Yankees hit rock bottom in another loss to Orioles

BALTIMORE — The only thing the Yankees hit Sunday in Camden Yards was rock bottom. And if losing three of four to the Orioles isn’t the lowest Aaron Boone’s team can go, the rest of a very short season is going to feel awfully long. Even without Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and James Paxton, it’s …

BALTIMORE — The only thing the Yankees hit Sunday in Camden Yards was rock bottom.

And if losing three of four to the Orioles isn’t the lowest Aaron Boone’s team can go, the rest of a very short season is going to feel awfully long.

Even without Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and James Paxton, it’s hard to fathom the Yankees leaving the Inner Harbor having dropped three of four to a bottom-feeding team in a complete rebuild.

Yet, Sunday’s 5-1 loss the Yankees packed for the flight to Buffalo, where they will play three games against the pesky Blue Jays, was exactly what the Yankees deserved and was their 13th loss in 18 games and had those in uniform in a foul mood.

“I think we are frustrated and guys are pissed off,” Boone said after watching the lineup remain limp, Miguel Andujar and Mike Ford commit costly errors and the latest poor showing at the plate with runners in scoring position. “It’s understandable but we have to get through it. We get on a plane up to Buffalo and we have a big series starting [Monday] and we have to find a way to put a little more pressure offensively to get going here.’’

The loss hurt on two fronts. The Rays beat the Marlins and increased their AL East lead over the Yankees to a season-high 6 ½ games. The Blue Jays topped the Red Sox and jumped over the Yankees into second place.

Boone’s biggest problem is a lineup that is swollen with hitters not performing anywhere near where they should be. And that gets worse in the clutch, where the Yankees have 22 hits in the last 118 at-bats (.186) after going 0-for-6 Sunday.

The Orioles took down the Yankees today.AP

Without citing those pitiful numbers with runners in scoring position, Boone sensed his hitters were in the right frame of mind but pressing. They had all kinds of trouble with Orioles right-hander Dean Kremer who made his major league debut and held the Men Without Bats to a run and a hit in six innings.

“Guys came with a really good mindset believing that this was the day to turn it around, but it felt like we were pressing up there today and that can get you in some trouble,’’ Boone said.

Masahiro Tanaka gave up a two-run homer to DJ Stewart, a single to Pedro Severino and walked Ryan Mountcastle before he registered an out in the first inning. From then on, he provided his mates with a chance to win but was hurt by Andujar’s costly error in the sixth that led to a pair of unearned runs.

“Obviously it is a pretty rough stretch right now,’’ said Tanaka, who is 1-2 after giving up four runs (two earned) and six hits in 5 ¹/₃ innings. “But we have to keep fighting as a team.’’

It’s hard to fight with weapons that don’t match the opponents’ and right now the Yankees are armed with butter knives and the other side has nuclear weapons.

“Very disappointing not only the way I have played but as we have played as a team,’’ Brett Gardner said after going 0-for-4. “It is something we have to pull out of. We have three weeks to the day. We have some baseball left and still in a position to make the playoffs and hopefully attain our goal which is to be the last team standing but the way we have played lately is not acceptable.’’

And it’s on Boone to do what he can.

“It starts with me as far as setting a tone and I have to do a better job at creating that environment,’’ Boone said. “Guys are coming in and getting the right things done and getting themselves in the right frame of mind but we all got to step up here.’’

Boone then faced reality.

“Obviously the season is getting shorter and shorter. We have to find a way right now and it is difficult,’’ Boone said.

Lately, it is impossible.