Michael Kay was incredulous after Yankees' choke against Marlins: ‘Worst loss of the year'
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The lights flickered in the background as the Marlins celebrated their walk-off win, one that perhaps the most pessimistic Yankees fan could never have imagined.
The Yankees held leads of six, five and two runs against Miami on Friday, yet surrendered each in a devastating 13-12 loss Friday night at loanDepot Park.
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The Bronx Bombers' pen has had its fair share of blowups this year, but even YES announcer Michael Kay could not believe what he watched — especially after the three new touted relievers acquired at the trade deadline each had forgettable first impressions.
'It is hard to believe what we just watched. Oh, my goodness. What a loss for the Yankees,' Kay said following Agustin Ramirez's walk-off swinging bunt off newcomer Camilo Doval.
'All three relievers that the Yankees acquired, that were so touted, that the Yankees acquired, they all did not do their job tonight. And then it ends this way, in a game that the Yankees led 6-0. And we keep digging new holes … and this one goes under the worst loss of the year.'
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4 The Marlins celebrate their walk-off win.
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If the Yankees miss out on the postseason, it will be easy to point at Friday's game as the 'Well, that's the game that cost them' moment of the season.
All-Star Carlos Rodon received a 6-0 lead and couldn't complete five innings, and reliever Jonathan Loaisiga allowed two inherited runners to score to turn a 6-2 game into 6-4 contest.
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4 Xavier Edwards celebrating after scoring the winning run.
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New reliever Jake Bird took the field in the seventh with a 9-4 lead, but allowed a grand slam while tallying just one out.
Ex-Pirates closer David Bednar replaced him and surrendered a game-tying homer and a go-ahead RBI single in the disastrous seventh that turned the five-run edge into a 10-9 deficit.
4 Michael Kay (right) in a recent photo with David Cone (l), Luka Doncic (second from left) and Meredith Marakovits.
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The Yankees rallied to give Doval a 12-10 lead in the ninth but he could not get the job done, with Jose Caballero's costly error putting the game-winning run at third with one out.
YES analyst Paul O'Neill said after the error that 'it's like a Little League game going on out here.'
The new relievers combined to surrender nine runs (seven earned) on nine hits and two homers in 2 1/3 innings.
The Yankees (60-50) are now just a half-game ahead of the Red Sox for the top wild card spot and 3 1/2 games clear of a postseason berth.
The series continues Saturday with Cam Schlittler opposing Eury Perez.
4 Camilo Doval exits the field after blowing the save in his first game with the Yankees.
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'There's no rhyme or reason why this game happened,' O'Neill said. 'That ball right there (the game-winning fielder's choice) just nubbed in front. Too many mistakes, too many bad pitches when it counted and the Marlins are just playing for fun, they're not giving up.
'You're right, Michael. That's a tough, tough loss for the Yankees. '
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