff today,” said rookie first baseman Ben Rice, who had a first-inning double. “He’s been pitching well out here for us at home, so I’m looking forward to the next time he gets out there.”
Michael Tonkin followed Cortes with 1 ²/₃ innings before Josh Maciejewski allowed Arozarena’s second homer.
“It’s time to flip the page,” Cortes said. “We’ve got to be better. Starting with myself, I think the last two or three haven’t been great for me, and I just got to be better when I’m out there.”