NEW YORK — The Oakland Athletics lost to the New York Yankees for the first time this season on Saturday afternoon, 4-3 in 11 innings, after DJ LeMahieu hit a home run on Lou Trivino’s first pitch in the 11th inning.
Trevino allowed no runs in two innings before throwing a fastball that LeMahieu hit right field out of the ballpark, his second walk-off hit of the season.
A’s manager Bob Melvin said he has seen signs of Trivino and pitcher Blake Treinen, who allowed no runs in the ninth inning, “pitching better recently” and “hopefully it’s a trend.”
The Yankees gained momentum in the first inning when Gary Sanchez hit a home run on a fly ball to left field for a 1-0 lead.
Oakland responded in the fourth inning when Matt Olson hit a homer on a fly ball to right center field, and Matt Chapman scored, putting the A’s up 2-1. But in the fifth inning, Sanchez hit another home run on a fly ball to right center field to tie the game at 2-2.
The A’s took a 3-2 lead in the seventh inning when Chapman doubled on a line drive to left field, allowing Robbie Grossman to score. New York evened the score at 3-3 in the eight inning when Aaron Judge hit a home run off Joakim Soriaon on a fly ball to right field, and the game went into extra innings. All of New York’s runs were solo home runs.
“That was kind of the theme of the game today—solo shots,” A’s starting pitcher Homer Bailey said.
Oakland left 15 players on base and was 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position. A’s manager Bob Melvin did not think (too bad).
“You leave 15 on, it comes back to bite you at some time,” Melvin said. “But you know what, we came back and the lead and were one pitch away from going into the ninth inning with it and Chappie’s ball, unless you have a 10-foot outfielder in right field, it probably goes out.”
Melvin concluded “it’s a game of inches today,” and, “sometimes they don’t come through, most times here recently, they do.”
A’s batter Mark Canha said the bullpen gave them opportunities and “we just couldn’t do it.”
“We just have to have some better at-bats tomorrow because I felt like we were just bon the cusp of breaking it open a few times,” Canha said. “We just needed that one hit and it didn’t work out unfortunately.”
The A’s beat the Yankees 3-0 in Oakland and won Friday night at Yankee Stadium. The A’s (78-57) and Yankees (89-48) play the last game of the series, tied at 1-1, Sunday with first pitch at 1:05 p.m. ET.
Neil Walker gets the treatment after hitting the game-winning hit Photo: @Yankees
by Charlie O. Mallonee
It took four hours and 15 minutes, 11-innings, 13 pitchers, 34 baserunners, 17 hits, four home runs and one controversial video replay to bring game two of the three-game series between the Athletics and Yankees to a conclusion on Saturday afternoon.
In the bottom of the 11th inning with two out and runners at first and second, the Yankees Neil Walker stepped into the batter’s box to face A’s relief pitcher Chris Hatcher who entered the game in the 10th inning. Walker hit the first pitch to him from Hatcher into center field. Gary Sanchez took off from second base at the crack of the bat and never had any goal in mind but to score the winning run. Mark Canha’s throw was off-line and Sanchez scored the run for a 7-6 New York walk-off win.
Walker is now 9-for-25 (.360) including nine walks in his last nine games after hitting just .163 in his first 21-games of the season.
Oakland thought the game might be over in nine innings
Was he safe or was he out? Photo: Yankees Facebook
In the top of the ninth inning, the Yankees brought in the fire-balling Aroldis Chapman to shut down the A’s. It became apparent immediately that Chapman did not have his usual unhittable, strikeout “stuff” on Saturday. After loading the bases on three consecutive walks, Chapman was able to strikeout Mark Canha.
Jonathan Lucroy was inserted as a pinch-hitter for catcher Bruce Maxwell. Lucroy was 1-for-9 versus Chapman with the one hit being a home run. Lucroy hit the first pitch from Chapman into shallow left field. As Brett Gardner caught the ball, the Athletics Matt Olson tagged at third and headed for home. Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez moved about three-feet up the baseline, caught an on-target throw from Gardner and made a sweeping tag at Olson who was sliding toward home plate. Home plate umpire James Hoye called Olson safe without hesitation. The Yankees immediately challenged the call on the field.
