OAKLAND — The Yankees were no-hit for almost six innings, but they came out of The Coliseum with a big 5-1 win over the Athletics, who are now 4.5 games back of New York for the first Wild Card spot.
The big hit in this one once again belonged to Luke Voit, who hit his eighth home run of the year. As Michael Kay said, it really is hard to imagine where the Yankees would be without this man’s production.
Luketown. pic.twitter.com/i9O2kVVkJU
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 5, 2018
To get to that point, however, J.A. Happ was pitching a good game in his own right. He gave up just two hits in six innings of five-strikeout ball, with his one mistake being a solo homer allowed to Stephen Piscotty.
After Gleyber Torres ended the no-hit bid in the sixth, the Bombers had a golden opportunity to break things open in the seventh.
With Brett Gardner, Giancarlo Stanton, and Andrew McCutchen all getting on base ahead of him, Aaron Hicks tied the score with a walk.
However, the next two guys would strikeout before a Neil Walker pop-up ended the threat.
Later in the game, New York would continue to tack on insurance runs after Voit’s home run. Hicks first added an RBI-single in the eighth.
Two more runs would then cross in the ninth, with Adeiny Hechavarria, who had come on an inning before as a defensive replacement, stroking his first Yankee home run, a solo shot off of Emilio Pagan.
HechavarrÃa just says "See ya!" pic.twitter.com/UXhTFdsIZ7
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 5, 2018
Gardner subsequently added the finishing touches with an RBI-single, before Dellin Betances closed out Oakland for New York’s 87th win of the season.
This was a big win for the Yankees as they are in the midst of a West Coast road trip that sees them facing two of their biggest rivals for Wild Card spots.
The Yankees go for the series win tomorrow, with Luis Severino facing Mike Fiers.
Current Yankees Record: 87-52
