Dellin Betances blew a game in the ninth inning Thursday night, yielding as many runs (three) as he had over his previous 39 outings dating to mid-May.
But the Yankees were blowing this game all night by continuing to play in a way both uninspiring and unacceptable. They flubbed in the field and on the bases and ultimately on the scoreboard, losing 8-7 to the woeful Tigers.
The Yankees are letting any long-shot chance of catching the Red Sox or comfortably holding the top wild-card spot drip away by playing down to opponents. A team with heavyweight-title dreams is faltering against lightweights.