NEW YORK -- As he stood in the middle of the New York Yankees' clubhouse, a glossy-eyed Brett Gardner perfectly summed the feelings that lingered in the dry air late Tuesday night.
"It's just tough right now," the 35-year-old outfielder said, pausing. "I didn't expect for things to end this way. I didn't expect for things to end on this night."
New York's 28th World Series banner will have to be raised some other year.
As Gardner and his teammates consoled one another with farewell hugs and goodbye handshakes immediately after their 4-3 loss to the rival Boston Red Sox in the decisive Game 4 of the American League Division Series, reality began to hit.