Gary Sanchez owned it.
On Monday, Sanchez had a chance to play the hero for the New York Yankees when he hit with the bases loaded and two out in the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays. The catcher appeared to come through when his hard ground ball proved tough to handle and the Rays missed an easy force of Aaron Hicks at second base, allowing an opportunity for the tying run to score.
But Sanchez wasn't hustling down the line, and it was too late once he turned on the burners. He was thrown out by several feet at first base, and the Rays held on to win 7-6.
How the game ended with Gary Sanchez's at-bat 👇 pic.twitter.com/Y1P2BXb5Qk
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) July 24, 2018
Sanchez was almost immediately criticized for his lack of hustle with the game on the line, and the 25-year-old owned up to his error following the game.
"I think I could have done a better job there, for sure,'' Sanchez said via an interpreter, according to MLB.com's Joey Johnston. "I hit the ball well. When the play developed and I saw the runner safe at second base, I tried to beat the play, but I couldn't.
"I hit the ball well there. I should have run harder. There was a chance (Hicks) was going to be out at second base, but that didn't happen. He was safe.''
Monday was a rough night all around for Sanchez. In the first inning, he allowed Jake Bauers to score from second base when Sanchez didn't chase a passed ball - his league-leading 10th this season - that glanced off his leg and up the third-base line.
(Courtesy: MLB.com)
The contest was only Sanchez's third since returning from a month-long stint on the disabled list due to a groin strain. However, manager Aaron Boone didn't accept that as a reason to excuse his catcher's effort on either play.
"He should be able to get after it. He's here and back and should be fine getting after things," Boone told ESPN's Coley Harvey.
Sanchez, who broke out to win a Silver Slugger award in 2017, is now hitting a miserable .188/.283/.416 (87 OPS+) this season.
