Yankees lose to A’s 2-1: Offensive letdown leads to first loss to Oakland in 2023

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New York Yankees 1, Oakland Athletics 2

OAKLAND, Calif. — Oakland’s Paul Blackburn took the field in a unique way and pitched well enough to get through the sixth inning. Josh Donaldson‘s powerful home run when he came back into the game was the only run he gave up. On Tuesday night, these efforts helped the Athletics beat the New York Yankees by a score of 2-1.

Amidst his recent struggles, Donaldson broke his slump by delivering a crucial hit in the fifth inning, marking his first appearance since Friday. Unfortunately for New York, that was the extent of their offensive output. The former 2015 AL MVP finished the game with a 1-for-4 performance, tallying two strikeouts and slightly elevating his batting average to .132 across 22 games.

Continuing his impressive streak, Seth Brown blasted a home run for the second consecutive day. This feat proved pivotal as the Oakland Athletics, currently residing in last place, secured their maiden victory against the New York Yankees this season. Notably, the Athletics had suffered a clean sweep in a three-game series during their visit to the Bronx back in May.

In a remarkable performance, Blackburn (1-0) surrendered just four hits, while striking out five and issuing only one walk across 5 1/3 innings. This well-deserved victory marked his first since August 4th of the previous season, coinciding with his last start against the Angels.

In the ninth inning, the New York Yankees managed to place the tying run on base, courtesy of a clutch single by pinch-hitter Gleyber Torres against Sam Moll. The momentum continued as Anthony Volpe showcased his exceptional performance by securing an infield single, marking his third hit of the game. However, Moll displayed his prowess by striking out pinch-hitter Kyle Higashioka, earning himself his first career save and sealing the victory.

Following a seven-game winning streak, the Oakland team’s performance has faltered, resulting in a record of 2-10. Their current standing of 21-60 puts them on a trajectory to equal the infamous 1962 Mets, who hold the record for the most losses in the modern era since 1900, with a staggering 120 losses.

In an unconventional lineup placement, Donaldson took the sixth spot for the first time this season. His initial at-bat resulted in a flyout to center field, but he quickly made his mark by crushing a 1-0 slider deep into the left field stands.

Ahead of the game, manager Aaron Boone made an effort to minimize the controversies surrounding Donaldson’s benching, emphasizing that there would be ample playing opportunities for the esteemed three-time All-Star.

Boone remarked that Donaldson possessed broad shoulders and expressed that he exuded a great deal of confidence in his abilities, as if he had a strong desire to take the field.

Having struggled with a 2-for-23 slump, Brown managed to break free by launching a home run off Yankees starter Jhony Brito (4-4).

During the game, Oakland’s eighth batter, Tyler Wade, drove a triple to the right field with one out in the third inning. Following Wade’s impressive hit, Ruiz stepped up and delivered an RBI single to the left field.

Brito, the Yankees’ pitcher, endured a 5 2/3 innings outing, giving up four hits and conceding two runs in the process.

UP NEXT

In the upcoming middle game of the series on Wednesday in Oakland, the New York Yankees’ right-handed pitcher, Domingo Germán (4-5, 5.10 ERA), will take the mound against the Oakland Athletics’ left-handed pitcher, JP Sears (1-5, 4.10 ERA). Germán, who is on the brink of reaching 500 career strikeouts, aims to rebound from a challenging outing against the Mariners in his last start. On the other hand, Sears has displayed impressive performance by limiting opponents to a mere .199 batting average across his last eight starts.

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