LOS ANGELES — One inning, Gleyber Torres’ inability to handle a short hop cost the Yankees the lead.
The next, he nearly wins them the game with his bat.
Game 1 of the World Series provided the entire Torres experience.
Unfortunately for the Yankees, Juan Soto’s throw that Torres couldn’t handle contributed to their heartbreaking 6-3 loss at Dodger Stadium in a major way.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, he couldn’t come up with a Soto throw at second base, allowing Shohei Ohtani to reach third base on a double with one out.
The next batter, Mookie Betts, then tied the game with a sacrifice fly.
“Big. Every little thing from the game is an opportunity for the offense to get another run, and Ohtani went to third, Mookie hit the fly ball to center, and it was a tie game,” a somber Torres said afterward. “I have to [make] the adjustment. If I get another opportunity, try to block the ball, keep it in front and make it more simple.”
Soto was charged with an error on the throw.
Torres said he never saw the ball after it caromed toward the mound.
“Once there’s no play, you really [have to] retreat and give ground and get a long hop, but he still got to a short hop,” manager Aaron Boone said. “You’ve just got to secure it there.”
The following frame, Torres nearly went deep with two outs, his drive going over the left-center field wall when a Dodgers fan reached over.
It was ruled fan interference on the field and upheld after a review.
The fan was immediately escorted out of the building, Dodger Stadium security told The Post.
Shades of Jeffrey Maier, except unlike in 1996 against the Orioles in The Bronx, this time, the call went against the Yankees.
“I just tried to get to second base,” Torres said. “I hit it well, but when the ball was close to the wall, I didn’t know what happened. I didn’t see it very well.”
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It was another solid night at the plate for Torres, who had two hits as he continued to thrive out of the leadoff spot.
On Aug. 16, the 27-year-old Torres was inserted into the top spot in the batting order and has hit .310 since that day.
He had produced a .400 on-base percentage in the playoffs, serving as a quality table-setter for the Yankees big bats.
But it was the play in the field that loomed largest in the end.
Had he kept the ball in front of him, the Yankees may have been able to celebrate a Game 1 win.
