Isiah Kiner-Falefa makes Yankees history in blowout loss to Mariners

New York Yankees utility man Isiah Kiner-Falefa emerged as his team's lone bright spot in Thursday's blowout 10-2 home loss to the Seattle Mariners. 

As noted by the Associated Press (h/t ESPN) and Max Goodman of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, Kiner-Falefa took the bump for mop-up duty in the top of the ninth inning and pitched a perfect frame before he blasted a two-run home run in the bottom half of the inning to ensure the Yankees wouldn't be shut out. 

That round-tripper made Kiner-Falefa the first Yankees player since Lindy McDaniel in September 1972 to homer as a pitcher and the first Yankees player to go deep and pitch in the same game since Nick Swisher accomplished the feat in April 2009.

"Doing it twice in one week, I was just trying to go out there and have some fun," Kiner-Falefa said about pitching in lopsided contests. "I forgot about the at-bat. It came quick. I was just trying to get my swing off." 

Kiner-Falefa embraced his utility role after rookie Anthony Volpe won the starting shortstop job ahead of Opening Day and began Friday slashing .237/.275/.362/.637 with four home runs and 17 RBI across 59 games this season. IKF was already no stranger to history-making accomplishments during the ongoing campaign. Earlier this month, he became the first Yankee to steal home during a game since Didi Gregorius did so back in August 2016: