WASHINGTON, D.C. — No qualified starter had a worse ERA than the 5.73 mark Patrick Corbin took into Tuesday’s game, but that didn’t stop the embattled lefty from stifling the Yankees for six innings.
A childhood Yankees fan, Corbin has been a mess for most of his time in D.C., yet the Bombers couldn’t muster a run off the highly-paid pitcher. The Yankees have had their fair share of struggles against lefties this season, and that remained the case as Corbin permitted just two hits over six innings in a 4-2 Nationals win.
He also walked two and struck out six over 104 pitches.
Meanwhile, the Yankees’ ace, Gerrit Cole, had his night ruined by two longballs in the fourth inning. That’s when former Yankees prospect Andrés Chaparro and José Tena hit back-to-back homers.
Those gave the Nationals two more runs after Joey Gallo, another ex-Yankee, got Washington on the board with a groundout in the second inning.
Cole didn’t give up any other runs, but he only logged five innings while totaling six hits, one walk and seven strikeouts over 91 pitches.
With Tim Mayza in for the sixth, the Nationals scored another run after the Yankees shot themselves in the foot a few times.
With one out, Jose Trevino made a throwing error that put Dylan Crews on second. The rookie then successfully stole third, but only because Jazz Chisholm Jr., who made a throwing error in the first inning, whiffed on his tag attempt. Gallo then reached on a DJ LeMahieu fielding error, which allowed Crews to score.
A Gallo swipe then prompted Trevino to throw to an uncovered second base. Gleyber Torres was charged with that error, but the Yankees stopped the bleeding there.
The Nationals looked a little sloppy themselves in the eighth, but the Yankees couldn’t take full advantage after Aaron Judge hit into a double play with the bases loaded following an error. The Yankees scored a run on the play, but that was all.
Anthony Volpe added a run on a groundout in the ninth after Chisholm doubled and stole third, but Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan eventually put the game to bed after a few more hits that the Yankees couldn’t capitalize on.
With their series now knotted, the Yankees and Nationals will play a rubber match on Wednesday. A pair of lefties will start the game, as Carlos Rodón is scheduled to start opposite MacKenzie Gore.