Winners of seven straight games, it would be reasonable to assume the Yankees felt good about themselves in the seventh inning on Sunday.
Despite being down two runs, they had the tying run in scoring position with Jacoby Ellsbury at the plate against ex-Yankee Chase Whitley.
Prior to the game, Joe Girardi mentioned the optimism in the clubhouse thanks to their recent winning ways.
“There’s more energy in the clubhouse,’’ Girardi said. “A feeling that some way, somehow, someone is gonna come up with a big hit and win a game.”
Sunday was not that day, as Ellsbury flied out, and the Yankees couldn’t overcome the three homers surrendered by Luis Cessa in a 4-2 loss to Tampa Bay.