Rookie stymies Yankees: 'Frustrating game'

DJ LeMahieu lingered on the field for a few extra beats on Thursday, curious why Mariners closer Kendall Graveman was continuing to eyeball him after a game-ending double play. There were no noticeable gestures, but the encounter at least provided some spark to an otherwise sleepy performance.

LeMahieu offered commentary toward the mound earlier in the ninth inning, having been hit by Graveman with a pitch that did not seem egregious. The frustration was more likely baked into LeMahieu representing only the Yankees' third and final baserunner in a 4-0 loss at T-Mobile Park.

"Just baseball talk," LeMahieu said. "It was a frustrating game for us. We were frustrated how he threw a couple of pitches, but it is what it is. It's baseball."

Before the front of LeMahieu's uniform jersey was brushed by Graveman's 96 mph sinker, the Yankees had not had a batter reach base since Luke Voit was plunked in the right hand by a 96 mph fastball by rookie Logan Gilbert in the second inning. They were held to one hit -- Giancarlo Stanton's second-inning double.

As Voit ambled toward first base, he couldn't have imagined that he'd represent the Yankees' final baserunner against Gilbert. Voit and Stanton were stranded aboard in the second inning, then the Yanks were handcuffed by the right-hander, who retired the final 18 batters he faced.

"It was a great opportunity today with a chance to sweep a series," manager Aaron Boone said. "It's frustrating we got held down, but also credit to Gilbert. He was tough and on his game today. We just couldn't mount anything against him, and it's certainly frustrating."

After back-to-back games in which the Yankees put three runs on the board in the first inning, making good on Aaron Judge's challenge to relieve pressure by scoring early and often, it was the Mariners' turn to strike first.

Kyle Seager hit a first-inning homer and Dylan Moore launched a two-run shot in the second inning off Jordan Montgomery, who permitted three runs and four hits over 6 2/3 innings. Montgomery walked two and struck out nine, generating 14 swings and misses.

"I just executed a lot of pitches, especially later in the game," Montgomery said. "I started filling the zone up and executing some quality pitches."

Stanton raked a 113 mph double to open the second inning against Gilbert, who buzzed Voit inside with the next pitch. After that, the 24-year-old was terrific. The Mariners' top pitching prospect struck out eight without a walk in a 103-pitch gem.

"Sneaky fastball," LeMahieu said. "He can get it up there on the radar gun and I suppose it was playing up a little bit. He kind of settled in and started throwing some pretty good sliders. He shut us down."

Mitch Haniger added a solo homer in the eighth inning off left-hander Wandy Peralta, giving Seattle a four-run lead.

Sweepless in Seattle
The Yankees were held to one hit for the first time since Sept. 25, 2019, against the Rays. New York settled for two wins in the three-game series, falling to 3-8 this season when offered an opportunity to sweep, including 1-5 on the road.

"It's hard to sweep in this game," LeMahieu said. "We're in a position where it doesn't matter how we played in the past, we've just got to get to the next one. I thought we were really focused coming in today. Their pitcher did a good job. I thought we played really good this series."

On deck: Houston
The Yankees will head into the All-Star break by traveling to Houston for a three-game series, their first visit to Minute Maid Park since their defeat in the 2019 American League Championship Series -- and all of the revelations that surrounded the Astros in the months following those games.

"For us as a team, we need to concentrate and focus on winning series," catcher Gary Sánchez said through an interpreter. "It doesn't matter who we're facing, Houston or anybody else. We want to put ourselves in a better position, and the way to do that is by winning series."

Boone said that the Yankees' last game in Houston -- in which closer Aroldis Chapman surrendered a pennant-winning homer to Jose Altuve in Game 6 -- was "the ultimate heartbreak," a memory they'll look to avenge this weekend.

"We've had some amazing battles," Boone said. "We need to go play well. We need to try and win some ballgames to get ourselves in position going into the break to make a run. These are really important games against a really good team that's playing well."