A’s lose to Yankees; Kotsay not happy with umpire’s wide strike zone

NEW YORK — Right-hander Paul Blackburn and the Athletics could not overcome a tough first inning on Tuesday in a 4-3 loss to the New York Yankees.

Blackburn struggled early on as he gave up a two-run home run to Anthony Rizzo that capped a four-run first inning for the Yankees, who held on and handed the A’s their fourth loss in the last five games.

Seth Brown hit an RBI double in the first off Marcus Stroman (2-1) to give the A’s a 1-0 lead. Giancarlo Stanton had a go-ahead double against Blackburn (2-1) in the bottom half before Rizzo hit his second homer of the season and his first since April 7.

Rizzo had just one extra-base hit in 54 at-bats between homers.

Blackburn had not allowed a home run in four previous starts this season.
Stroman (2-1) struck out nine — his most since he fanned nine for the New York Mets against the Giants on Aug. 17, 2021.

Shea Langeliers homered in the second and Lawrence Butler in the fourth. But the A’s also went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position and left six on base.

Yankees relievers Ron Marinaccio, Caleb Ferguson, Dennis Santana, and Clay Holmes combined for 3 2/3 hitless innings against the A’s, with Holmes striking out two in a perfect ninth for his ninth save in 10 chances.

A’s batters struck out a combined 13 times in the game, including twice in the top of the ninth when both Lawrence Butler and Max Schuemann were called out looking by home plate umpire John Tumpane.

"John Tumpane — was that a Hunter Wendelstedt impression?…Was it any of them or was it someone actually in the A's dugout?"

Umpires are making all kinds of friends in this series. pic.twitter.com/USWoZDJsFJ

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 24, 2024

A’s manager Mark Kotsay didn’t always appreciate Tumpane’s wide zone, especially with Yankees catcher Austin Wells noticeably setting up on the outside part of the plate.

Monday, Yankees manager Aaron Boone was ejected by home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt in the top of the first inning. Boone did not say anything to Wendelstedt, but the veteran umpire said he heard someone from the Yankees dugout chirp him after Boone had already been warned.

In the fourth inning of Tuesday’s game, after a wide pitch to Esteury Ruiz was called a strike, Tumpane shouted toward the A’s dugout.

“I get that it’s really difficult to call balls and strikes,” Kotsay told reporters in New York. “When you have a catcher that sets up with his left shin guard on the outside corner of the plate, with half his body into the batter’s box on those getting pitches out there, it’s challenging.

“It’s challenging to cover that, it’s challenging to know that outside edge, which guys work really hard at. … We had our chances. It’s tough when the strike zone’s that wide.”

Final: Athletics 3, Yankees 4
Umpire: John Tumpane#Athletics // #RepBX#OAKvsNYY // #NYYvsOAK
Missed Balls: https://t.co/NH9c5Pz1Cb
Missed Strikes: https://t.co/CgDtdEjOGq
Video may not be available immediately after the game pic.twitter.com/dl4S2R7nVA

— BallsAndStrikes (@umpstrikezone) April 24, 2024

Blackburn, too, benefitted from the wide zone in an otherwise solid outing, as he gave up five hits in six innings, retiring 17 of his last 18 batters, including the last 13.

“We did have our chances to get a big hit and Paul’s job tonight after the first inning — he put up zeroes and gave us a chance to get back in it,” Kotsay said. “Nice night after that first for Paul.”

Yankees manager Aaron Boone, ejected by plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt five pitches into Monday’s 2-0 loss to Oakland over a remark he and his players maintained was yelled by a fan behind the dugout, said he didn’t expect to be fined following multiple conversations with MLB senior vice president of on-field operations Michael Hill.

“I feel good about where the league is on it,” Boone said,

TRAINER’S ROOM: Athletics left-hander Scott Alexander (left rib), right-hander Luis Medina (right knee) and lefty Ken Waldichuk (elbow) all had successful bullpen sessions Tuesday. Infielder J.D. Davis (right adductor) and OF Miguel Andujar (right knee surgery) both began running.

For the Yankees, third baseman DJ LeMahieu (right foot) was removed in the second inning of his first rehab game Tuesday for Double-A Somerset due to foot soreness. Right-hander Gerrit Cole (right elbow), the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, said he felt good after throwing 50 times from 120 feet.

UP NEXT: The four-game series continues today when Yankees righty Clarke Schmidt (1-0, 3.15 ERA) opposes A’s righty Joe Boyle (1-3, 7.23 ERA).