MLB: Oakland Athletics at New York Yankees

Recap: Yankees 5, Athletics 4

Top WPA Play: In the fourth inning, Evan Scribner took over for Athletics starter Scott Kazmir, who left with left triceps tightness. Teixeira greeted the new pitcher rudely by leading off the inning with a home run to tie the game (+.149 WPA). It was the first of two home runs Teixeira hit on the night, the other also coming off Scribner gave the Yankees a 4-2 lead in the sixth.

Bottom WPA Play: With the tying run in scoring position after a bit of a shaky ninth inning in Andrew Miller’s return from the disabled list, Ben Zobrist grounded out to third base to end the threat and the game. Miller had already allowed two hits in the inning, including the Marcus Semien home run that narrowed the gap to 5-4, but he was ultimately able to prevent Oakland’s comeback attempt.

Key Moment(s): There was a Stephen Drew sighting in the eighth inning and it was kind of magical. Brought up as a pinch-hitter with two outs and facing a left-handed pitcher, Drew hit a 3-2 curveball over the wall in right field for his 12th home run this season. The run extended the Yankees lead and gave closer Andrew Miller some extra breathing room, which it turned out he needed.

Another key moment happened late in this game and involved Teixeira’s glove rather than his bat. With two outs in the top of the eighth, Josh Reddick rocketed a ground ball down the first base line when Teixeira made an incredible diving stop to his left to snare it and then beat Reddick to the bag to end the inning. The Yankees were up by two runs at the time, but you never want to give other teams more opportunities late in the game like that and Teixeira’s glove brought that inning to a screeching halt.

Up Next: The Yankees series with the Athletics concludes this afternoon at 1:05 P.M. in the Bronx. The probable starter’s for Thursday’s game are Masahiro Tanaka (4-3, 3.94 ERA) and Jesse Chavez (4-8, 3.20), who was dominant in a win over the Yankees the last time he faced New York.

(Photo: Adam Hunger-USA Today Sports)

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