The New York Yankees only managed two hits in a 3-2 victory vs the Oakland A’s.
- Oakland Athletics (22-26):
- New York Yankees (28-18):
- American League, FINAL, Box Score
- Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
The New York Yankees even the series up against the Oakland A’s after a stellar outing by C.C. Sabathia.
The Yankees got it going early in this one jumping out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Starlin Castro hit a sacrifice fly to right field scoring Gary Sanchez. That RBI was Castro’s 28th of the year.
In the Top of the second inning A’s third basemen, Trevor Plouffe made a horrible decision by attempting to steal a base on Gary Sanchez. Sanchez delivered a strike to second base from his knees and gunned Plouffe down.
Both the A’s and Yankees offenses were shut down for a majority of this game. The Yankees weren’t able to manage a hit off of A’s pitcher Jharel Cotton for some time, and The A’s couldn’t scrap together a run, till the top of the sixth.
Ryan Healy grounded a two-out double down the left field line allowing Khris Davis to score from first to tie the game at 1.
The inning ended in bizarre fashion when Starlin Castro tapped a fly ball off of his glove into the hands of Aaron Judge for an out saving a run. There’s really no way of explaining how it happened just watch it.
The Yankees finally registered their first hit in the bottom of the sixth, and that first Hit was a big one, to say the least. Matt Holliday smashed a two-run homer into the Yankees Bullpen in left-center field which broke the tie and gave the Yankees a 3-1 lead. Holliday’s homer was his ninth of the season. Starlin Castro followed up Holliday with a single to center field, and that would be it for Cotton. His final line five and two-thirds innings pitched, and three earned runs.
Oakland responded in the top of the seventh when Josh Phegley smashed a shot to deep left field cutting the Yankees lead to 1. Sabathia exited with a runner on second in the top of the seventh. Sabathia’s final line six and one-third innings pitched, two runs, and a season-high nine strikeouts. Adam Warren replaced C.C. and got out of the seventh with no harm done.
Tyler Clippard’s struggles continue as he got into trouble yet again. He left two runners on second and third with just one out in the eighth and yet again put the Yankees in a situation to blow the game. However, Joe Girardi wasn’t taking any risks this afternoon as he quickly turned to Dellin Betances to get the Yankees out of the jam. Girardi’s move paid off as Betances struck out the next two batters getting the Yankees out of a jam.
Betances converted the five-out save and the Yankees tie the series vs the Athletics.
C.C CONTINUES HIS HOT STRETCH:
Coming off two strong outings Sabathia did more of the same this afternoon. He struck out a season-high of nine batters and allowed only two runs. Over his last seventeen innings, C.C. has allowed a total of three runs. If this production continues, the people calling for Girardi to send him to the bullpen will quiet down.
GREG BIRD TO BEGIN REHAB ASSIGNMENT:
The Yankees have been in desperate need of production at first base, and hopefully, a stint on the DL for Greg Bird will result in that. The Yankee’s first basemen are projected to begin his rehab assignment in Tampa on Thursday if all goes well.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The Yankees will hand the ball to arguably their best pitcher this season Michael Pineda to try and take another series. Pineda is 5-2 with a 3.35 ERA. Andrew Triggs will take the mound for the Athletics.
First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET, will be telecasted on the YES Network and broadcasted on WFAN 660/101.9 FM.
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