MLB

Yankees backup Nunez struggles in move to left field

After Eduardo Nunez’s error-free debut in left field for the Yankees on Monday, the mistakes finally showed up in a 7-1 loss to Baltimore last night. An error and two more mistakes were a reminder the young Nunez is a shaky enough glove in the infield, and a complete neophyte in the outfield.

Nunez handled all five of his chances Monday, but he couldn’t duplicate that in last night’s encore vs. the Orioles. With the Yankees trailing 4-1 in the sixth, he made a two-run error on Nick Johnson’s liner that let Baltimore blow the game open.

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“I don’t have too many games,” said Nunez. “It was a jammed ball from a lefty. The ball was down the line, a dying ball, and I think the ball was going to be hard. But that’s part of the game. I think it was going to be hard, and I was stuck. Then I had to dive for the ball. But it’s a process. I have to keep learning.’’

With men on first and third with two out, Johnson slapped a soft line drive to left, one that should have been caught. But Nunez misjudged it, hesitating before finally breaking in. He left himself no chance, sliding and missing the ball, allowing both runners to score for a 6-1 cushion.

“He got a good jump on it. I think he thought it was going to go farther than it did,’’ said manager Joe Girardi, who needs Nunez in left with Brett Gardner unlikely to be ready when eligible to come off the DL tomorrow. “It’s a tough read for a guy who hasn’t been out there for a long time when a lefthander slices the ball. He made a real good play in the gap early in the game.’’

Nunez also misjudged a fly ball from Adam Jones that bounced on the track, assuming it was a home run, and then jogged after Chris Davis’ double in the eighth. Perhaps bored to distraction, the crowd didn’t even boo Nunez at the time — they saved that for when he struck out looking in the ninth.

“Sometimes you lose the contact because you don’t play too many games in left field. But I think if I keep practicing like I do, I think I’m going to be better,’’ said Nunez. “[Girardi] said ‘that [error] is in the past, and keep playing hard, you did your best,’ and I did my best. I’m not afraid to make a mistake in the game. Just wait for another one.’’

After Nunez made 20 errors last season as a utility infielder, he made two more this year before last night’s in the outfield. The Yankees love his bat, but he’s now 0-for-10 on the homestand, dropping his average to .306.