Athletics come up short in 4-3 loss to Yankees

A four-run first inning was more than the A’s could overcome Tuesday night

A big first inning was more than the Oakland Athletics and Paul Blackburn could overcome in a 4-3 loss to the New York Yankees Tuesday night.

Oakland wasn’t able to scratch a run across in Monday’s opener until the ninth inning. They started quickly Tuesday. Brent Rooker fell behind 0-2 against Marcus Stroman, but hung in and worked a walk. Seth Brown followed with a sinking line drive to right that Juan Soto was unable to come up with on a diving attempt. As the ball kicked away, Rooker kept right on running and scored to give Paul Blackburn a 1-0 lead.

The lead wouldn’t last long though. Soto singled with one out and then moved all the way to third on a double by Aaron Judge. Giancarlo Stanton brought them both home with a double into the gap in left to give the Yankees the lead 2-1. New York wasn’t finished though as Anthony Rizzo followed with a two-run homer to right to make it 4-1.

The A’s got one of those runs back in the second as Shea Langeliers sent his fifth homer of the season into the bullpen in right center to cut the deficit to 4-2.

The A’s had an opportunity to cut into the lead even further when Nick Allen singled off the glove of Stroman and moved to second on a solid single by Esteury Ruiz. Both runners moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch, but Ryan Noda grounded out to leave them stranded.

Blackburn settled in after the rough first inning. He allowed an infield single to Anthony Volpe in the second, but struck out Soto to strand him. He put up another zero in the third, retiring the side in order.

Oakland crept closer in the fourth as Lawrence Butler took Stroman deep to right to lead off the inning. The homer was Butler’s second of the season.

Blackburn retired 13 straight hitters after Volpe’s single in the second inning. He would exit after the sixth having allowed five hits and four runs. He struck out five and didn’t walk a batter while throwing 98 pitches. The game could have gotten sideways quickly after the tough first inning, but Blackburn was able to keep Oakland in the game.

Lefty T.J. McFarland replaced Blackburn in the seventh and worked a 1-2-3 inning. Austin Adams came on for the eighth and quickly found himself in some trouble. Adams walked Austin Wells to start the inning and then hit Volpe with a pitch to put runners at first and second. Adams came back though and got Soto to bounce into a 4-6-3 double play. Adams then hit Judge to put runners at the corners, but Stanton lined out to Max Schuemann at shortstop to keep the lead 4-3.

The Athletics entered the ninth needing a run against Yankees closer Clay Holmes. Lawrence Butler was called out looking on a pitch that appeared to be above the strike zone and was subsequently ejected. Langeliers grounded out to third before Schuemann went down looking to end the game.

The series will continue Wednesday with Joe Boyle matching up against Clarke Schmidt.