Left-hander J.A. Happ simply couldn't throw strikes on Wednesday afternoon and it proved costly as the Yankees lost to the Phillies, 11-7, in the first game of a seven-inning doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park. The loss broke the Yankees' seven-game win streak. It was a game that saw the Yankees serve as the “home” team, as it was a makeup game from Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. The game was postponed due to the forecast of severe inclement weather from Tropical Storm Isaias. (According to the rulebook C.C. Sabathia Jersey, if a game is played at one team's home grounds, then that team is in fact the home team whether it bats first or second.) The Phillies were the home team for the second game. In the first game, Happ was given a 3-0 lead, thanks to a two-run homer by Brett Gardner in the second inning off Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler. But then, in the top of the third inning, the Phillies scored four runs led by a two-run homer from Bryce Harper to start the rally. Suddenly, Happ kept missing the plate. Three of the next four hitters he faced drew walks, forcing in a run. Jean Segura then scored the go-ahead run on a fielder's choice by Roman Quinn. Yankees manager Aaron Boon felt Happ had some mechanical issues on the mound. “It seems like [Happ] had a hard time getting the ball to the arm side,” Boone said. “I thought his mix of pitches and stuff looked crisp enough. … I thought the slider and changeup were all right. … It looked like he had a hard time getting to the arm side with command Derek Jeter Jersey. He was probably nibbling a couple of times. … Obviously, that was the difference.” This is the second consecutive game in which Happ couldn't go at least five innings. There were times in the game when Happ was painting the corners, but the calls didn't go his way. “I have to make [the Phillies] put the ball in play. I felt like when I was doing that, things were going good,” Happ said. “The contact wasn't too hard. I have to force the issue better than I did today. … It's not characteristic of me with the walks. It's getting back to staying aggressive. I thought I was very close a lot of the time. But I wasn't able to get back into the count. Little things happen. I just hurt myself today.” What does Happ have to do to get better in his next start? “I was trying to get some breaking balls in there early and not finishing them. I think it's just cleaning that up. That would be my plan,” Happ said. Things got worse for the Yankees in the sixth inning. The Phillies batted around and scored six runs off right-hander Nick Nelson. It took Luis Cessa to stop the bleeding when he got Jay Bruce to ground out to end the inning. The Yankees staged a comeback in the seventh Don Mattingly Jersey, with Aaron Judge clearing the bases on a three-run home run to narrow the gap to a four-run deficit. If only the Yankees had two more innings to play with. “It's a different game once it gets to where it was,” Boone said. “I'm really glad, with the competitive bats we continue to have there.” Aroldis Chapman is entering the next stages of his rehab at the Yankees' alternate training site in Moosic, Pa., though manager Aaron Boone said that the club does not plan to rush the left-hander back to the closer's role. Boone said that Chapman is expected to throw a bullpen session on Wednesday, which will mark his first time on the mound since testing positive for COVID-19 during Summer Camp. Boone expects that Chapman will need to face hitters several times before being activated. “He'll probably have at least a couple [of bullpens] before he faces live hitters, so I don't expect [him to return] anytime soon,” Boone said. “I feel like physically he's in a good spot. We'll just kind of monitor how each ‘pen goes, how his live BPs go and make a smart decision about when to bring him back. We won't rush him.” Zack Britton has served as the interim closer in Chapman's absence, recording four saves in as many appearances without permitting a run. Boone said that he has been pleased by the quality of the Yankees' bullpen, even without Chapman and right-hander Tommy Kahnle. “Even going back to Spring Training Gary Sanchez Jersey, one of the things I've been most excited about is our depth of pitchers,” Boone said. “The young pitchers that are knocking on the door have given us some really good options at any point in the game.” One in, one out The Yankees reinstated Luis Cessa from the 10-day injured list on Wednesday, adding the right-hander to the bullpen mix just as right-hander Tommy Kahnle underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery. Cessa made his first appearance in Wednesday's first game, pitching 1 1/3 scoreless innings in the Yankees' 11-7 loss at Philadelphia. Kahnle's procedure was performed by Dr. Christopher Ahmad at New York-Presbyterian Hospital on Tuesday, and the team said that the procedure went as planned. Seven and seven Luke Voit said that Wednesday's seven-inning doubleheader reminded him of some experiences from his Minor League career. The Yankees will have another opportunity to travel down memory lane on Saturday, when they'll play another twin bill against the Rays at Tropicana Field. “The challenge is just being ready,” Voit said. “You look up during these games and all of a sudden it's the sixth inning -- that's the eighth inning, technically. It goes quick. From a body perspective, they're a lot better on our bodies. In the long run, it's a little bit easier on us and we don't have as many guys playing Gleyber Torres Jersey, so it's good.” Voit trimmed about 13 pounds from his frame during the four-month shutdown and said that he feels more agile than last year, when he was hampered by bilateral core injuries that eventually required surgery in October. “I'm the type of guy that wants to play,” Voit said. “I didn't realize how serious my injury was I got the surgery. It feels good to finally be healthy again. I feel like I've got my power back. It's going to be hopefully what I felt like in the first half of last year.” Up next The Yankees and Phillies will conclude their series on Thursday at Citizens Bank Park, with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m. ET. Left-hander Jordan Montgomery is set to make his second start of the season for New York, with right-hander Zach Elfin set to go for the Phils. Yankees reliever Tommy Kahnle underwent Tommy John surgery on Tuesday. The procedure, which went as expected, ends his 2020 season. Kahnle underwent an MRI on Friday in New York that revealed damage to his right ulnar collateral ligament. He felt discomfort in his right forearm last Tuesday during an evening workout at Camden Yards in Baltimore and was unable to play catch prior to the next day's game, prompting the club to shut him down. Kahnle pitched to a 3.67 ERA (122 ERA+) in 72 appearances for New York last season, enjoying a bounce-back campaign after he spent much of 2018 in the Minors. Kahnle owns a 3.82 ERA in 285 career appearances for the Rockies, White Sox and Yankees since 2014. Read more: New York Yankees Tommy Kahnle Yankees reliever Tommy Kahnle underwent Tommy John surgery on Tuesday. The procedure, which went as expected, ends his 2020 season. Kahnle underwent an MRI on Friday in New York that revealed damage to his right ulnar collateral ligament. He felt discomfort in his right forearm last Tuesday during an evening workout at Camden Yards in Baltimore and was unable to play catch prior to the next day's game, prompting the club to shut him down. Kahnle pitched to a 3.67 ERA (122 ERA+) in 72 appearances for New York last season, enjoying a bounce-back campaign after he spent much of 2018 in the Minors. Kahnle owns a 3.82 ERA in 285 career appearances for the Rockies, White Sox and Yankees since 2014.
