Yankees bullpen falters late as offense keeps struggling in loss to Cubs

CHICAGO — The way the Yankees have been hitting — or not hitting — lately, their pitchers have had to be just about perfect.Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.

Their starters have done that.Their bullpen has not.So on another night when they got a strong start from Max Fried, but very little from their lineup, the Yankees asked their bullpen to walk a tightrope and it could not do it, faltering in a 5-2 loss to the Cubs on Saturday night at a windy Wrigley Field.After Spencer Jones swatted a solo shot to give the Yankees a 2-1 lead in the top of the seventh, they wasted a chance to add on, which immediately cost them in the bottom of the frame when the Cubs mounted a three-run rally against Fernando Cruz and Brent Headrick.It was as if the Yankees lineup was screaming for help once again, just two days before the trade deadline, as it continued to flounder without Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton.

It has scored just five runs over its last three games and 13 over its last five.During that five-game stretch, the Yankees received an outstanding turn through the rotation, as their last five starters combined to give up just two runs across 31 1/3 innings, scattering 15 hits and seven walks while striking out 33.Incredibly, the Yankees were only able to turn that dominant pitching into two wins.Against former Mets lefty David Peterson — who entered the night with a 5.80 ERA — and three Cubs relievers, the Yankees tallied eight hits while stranding seven men on base.Two of them came in the top of the seventh with two outs after Jones had put them ahead.José Caballero and pinch hitter Trent Grisham drew back-to-back walks against righty Trent Thornton, which brought up Paul Goldschmidt, who hit for himself with Ben Rice on the bench.

But the veteran first baseman popped out in foul territory to squash the threat.Nico Hoerner then led off...