Fans Have Faith Sabathia Can Help Keep Yankees' Season Alive
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- It's win or stay home for the Yankees on Tuesday night.
They face elimination in the AL Division Series following a historic defeat to the arch-rival Boston Red Sox in Game 3 on Monday.
Yankees fans were left scratching their heads after the painful 16-1 loss in the Bronx.
So what the heck happened?
"They have no pitching," fan Steve Kreisman told CBS2's Hazel Sanchez.
It marked the worst postseason defeat in the Yankees' storied history. Starter Luis Severino couldn't get out of the fourth inning and the Bombers' vaunted bats were shut down by former Yankee right-hander Nathan Eovaldi.
A series that looked promising following New York's 6-2 victory in Game 2 in Boston now looks dire. The Yankees will put their trust in veteran left-hander CC Sabathia on Tuesday night and some fans seem to think he'll be able to help force a deciding Game 5 on Thursday at Fenway Park.
"I gotta feeling we can come back from that," a fan said.
"Today, we will win," another said.
So who's to blame for Monday night's obliteration at Yankees Stadium? Some fans pointed a finger at manager Aaron Boone for leaving Severino on the mound too long. Broadcasters said Severino showed up late for his warm-up session, a charge the 24-year-old right-hander denied, saying "there was no confusion with the time" the game started.
Severino went on to say he was disappointed in his performance.
"Every time they give me the ball I want to do good and win the game," he said.
MORE: Severino Continues To Show He's Not Yet The Ace The Yankees Envisioned
Boone tried to quickly turn the page during the postgame press conference.
"The good thing about today is it's one game," Boone said. "As awful of a night as it was for us, we've got to turn the page."
As far as the Yankees are concerned, the past is the past. Fans are putting their full trust in Sabathia, who may be pitching his last game with the Yankees. The 38-year-old will be a free agent after this season.
"I think it helps just having the experience of being out there. I can slow the game down. It's all the same now. No game is bigger than the other," Sabathia said.
That's a sentiment some fans are rallying behind.
"He's always clutch," Kreisman said of Sabathia. "He'll bring 'em through tonight. It's a guarantee from an optimistic Yankee fan."
