<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0TO6er_0vcbGHfO00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0TO6er_0vcbGHfO00" width="1280" height="640" ><figcaption>Yankees reliever Clay Holmes hung an eighth-inning slider on Wednesday night that the Mariners' Justin Turner clobbered for a game-tying home run. AP</figcaption></figure>SEATTLE — Aaron Boone painted the same picture of his save-blowing pitcher the day after the <a href="https://www.nj.com/yankees/">Yankees</a>’ clinched a playoff berth.He says <a href="https://www.nj.com/yankees/2024/09/yankees-clay-holmes-discusses-demotion-his-take-on-11-blown-saves.html">Clay Holmes</a> is making a lot of good pitches.He still plans on using Holmes in high-leverage situations in the final regular season games and postseason.No joke.Before the Yankees punched their postseason ticket Wednesday night with <a href="https://www.nj.com/yankees/2024/09/theyre-in-yankees-survive-clay-holmes-blown-save-15-ks-win-in-10-to-clinch-playoffs.html">a 2-1, 10-inning win</a> over the Mariners, they had to survive another blown save from Holmes, who served up a game-tying homer to Justin Turner in the eighth inning.This was No. 13, which ties Goose Gossage and Dave Righetti’s franchise record. He’s also now just one away from the major league record. Hall of Famers Rollie Fingers and Bruce Sutter plus three others blew 14 saves in a season.“I thought he threw the ball well,” Boone said. “Obviously, he hung a pitch there that hurt him.”Obviously.With the Yankees leading 1-0, Holmes replaced Tommy Kahnle in the seventh inning with two outs and a runner on first.SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE YANKEES NEWSLETTER:Holmes got off to a bad start walking Julio Rodriguez to put the tying run in scoring position and go-ahead runner on base, but he escaped the jam by retiring Cal Raleigh on a flyball to left.Boone sent Holmes back out to start the eighth hoping for two outs, then a four-out save by Luke Weaver.Almost.Holmes started the eighth by striking out Randy Arozarena on 1-2 sweeper, but Turner was up next and got a juicy 1-1 slider that was above the belt and in the middle of the plate.Turner hammered the mistake pitch 390 feet into the left-field seats to tie the game 1-1.“That kind of hurt how well (Holmes) threw the ball coming in a big spot there,” Boone said. “He closed out the seventh. He’s been kind of snakebitten by the mistakes he’s made.”Holmes was removed right after the homer. Weaver came and got the last two outs of the eighth, then worked a scoreless ninth.From there, the Yankees pulled ahead in the 10th on an <a href="https://www.nj.com/yankees/2024/09/yankees-anthony-rizzo-plays-hero-in-clincher-then-sets-very-high-bar-for-postseason.html">RBI double by Anthony Rizzo</a>, then Ian Hamilton pitched a scoreless inning to save a win for Weaver, put the Yankees in the playoffs and build a five-game AL East lead on the second-place Orioles with 10 to play.While Weaver, Hamilton and Tommy Kahnle now appear to be the Yankees’ top relievers, Holmes still is highly regarded by Boone, too.“I do feel like he’s throwing the ball really well,” Boone said. “I feel like he’s got a good frame of mind even through some of the struggles.”There have a lot ... so many that Holmes lost his closer job after his epic blown save in Arlington, Texas on Sept. 3.Since, Holmes has allowed two runs in four innings over five outings. Three of his appearances have been good ones, but he was charged with blown saves in the other two. On Sept. 11, he allowed a seventh-inning run to the Royals that tied the game 2-2.For the season, Holmes is 3-5 with a 3.36 ERA in 62 outings, but he pitched to a 1.23 ERA over his first 30 outings and a 5.46 ERA in his last 32 since June 13.“Hopefully he can get back out there and get some big outs for us the next time we call for him,” Boone said. “There will be spots that call for him to be in there and that’s how I’m going to treat it, especially as we try to win a division.”Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.Randy Miller may be reached at <a href="mailto:%20rmiller@njadvancemedia.com">rmiller@njadvancemedia.com</a>.</div></body>

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What’s in store for Yankees’ Clay Holmes after franchise-tying 13th blown save

SEATTLE — Aaron Boone painted the same picture of his save-blowing pitcher the day after the Yankees’ clinched a playoff berth. He says Clay Holmes is making a lot of good pitches. He still plans on using Holmes in high-leverage situations in the final regular season games and...

What’s in store for Yankees’ Clay Holmes after franchise-tying 13th blown save

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