An eight-game winning streak — with the last six coming against two of the best teams in the American League — had the Yankees riding high.
On Sunday, they got a bit of a wake-up call from Justin Verlander and the Astros, who pounded the Yankees, 9-4, in The Bronx, preventing a home-team sweep.
And while one loss — especially after their longest stretch of success of the season — is hardly alarming, there were some red flags, as J.A. Happ was pounded in one of the worst starts of his career.