The replays made available to television made it look like Sanchez did indeed make the tag except for one crucial angle where it looks like the catcher misses the tag. The replay center overturned the call on the field. It became an inning-ending double play.
Personal opinion inserted here: I hate replay in all sports. You have professional officials on the field to calls. Let them do their jobs. Yes, they will make some mistakes. over the course of a 162-game season, all of the mistakes will balance themselves out. Review your history if doubt my opinion.
Oakland Postgame Notes
Khris Davis celebrates after hitting HR No. 11 Photo: @Athletics
This was the A’s first extra-inning loss of the season. They were 3-0 in extra-inning games until Saturday.
Starting pitcher Andrew Triggs did not record a decision. He worked 4.1-innings allowing six runs (all earned) on six hits. He struck out six Yanks and walked four. Triggs real undoing was allowing three home runs.
Reliever Chris Hatcher (3-1) took the loss on Saturday. He pitched 1.2-innings giving up one run off two hits.
The A’s other five relievers – Coulombe, Dull, Casilla, Petit and Treinen pitched 4.2-innings of shutout baseball.
Khris Davis hit another home run on Saturday – number 11 of the season. This one came in the fourth inning with two runners on base and gave the A’s a 3-2 lead.
Mark Canha went 2-for-5 with two RBI in the game. He is batting .400 (6-for-15) with nine RBI and three walks with runners in scoring position.
The A’s are now 19-20 for the year.
Yankees Postgame Notes
This was the Yankees fourth “walk-off” win of the season and ended a two-game losing streak.
The win ended a five-game losing streak to the Athletics.
New York starter RHP Domingo Germain took a no-decision whiled working 5.0-innings and allowing six runs (all earned) on six hits (one HR). He walked three and struck out one.
Yankees reliever A.J. Cole (3-1) picked up the victory. Cole struggled with the first two hitters he faced but then settled down to keep his team in the game.
Three big home runs helped the Bombers on Saturday: Aaron Judge hit a two-run shot, his 11th of the year. Gary Sanchez (10) and Aaron Hicks (3) went long back-to-back in the second inning.
Didi Gregorius ended a 30 at-bat hitless streak when he hit a single off Triggs in the fifth inning.
Up next
The Athletics and Yankees will wrap up this three-game series on Sunday in the Bronx with a 10:05 AM PDT first-pitch. Oakland will send LHP Brett Anderson (0-1,8.68) to the mound to face the Yankees RHP Luis Severino (5-1,2.21).
Matt Holliday’s home run ruined Jharel Cotton’s day Photo Brad Penner USA Today Sports
The Oakland Athletics reached out to their Triple-A affiliate for a starting pitcher to face the New York Yankees on Saturday. Jharel Cotton – who was sent down to Nashville after starting seven games (3-4) for the A’s – was back in a big league uniform for game two of the three game series in New York.
The Athletics M.A.S.H. unit is back in action as injuries are taking their toll on the major league roster. Kendall Graveman was unable to make his scheduled start on Friday night due to shoulder soreness. The projection is that he will be going to the disabled list.
Pitcher Jesse Hahn was moved to the 10-day disabled list after a triceps injury that occurred during his start last Tuesday. A MRI has ruled out any physical damage, but the team wants Hahn to rest his arm because he has dealt with this problem before in his career. The Hahn move made room for Cotton on the 25-man roster.
Cotton got off to a shaky start
Cotton issued a one-out walk to Gary Sanchez in the bottom of the first inning. He then hit Matt Holliday with a pitch. With Starlin Castro at bat, Cotton threw a wild pitch that allowed Sanchez to go to third and Holliday to second base. Castro hit a sacrifice fly to right field on the 2-1 pitch that brought Sanchez home and moved Holliday up to third.
Cotton induced Aaron Judge to fly out to center field for the third out of the inning, but the Yankees held a 1-0 lead after one inning of play.
