NEW YORK (AP) — Josh Donaldson wasn’t running hard. He didn’t answer questions about it either.
The veteran slugger went into a home run trot too early – and his recent failure to rush turned into an embarrassing playoff miss.
Donaldson started the fifth inning for the New York Yankees in their AL Division Series opener Tuesday night, sending an opposing drive to the right against Cleveland starter Cal Quantrill in a 1-1 tie.
Confident the ball would leave the short porch at Yankee Stadium, Donaldson bowed his head and slapped first base coach Travis Chapman on the hands as he jogged around the bag.
“I was pretty sure it was a home run,” said teammate Anthony Rizzo.
However, Donaldson didn’t realize the ball was still in play. When a fan in a Yankees jersey grabbed it, the ball rebounded off the top of the fence right back at rookie Óscar González, who shot alertly to shortstop Amed Rosario at second base.
When Donaldson looked up, he was sandwiched between the first and second. He tried to climb back to first, but Rosario threw to first baseman Josh Naylor, who tagged Donaldson as he dove headlong back towards the pocket.
“He’s not the lightest of feet. So we have to make sure we get where we need to go,” said Yankees manager Aaron Boone.
A confused Donaldson pointed to right field and spread his arms – but replays showed the ball never crossed the wall. A video review confirmed right field umpire Mark Ripperger’s call that it was not a home run and the ball stayed in play.
Donaldson was credited with a single.
After the Yankees won, he was unavailable to reporters in the clubhouse.
“It is unique in this direction. You’re kind of body language saying it,” Boone said.
“I haven’t even seen the play because I’ve been avoiding some people to see where — because I thought it would be a straight home run. So I need to look at that a little more closely.”
It was hardly the first time Donaldson’s lack of hustle became a problem for the Yankees that year.
In his first season with the team after arriving from Minnesota in a trade in March, the 2015 AL MVP couldn’t run hard in a groundout in May — and Boone took notice.
“Donaldson probably took his eyes off it for a second,” Boone then said. “Sometimes you have to say something. I haven’t said anything yet.”
But on Sept. 5, Donaldson, 36, was tagged second on an RBI single at the foot of the left field wall. Apparently thinking he’d homed, Donaldson slowly broke out of the box, and Aaron Judge scored on the play just before Donaldson was substituted.
Boone pulled Donaldson aside and talked to him.
“Let’s not let that happen,” Boone told Donaldson.
“From the game or connection side, I’m not worried about him; he’s locked up,” the manager added. “Yes, that’s one of those, you have to be sure. You’d better be safe.”
New York hit a run in the fifth after a slip by Donaldson and Rizzo added a two-run homer in the sixth en route to a 4-1 win.
“I’m glad it didn’t hurt us in the end,” Boone said.
Game 2 of the best-of-five series takes place Thursday night at Yankee Stadium.
Matt Bateman, a 44-year-old Brooklyn fan, was the man closest to Donaldson, reaching for the ball.
“It hit us straight,” Bateman said. “It looked as if the ball had hit the top of the wall. It also hit my hand a little, like my fingertip, and it twirled.
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AP freelance writer Larry Fleisher contributed to this report.
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