Rooker’s 3-run bomb not enough
Tonight, the 9-15 Oakland Athletics were hoping to take a series lead from an American League East rival, the New York Yankees. Tonight’s third game took place at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. Mark Kotsay sent 24-year-old righty Joe Boyle to the mound to face the Bronx Bombers, while righty Clarke Schmidt started for the Yankees.
The Yankees got on the board first after a questionable call (yet again) by the umpire crew. After Boyle worked a 1-2 count on slugger Aaron Judge. He threw a beautiful strike three and as Judge was walking to the dugout he quickly turned and came back to the batters box thanks to a balk call by the third base umpire. Juan Soto moved to second and Judge lived to see another day. He saw one more pitch which he deposited in the right field bleachers for a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the second, the Yankees worked two walks, then Anthony Volpe singled to short to load the bases. But Boyle got Juan Soto to line out to JJ Bleday to end the inning with no damage on the scoreboard.
In the bottom of the third, Judge walked. Anthony Rizzo grounded to Ryan Noda who threw high to second, and instead of what seemed to be a sure double play, runners were safe all around. Alex Verdugo walked to load the bases. Nick Allen snagged a soft fly out of the air to end the inning with the score still 2-0.
A high pitch-count, eighty-five pitches in three innings, ended Boyle’s night early. Michael Kelly (2-0 in ten relief appearances) came in to relieve Boyle. Austin Wells dropped a bunt single down the third base line. Then Anthony Volpe tripled on a misplayed ball by Laurence Butler in right. Wells scored from first, and then Soto knocked a sacrifice fly to center to drive in Volpe. At the end of four, the Yankees led 4-0.
Anthony Rizzo greeted Michal Kelly’s second pitch of the inning with a homer to right field. Ryan Noda got plunked with a pitch to start the 6th inning. Tyler Nevin doubled to drive Noda to third with just one out. Brent Rooker sent his fifth homer of the year deep into the left field bleachers to cut the Yankees lead to 5-3.
New Rook State of Mind pic.twitter.com/rDKiTjpCxY
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) April 25, 2024
Dany Jiménez entered the game in the bottom of the sixth for the A’s, replacing Michael Kelly. He promptly gave up a solo homer to Juan Soto. His sixth as a Yankee.
Kyle Muller took the mound in the bottom of the seventh. Giancarlo Stanton singled to centerfield. Anthony Rizzo singled to right fielder Laurence Butler. Gleyber Torres singled to shortstop Nick Allen. An Alex Verdugo sacrifice fly scored Stanton to make the score 7-3. Austin Wells singled to right field, but Butler unleashed a great throw to nab Rizzo trying to score from second. That ended the inning.
Down 7-3 going into the top of the ninth, the A’s faced reliever Ian Hamilton. Brent Rooker popped out to first baseman Rizzo. Seth Brown sent Verdugo to the warning track, but it was just a loud second out. Abraham Toro lined out to Judge in center to end the game. With the series finale tomorrow in the Bronx, the A’s will shoot for a series split.
In his post game interview, Manager Mark Kotsay announced that Zack Gelof has a left Oblique strain and will likely be headed to the Injured List (IL).