Cotton put the first inning behind him and took control
Lowrie puts the tag on Gardner for the out Photo Brad Penner USA Today Sports
Cotton set the side down in order in the second inning. In the third inning, the right-hander walked Brett Gardner. With Gary Sanchez batting, Gardner attempted to steal second, A’ catcher Josh Phegley delivered a nice throw on the first base side to Jed Lowrie who put the tag down on headfirst sliding Gardner’s backside six inches before his hand could touch second base. Sanchez went down on strikes to end the inning.
Cotton set the Yankees down 1-2-3 in the fourth and fifth innings.
The sixth inning was no “Holliday” for Cotton
After getting the first two batters to fly out, Cotton walked Gary Sanchez. That brought former Oakland Athletic Matt Holliday to the plate. Holliday hit the 1-0 pitch over the left center field wall for a “no doubt about it” two-run home run to give the Yankees a 3-1 lead.
Cotton remained in the game to face Starlin Castro. Castro hit a single and that was all for Cotton. Frankie Montas came in and struck out Aaron Judge to end the inning.
Cotton worked 5.2 innings giving up three runs (all earned) on just two hits. He struck out five Yankees and walked three. Cotton threw 107 pitches (61 strikes). He was charged with the loss, so his record drops to 3-5 for the season.
Oakland kept the game close
Healy drives in Khris Davis with the first of his two doubles Photo Brad Penner USA Today Sports
Khris Davis worked Yankees starter C.C. Sabathia for a two-out walk in the top of the sixth inning. Ryan Healy then hit his 10th double of the season on an 0-2 count to left field that brought Davis home for A’s first run of the game. Healy moved to third on the throw home but was left stranded there when the inning ended.
In the top of the seventh inning, Josh Phegley made it a one-run game after he hit his second home run of the year over the left center field wall. Adam Rosales followed Phegley and hit a double to center field. That chased Sabathia from the game. Adam Warren took over on the mound. Rosales was left stranded at third when the inning was over.
Oakland threatens in the eighth frame
With Tyler Clippard on the hill, Khris Davis worked the pitcher for another walk. Ryan Healy then followed by hitting hit 11th double of the campaign to left field, but this time Davis had to hold up at third base.
That sent Clippard to the showers and New York brought in the 6-foot-8 right hander – Dellin Betances. Betances struck out Trevor Plouffe and Chad Pinder to end the inning with the potential tying and go ahead runs left on base.
Not that guy again
Betances came back out the top of the ninth for the Yankees and set the A’s down in order to end the game and earn his fifth save of the year. Betances’ ERA now stands at 0.52. He worked 1.2-innings and threw 24 pitches (14 strikes). He allowed no runs, no hits, no walks and struck out three Oakland hitters.
Sabathia was amazing as well
C.C. Sabathia struck out nine on his way to the win Photo Brad Penner USA Today Sports
Vallejo’s favorite son is still looking very strong on the mound. He worked 6.1-innings on Saturday giving up two runs (earned) on six hits (one HR). He walked three. Sabathia struck nine Oakland A’s. Not long ago some were talking about Sabathia as being a “has been” as a major league pitcher.
Don’t call a low strike on Jed Lowrie
Jed Lowrie led off the top of the eighth inning for the A’s. He worked the count to 2-2 versus Tyler Clippard. Clippard’s 2-2 pitch was a fastball that dropped low in the zone and home plate umpire Will Little called it strike three.
Lowrie began to immediately give Little his opinion of the call in language I do not think he learned to speak at Stanford. Little tossed Lowrie looking at him and explaining you called me a name. Really? You called me a name. Now, if you call my mother a name – then it’s on but you called me a name?
But seriously, Major League Baseball has to establish a strike zone that is consistent and realistic. It must also be hitter friendly. The majority of fans come to the park to see home runs … not strike outs.
Rubber game of the match on Sunday
Both teams have the opportunity to win the series on Sunday. The Athletics will send RHP Andrew Triggs (5-3, 2.77) to the hill Sunday. Triggs has been the man the A’s have been able to depend on this season. What he needs from his team is run support.
The Yankees will counter with RHP Michael Pineda (5-2, 3.35). Pineda has gone at least six innings in each of his last four starts.
The first pitch is scheduled for 10:05 a.m. PDT on Sunday.
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