Quakes score first, but end with 2-1 loss; SJ has dropped 5 of their last 7 games

photo from newsday.com: Alexandru Mitrita #28 of New York City FC celebrates after scoring the second goal during the first half of their game against San Jose at Yankee Stadium on September 14, 2019.

By Pearl Allison Lo

The San Jose Earthquakes remained winless versus New York City FC as they suffered their third straight 2-1 loss against them Saturday at Yankee Stadium. 

It was the top of the Eastern Conference’s seventh straight contest without a loss and they have held their opponents to one goal or less in that stretch.

Quakes coach Matías Almeyda was back on the sidelines with this team, but they continued on a five-game losing streak away from home. 

San Jose striker Chris Wondolowski broke the 0-0 tie as he struck with hits 158th goal in the 20th minute. It was his third shot out of five for the Quakes so far compared to one shot for NYCFC not on target up to that point. Magnus Eriksson received the ball on the touchline, passed to Vako and with narrow room and precision timing, Vako found Wondolowski in the goal box as Wondo extended his staggered stance past defender Alexander Callens

Off a corner, NYCFC’s Gary Mackay-Steven hit the crossbar in the 26th minute after his ball hit the Quakes’ Guram Kashia.  

New York City FC started building up their shots, none dangerous enough though until suddenly San Jose found themselves down in the 43rd minute

Keeper Daniel Vega saved a shot in the 39th minute and then another off his line in the 40th minute after Keaton Parks passed to Mackay-Steven. However, Vega caused a rebound which Tommy Thompson got a foot on before Parks blew the ball past Vega and Marcos López, who was helping in net. That deposit was Parks’ first in the MLS.

Three minutes later, with two defenders surrounding him and Vega off his line again, Alexandru Mitrita took the well-directed pass from Ismael Tajouri-Shradi and made the 2-1 tally, as he slid on the grass like a turtle with a fist pump in celebration. It was Mitrita’s second goal in as many games and third in four games. 

NYCFC finished the first half with eight shots, five on target and the Quakes with only one more shot then when they scored their goal.

San Jose was not shy about going for the equalizer to start off the second half. 

Those included attempts in the 46th & 47th minutes (both saved by keeper Sean Johnson), 51st minute (did not have Wondo at the right spot to finish), 58th minute and two by Wondolowski in the 59th and 60th minutes. 

Wondo was also involved in some off-the-ball action as he raised his right elbow against Callens, but avoided serious trouble.  

In the 65th minute, the Quakes’ Judson saved a goal after the ball hit Vega and went past him. 

San Jose defender Florian Jungwirth tripped Mitrita at the top of the box in the 81st minute, but his kick went high.

There were eight minutes of stoppage time, but the Quakes were unable to level up the game.  

Up Next: Vako added three shots in the second half along with Wondo, who ended up with a game-high six. San Jose will look to pull out a win on this road trip when they conclude it Saturday at 12:30 pm versus Atlanta United FC.

Two Homer Night for Cespedes Puts A’s in Line for Sweep Over Yankees

By Matthew Harrington

The Oakland Athletics won their fifth-straight contest, coming from behind to beat the New York Yankees 7-4 at Yankee Stadium Wednesday night. Yoenis Cespedes mashed a pair of home runs to support starter Jesse Chavez (5-3, 3.04 ERA) while Josh Donaldson’s solo shot in the seventh inning provided the game-winning run. Sean Doolittle pitched a perfect ninth inning for his seventh save of the season to put Oakland (37-22) one win away from sweeping the Yankees.

The Yankees (29-29) scored all their runs in the bottom of the third inning with Derek Jeter lacing an run-scoring single and Jacoby Ellsbury ripping a three-run home run to right center field for a 4-0 off Chavez. Cespedes put the A’s on the board with a deep fly to center off pinstripes starter Vidal Nuno in the top of the fourth, then pounded his twelve four-bagger of reliever Matt Daley top open the sixth. Jed Lowrie and Alberto Callaspo also hit a sac fly each for the A’s to set up Donaldson’s go-ahead knock.

After Donaldson tagged Jose Ramirez (0-1, 4.50) with the loss for his team-best 16th homer of the season, the A’s picked up a pair of runs in the ninth. First came a bases loaded hit-by-pitch by Brandon Moss who played right field Wednesday for the first time since exiting Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels with an injury. Kyle Blanks added the third sacrifice fly of the night for the visitors for the 7-4 final tally.

Chavez went six innings for the green and gold, allowing four earned runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out five. Fernando Abad pitched a third of an inning for the A’s in relief of Chavez, but Dan Otero did the heavy lifting with 1 2/3 scoreless innings before turning the ninth inning over to Doolittle.

The A’s send Drew Pomeranz to the mound in his first start since the Angels snapped his string of solid outings. The Halos roughed Pomeranz up for five runs after the lefty allowed only two in his previous 19 innings as a starter. He draws the assignment of facing Masahiro Tanaka, the Yankees marquee free-agent signing of the offseason.

New York earned the right to sign Tanaka after paying a posting fee of $20 million to the Rakuten Golden Eagles of Japan, the maximum in the new posting fee implemented this offseason. Under the new reals, any team that posts the highest bid is allowed to negotiate with the player, meaning the Yankees then had to outbid numerous other teams who matched the fee to sign the international sensation to a seven-year, $155 million contract. The 25-year-old is 8-1 on the season with 88 punchouts over 78.2 innings and a stellar 2.06 ERA.