Punchless Yankees look for elusive offense in clash vs. Angels

For the first time in nearly a decade, the New York Yankees are scoreless in three straight games.

Another quiet night would result in the Yankees being blanked in four straight games for the first time in team history.

The Yankees will attempt to stop a 29-inning scoreless streak and halt a season-high five-game losing streak Wednesday night when they host the Los Angeles Angels.

The Yankees were shut out for a third straight game for the first time since Sept. 22-24, 2016, after they mustered just four hits in Tuesday’s 4-0 loss to the Angels. The Yankees had eight hits in the series opener Monday when they took a 1-0, 11-inning loss and were 1-for-18 with runners in scoring position.

“It’s been a little struggle these last couple of days, which unfortunately is going to happen,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after his team lost for the 10th time in 17 games.

“It’s always shocking to see our group not score runs, especially a few days in a row now. We just got to focus on the little things.”

New York has not scored since Anthony Volpe hit an RBI groundout in the ninth inning of Saturday’s 4-3 loss at Boston. The Yankees have only four runs during their longest skid since they dropped nine straight from Aug. 12-22, 2023.

Aaron Judge is 1-for-15 with nine strikeouts in his last four games. He struck out three times Tuesday, marking the fourth time in five games he fanned three times.

“They did a good job. They really did,” Angels manager Ron Washington said of his pitchers. “I don’t know if he was off or not, but we kept him in the ballpark and we kept him from doing damage. And every time you play the Yankees, that’s your intent against them is to keep Judge in the ballpark and keep him from doing damage. And so far, for two days we’ve done that.”

The Angels will attempt to record a third straight shutout for the third time in a season and first time since 1974. Los Angeles received an 11th-inning single from Nolan Schanuel to win Monday’s game, and Taylor Ward hit a two-run single in the third inning.

The Angels enter Wednesday with four straight wins against the Yankees in New York for the fifth time in team history. Los Angeles also is coming off consecutive shutouts of the Yankees for the first time since May 12-13, 1999.

“It’s huge,” Angels starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks said after getting nine strikeouts in six innings on Tuesday. “I know they might be going through a little spell, but it doesn’t matter. You know that those are really good hitters over there and a really good lineup.”

Ryan Yarbrough (3-1, 3.96 ERA), who is 0-1 with an 8.31 ERA in his past two starts, will start for the Yankees on Wednesday. The left-hander allowed one run on four hits in 4 2/3 innings in a no-decision versus Boston on Friday — New York lost 2-1 — after being tagged for eight runs on nine hits in four innings June 7 against the Red Sox.

Yarbrough faced the host Angels on May 26 when he allowed one run on two hits in six innings to earn the win in a 5-1 victory. He is 5-3 with a 4.74 ERA in 10 career appearances (four starts) versus the Angels.

Right-hander Jack Kochanowicz (3-8, 5.53 ERA), who is tied for the American League lead in losses, will start for the Angels on Wednesday. He is 0-3 with a 7.36 ERA in his past five starts, though he took a tough loss Friday in Baltimore when he allowed two runs on four hits in 4 1/3 innings during the Angels’ 2-0 setback.

Kochanowicz opposed Yarbrough last month in his lone career encounter with the Yankees, allowing four runs on five hits in 6 2/3 innings, matching his longest start this season.

–Field Level Media