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OAKLAND, CA - MAY 22: Starting pitcher Michael Pineda #35 of the New York Yankees delivers a pitch during the third inning against the Oakland Athletics at O.co Coliseum on May 22, 2016 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Stephen Lam/Getty Images)

Yankees Game 43: Sweep complete, Pineda goes 6 to earn win

New York Yankees 5 – Oakland Athletics 4

Building on the four-game winning streak, the Yankees had a sweep in sights.

After a scoreless first inning against A’s starter Jesse Hahn, Michael Pineda needed to figure out the first inning, entering with a 13.50 ERA in the first inning this year.

After getting the first out, Billy Burns reached on a single but was not going to be satisfied with first. Burns stole second successfully and third uncontested before scoring on a ground out by Stephen Vogt to put the A’s ahead early. Pineda minimized a normally bad inning by getting the final out.

Brian McCann got rid of the A’s lead quickly when led off the second inning with a solo home run. In the third inning, Jacoby Ellsbury hit a solo home run to right center to give the Yankees the lead.

Following the first inning, Pineda allowed two base runners over the next three innings before the A’s started to rally against him in the fifth inning. After a line out for the first out, Jake Smolinski got on base with a single. Then with two outs, Billy Burns reached with a single of his own and they both came around to score on a two-run double by Vogt, changing the 2-1 Yankees lead into a 3-2 Yankees deficit.

The Yankees continued fighting back. Despite Hahn getting two outs in the sixth inning, Brett Gardner and Carlos Beltran got on base so reliever John Axford came on to face the struggling Mark Teixeira. With the infield shifted to the right side, Teixeira hit a ground ball to shallow right center where Teixeira outran the throw to first, reaching with a single. But more importantly, Brett Gardner did not stop at third on the single and came around to score, tying the game 3-3. Starlin Castro quickly broke the tie with a single to left center. With a one-run lead after six innings, the starting pitcher’s job is done.

In six innings, Michael Pineda allowed three runs on six hits with one walk and six strikeouts.

For the seventh inning, the Yankees received an insurance run when Carlos Beltran hit a two-out double. Pitching, Dellin Betances got the seventh inning and got the first two outs on strikes before getting a ground out to move the game along.

In the eighth inning, Andrew Miller took the mound but the defense might have been left in the dugout when Gregorius and Castro committed back-to-back errors to start the inning. After striking out Danny Valencia, a ground out brought the A’s within one but another ground out ended the inning with the lead down to just one.

Defense didn’t let down closer Aroldis Chapman in the ninth inning when a pair of ground outs around a strikeout finished off today’s game. The Yankees swept the A’s in four games and will be returning home with a five-game winning streak. The Yankees are one game under .500 coming into a big week starting with the Toronto Blue Jays.

 

Win – Michael Pineda (2-5)

Loss – Jesse Hahn (1-2)

Save – Aroldis Chapman (6)

Notables

Yankees

*Carlos Beltran – 2 for 4, R, 2B, RBI (27)

*Brian McCann – 1 for 4, R, Solo home run (6) in the 2nd, RBI (18)

Athletics

*Stephen Vogt – 1 for 4, 2B, 3 RBI (10)

*Billy Burns – 2 for 4, 3 R

 

Current Yankees Record: 21-22