CHICAGO – Jasson Domínguez accepted responsibility for a crucial misplay in right field Saturday night that contributed to the New York Yankees' 5-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs. The Yankees outfielder’s misjudgment on a ball hit down the line allowed the go-ahead run to score from first base.
During the bottom of the seventh inning with the score tied 2-2 and two outs, Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a line drive that deflected off the wall in right field. Domínguez, who was attempting to field the ball near the wall, watched as it ricocheted away from him, enabling Crow-Armstrong to advance and score.
“Tough play,” Domínguez said of the incident. “I was trying to get close to the wall to stop the ball and it hit the wall and bounced the other way. Definitely not ideal for us.”
Manager Aaron Boone acknowledged the difficulty of the play, drawing a comparison to the unique dimensions of Fenway Park. "This is a little akin to Fenway with, just that barrier right there," Boone said. "It’s a tough aspect of this ballpark. One of the things you prepare for and we talk about ballpark factors and things like that, but it’s one of the nooks in this place that makes it tough in that corner."
Despite it being his first series playing at Wrigley Field, Domínguez refused to offer it as an excuse. “That’s not an excuse,” he stated. “You have to be able to make the plays no matter where you go.”
The game’s outcome was also impacted by other factors. Pitcher Max Fried allowed four runs in his start, with the run against the Cubs coming in the first inning after walking the leadoff batter and a pair of wild pitches. Relief pitcher Yovanny Cruz, recently called up from Triple-A, surrendered a run in the eighth inning, his first allowed in four appearances this season.
Outfielder Ben Rice was not in the starting lineup for the first time since June 26, receiving a day off after participating in the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game. He later pinch-hit in the eighth inning and grounded out. Jazz Chisholm Jr. returned to the lineup after leaving a previous game with right hamstring cramping, but went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.
In other team news, Clarke Schmidt is progressing in his recovery from Tommy John surgery, having thrown approximately 35 pitches over two simulated innings on Friday at Double-A Somerset, with manager Boone noting he "looked good" after reviewing video of the session.