Yankees' Boone after latest elimination: 'The ending is cruel. It really is'

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone offered a dramatic appraisal of his team's latest postseason ouster after Friday night's 2-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 5 of the American League Division Series.

"It's awful," Boone said. "The ending is cruel. It really is."

The ending came about when closer Aroldis Chapman served up the eventual game-winning home run to Rays first baseman Mike Brosseau in the bottom of the eighth inning.

With that homer, Chapman became the first pitcher to allow a series-winning home run in the eighth inning or later on two separate occasions. Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve hit a deciding round-tripper off him in Game 6 of the 2019 ALCS.

It was also a bit of revenge for Brosseau and the Rays. MLB suspended Chapman for three games after he threw at Brosseau during the regular season, but his appeal hearing was delayed until next year.

Despite the disappointment, Boone remains confident his group will rebound and eventually taste World Series glory.

"We're gonna get there," Boone said. "I know it. It's going to make it all the sweeter, but a lot of hurting people in that room right now."

The Yankees entered the 2020 regular season as overwhelming favorites to win the American League, but they'll now watch on for the remainder of the playoffs.