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Yankees game 57: Bullpen loses lead and the game

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Oakland Athletics 5 — new York Yankees 2 (10 innings)

The Yankees offense and bullpen could not support the best Hiroki Kuroda start of the season.

For the American League-best Oakland Athletics, Scott Kazmir got the nod for the start. With two on and one out in the first inning, the return of Mark Teixeira paid immediate dividends. The first baseman with an ailing right wrist hit a run-scoring single to right field to put the Yankees ahead.

On the other side, Hiroki Kuroda was on his game. Through the first four innings, Kuroda allowed one hit and one walk but both were erased on a pair of double plays so he faced the minimum. But in the fifth inning, designated hitter Brandon Moss tied up the game at one with a solo home run.

After losing the lead in the fifth inning, the Yankees would break the 1-1 tie on the bat of Mark Teixeira. The Yankees first baseman would hit his 10th home run of the season with two outs in the sixth inning. The solo home run put Hiroki Kuroda in line for the win.

Over 6.2 innings, Hiroki Kuroda allowed one run on two hits while walking one and striking out two. This was by far, the best start of the season by Hiroki Kuroda. He just needs the bullpen to finish off the game for him.

To end the seventh inning, Dellin Betances did what Dellin Betances does, strike out a batter. Betances would also get the eighth inning and he would get a second strikeout but he also had a two-out walk. The outstanding reliever looked a little uncomfortable on the mound but he pushed on and pinch-hitter Stephen Vogt would hit a double to deep right center and the game would be tied.

Dellin Betances, despite all numbers, no matter how outstanding, is human.

David Robertson would bounce back from his blown save with a scoreless ninth in tonight’s tie game. In extra innings, Adam Warren got the first call and it would quickly be a call that many wish was missed.

The man who hit the first home run for the A’s would hit his second as Brandon Moss hit a laser of a line drive into the right field second deck to put them ahead. A walk and a double would plate a second run. Another single with one out would bring home the third run for the A’s. Preston Claiborne would come in during this inning and after a single and an error followed with a walk, the bases were loaded but the damage was kept to just three.

The Yankees would go down in order in the 10th inning but the Yankees did have their chances to add on more runs to win the game.In the seventh inning, Scott Kazmir’s last inning, the Yankees got a leadoff single by the returning Scott Sizemore and a walk to J.R. Murphy. Brendan Ryan, in a perplexing at-bat, initially could not get the bunt down and followed that by swinging and missing before striking out looking on the last pitch by Kazmir. The reliever would get the last two outs and a pair of baserunners to start the inning went for nothing.

While the bullpen did give up the lead, the offense did not give the Yankees pitchers a lead that gave them room for error, a very noticeable habit and theme of the season.

 

Win – Dan Otero (5-1)

Loss – Adam Warren (1-3)

Save – Sean Doolittle (6)

 

Notables

Athletics

*Brandon Moss – 2 for 4, 2 R, 2 Solo Home Runs (15) in the 5th & 10th, 2 RBI (48)

*Stephen Vogt – 1 for 1, 2B, RBI (1)

Yankees

*Mark Teixeira – 2 for 5, R, Solo Home Run (10) in the 6th, 2 RBI (27)

*Brett Gardner – 1 for 5, R

 

Current Yankees Record: 29-28