The Yankees scored more than two runs for just the second time in nine days Thursday night. Coming into the game, they were 5-1 when they scored three or more runs in 2016. Unfortunately, that modest total wasn’t enough in this contest, as New York’s previously stalwart bullpen allowed three home runs in the late innings to allow Oakland to squeak by with a victory and the series sweep.
The first action came in the bottom of the second. Rich Hill walked Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira to lead off the inning. A lineout by Chase Headley moved the runners over before a bloop single by Aaron Hicks brought in the first run of the game.
The Athletics answered in the top of the fourth. Josh Reddick began the inning by ripping a hanging slider to right for a double. Another pitch left up in the zone by Severino led to an RBI single by Jed Lowrie to tie the game. After a single by Stephen Vogt, Sevvy managed to escape further damage thanks to a leaping catch against the wall in left field by Aaron Hicks, followed by two consecutive strikeouts.
New York reclaimed their lead in the bottom of the inning. A-Rod walked, was nearly picked off, but managed advanced to third thanks to a throwing error by Hill. Aaron Hicks drew yet another walk before Austin Romine’s dribbling grounder up the third base line allowed Alex to score. It certainly wasn’t pretty, but given how the offense has looked lately, a run is a run.
Another hanging slider by Severino was deposited into the right field seats by Mark Canha to knot the score at two in the fifth. During the game, Paul O’Neill of the YES broadcast team was consistently emphasizing that not only is there not much difference in velocity between Severino’s slider and his fastball, but the slider also doesn’t have much break at the moment. His tendency to leave that pitch up and over the plate has been a big problem in his first few starts.
Chasen Shreve came in to relieve Severino to start the seventh. Khris Davis jacked the very first pitch he saw to left-center for a solo home run. Shreve’s second pitch of the inning was also taken deep, this time by Coco Crisp to give Oakland a 4-2 lead. Shreve did settle down and finish the inning. Although he’s gotten off to a strong start in 2016, it’s worth remembering he allowed seven home runs in his final 17 ⅔ IP down the stretch in 2015. Hopefully this was a fluke and not a sign of his struggles with the long ball returning. In the bottom of the inning, Starlin Castro drove in Brett Gardner with a single to center, but the Yanks were still left trailing by one.
Johnny Barbato had his second tough outing this series against Oakland after beginning the season with five scoreless appearances. He allowed a two out walk to Stephen Vogt in the eighth, before Chris Coghlan crushed a 95 mph fastball to right-center to expand the A’s lead to 6-3. Two walks, a stolen base, and a sacrifice fly added an insurance run in the ninth.
The Play: Chris Coghlan’s Two-Run Homer Off Barbato (-.198 WPA)
The Yankees and A’s traded leads all night until Coghlan’s blast with two outs in the eighth cemented the victory for Oakland.
Top Performers
Yankees- Jacoby Ellsbury (3-for-5, K)
Athletics- Rich Hill (6 IP, ER, 10 Ks)
Notes
– Brett Gardner was out of the starting lineup for the second straight game. He was scratched Wednesday because of neck stiffness. Joe Girardi said he was available off the bench prior to the start of the game, and indeed, he came in to pinch hit against right handed reliever Fernando Rodriguez in the seventh inning, drawing a leadoff walk, and stayed in to play left.
– Didi Gregorius was predictably benched after his baserunning gaffe in the seventh inning Wednesday. Girardi was uncharacteristically blunt about the mistake, telling reporters, “It’s bad base-running. You’ve got to understand what your run means.” For what it’s worth, Girardi said that Gregorius had the day off because the Yanks were facing a tough lefty in Hill. Didi did replace Ronald Torreyes in the seventh inning when Hill came out of the game.
– Coming into the game, the Yankees had scored exactly one run for Severino in 2016. This start quadrupled his run support on the season, but the Yankees are still 0-3 with Sevvy on the mound.
– Rich Hill struck out ten batters or more for the fifth time since reinventing himself as a starter last September. That is the most in the majors during that span.
The Highlight(s)
Human-highlight-reel Aaron Hicks showed off his cannon arm for the second consecutive night, casually throwing out Jed Lowrie at second as he unwisely tried to stretch his hit into a double. As impressive as it was, it was arguably not even his best play of the night. Here he leaps full-speed against the concrete left field wall to snag a fly ball in foul territory.
Next Up
The Yankees kick off a three game series against the Tampa Bay Rays Friday night at 7:05 EDT. CC Sabathia will try to end the Yankees slide against the Rays’ 26 year old lefty Matt Moore. In his second year removed from Tommy John surgery, Moore is looking more and more like the guy who finished in the top ten of the AL Cy Young voting in 2013. He was masterful in his last start against the White Sox, striking out 10 batters in 6 ⅓ without giving up a walk.
Lead photo: Noah K. Murray / USA Today Sports