Domingo German’s great start goes to waste as Yankees fall to A’s in extra innings
OAKLAND— After Domingo German pitched his best game in nearly three years, the Yankees spoiled it by getting one-hit. Lou Trivino led off the bottom of the 11th by walking Sean Murphy on four pitches. Stephen Vogt gave the A’ s a second chance with his one-out, pinch-hit, two-run home run off Ron Marinaccio in the bottom of the 10th.
OAKLAND — After Domingo German pitched his best game in nearly three years, the Yankees spoiled it by getting one-hit. And then a wild throw on what should have been an inning-ending double play in the 11th led to a 3-2 loss to the A’s at the Coliseum Saturday night.
Lou Trivino led off the bottom of the 11th by walking Sean Murphy on four pitches. On Chad Pinders’ grounder to short, the Yankees got the first out at second, but DJ LeMahieu’s throw to first was wide, allowing the ghost runner to score.
Stephen Vogt gave the A’s a second chance with his one-out, pinch-hit, two-run home run off Ron Marinaccio in the bottom of the 10th. It was the first runs Marinaccio had allowed since July 31, just the 11th hit he has allowed this season in 28 appearances and just the fifth to a left-handed hitter. After getting a ground out, he struck out Nick Allen, but the A’s shortstop reached on a wild pitch. Tony Kemp singled to end Marinaccio’s night. Trivino came in to strike out Shea Langeliers to get out of the inning.
The A’s needed that after A.J. Puk almost threw it away in the top of the inning.
He nailed Anthony Rizzo with a 94 mph fastball near his right shoulder and then a wild pitch got away from Murphy allowing one run to score. Puk, standing at home plate as Murphy chased it, let the throw sail past him to let the second run score.
It was an ugly way to end a beautifully pitched game — until Puk took the mound.
German pitched 7.2 scoreless innings, scattering three hits and striking out five. It was his best start since his breakout season of 2019.
Adam Oller, who was part of the package the Mets sent to the A’s to acquire Chris Bassitt this spring, baffled the Yankees hitters in his longest major league start. The rookie right-hander pitched seven scoreless, one-hit innings, facing the minimum 24 batters, striking out three and walking one.
The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for the Yankees (78-49) and with the Rays, Blue Jays and Astros losing before them on Saturday, it cost them a chance to better their positioning for the playoffs. It was the A’s second win in their last six games.
The Yankees managed just one hit in 11 innings.
Oswaldo Cabrera, who had back-to-back three hit nights in the first two games here, broke up Oller’s no-hit bid in the sixth inning.
Luckily for the Yankees, German was matching Oller.
Nick Allen broke up German’s no-hit bid in the bottom of the sixth inning with a come-backer to German, who sailed the throw to the extra deep foul territory behind first base. He gave up a clean single to Pinder in the seventh.
After giving up five runs in his season debut against the Astros last month, German, who began the year on the injured list with a shoulder issue, has not allowed more than three runs in his last seven starts.
It came on a day the Yankees got bad news about their already beat-up bullpen and a trip that has hit their pitching corps hard.
On Thursday, the Yankees placed Nestor Cortes, arguably their most reliable pitcher this season, on the injured list with a strained left groin. The lefty is able to throw on flat ground and sprint and is optimistic that he will be able to bounce right back, but will still likely miss three starts. The Bombers had to pull Clarke Schmidt out of his long-man role in the bullpen to make Cortes’ scheduled start on Sunday in the series finale against the A’s.
Aroldis Chapman was placed on the injured list before Saturday night’s game with an infection from getting a new tattoo. During the game, Zack Britton, making his second rehab appearance after Tommy John surgery, left the game but later tweeted that he was fine.
The Yankees did not make a corresponding move before Saturday’s game and played with the bullpen short a man and will likely do so again Sunday, because they expect Clay Holmes, on the injured list with lower back tightness, to be back Monday when they begin a three-game series in Tampa. That means Greg Weissert, who had a forgettable MLB debut on Thursday night, will likely stick around for the rest of the trip.
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