Former Red Sox slugger David Ortiz couldn't contain his delight as the New York Yankees suffered a catastrophic meltdown against the Baltimore Orioles, which sent them into the All-Star break with their tails between their legs.
The New York Yankees' final game before the All-Star break turned into an unmitigated disaster, and their longtime rival David Ortiz relished every moment of it.
New York seemed poised for victory heading into the bottom of the ninth inning, with rookie sensation Ben Rice delivering a three-run homer to give his team a 5-3 lead. However, the Yankees' defense crumbled under pressure, culminating in a shocking 6-5 loss to the Orioles.
With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, a routine grounder to Anthony Volpe should have been the game-ender. But Volpe's fielding error paved the way for Cedric Mullins to step up as the hero.
Mullins sent a fly ball to left fielder Alex Verdugo, but the outfielder misplayed it, charging inward before realizing the ball was sailing over his head. Verdugo's desperate attempt to recover proved futile, as the Orioles walked it off on a pop-up with a 99 percent catch probability.
Ortiz couldn't contain his glee at the Yankees' demise."When I watch the Yankees lose, nothing makes me more happy than that," Ortiz exclaimed during Monday's All-Star media availability, alongside Orioles stars Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson.
Ortiz savored the replay of the Yankees' collapse on the video monitor."I mean watch this, bloop!" he chuckled. "I mean wow, that made me want to go out for a dinner. A nice dinner, a nice steak!"
Ortiz's outspoken distaste for the Yankees is tempered by his newfound friendship with neighbor Juan Soto, who shares his apartment building in New York. Ortiz has developed a particular fondness for Soto's mother's home cooking.
"All the time!" Ortiz enthusiastically responded to Soto's claim that his mom was "always cooking."
But Ortiz couldn't help but indulge in the Yankees' humiliation as an appetizer, with the promise of mama Soto's culinary delights as his main course.
The Yankees, now trailing the Orioles by a game in the American League East, will have to regroup during the break and find a way to rebound from this embarrassing defeat. Meanwhile, Ortiz will continue to bask in the Yankees' misery, knowing that their pain brings him an unparalleled sense of joy.
