New York Gets Swept By Oakland
New York’s west coast trip didn’t start out like they had hoped as they were swept by Oakland.
Unfortunately for the Bronx Bombers, this event did not occur until manager Aaron Boone’s media briefing following the Yankees’ 5-3 loss Thursday to the A’s, who completed a three-game series sweep. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-yankees-struggle-in-oakland
Summarizing the state of his club, which begins a three-game series Friday against the MLB-best Dodgers, Boone employed imagery that was as vivid as it was accurate. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-yankees-struggle-in-oakland
“Over the course of a long season, you’re going to take one in the mouth,” Boone said, “and we just got punched in the mouth right here in Oakland. But we move on and enjoy the challenge of going and facing a great National League club.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-yankees-struggle-in-oakland
Regaining their season-long efficiency also will challenge the Yankees, whose four-game losing streak matches a season high. During that stretch, they haven’t executed any aspect of baseball particularly well. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-yankees-struggle-in-oakland
Their starting pitchers have compiled a 9.32 ERA. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-yankees-struggle-in-oakland
The offense is hitting a creditable .273 but has scored just 14 runs, due largely to a .214 batting average (6-for-28) with runners in scoring position. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-yankees-struggle-in-oakland
Thursday, the Yankees delivered their offense in one-run bursts, as Gleyber Torres homered twice to push his team-best total to 31. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-yankees-struggle-in-oaklandhttps://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-yankees-struggle-in-oakland
Torres initially felt uncomfortable with the hitters’ background at the Coliseum. “according to
“The first couple of days, I didn’t feel really comfortable at home plate [with] the view,” Torres said. “Everything’s different. But today I felt very good. I just tried to stay focused and forget about it.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-yankees-struggle-in-oakland
However, Torres also made a high relay to second base on a potential double-play grounder, helping Oakland score a fifth run off starter Masahiro Tanaka (9-7). “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-yankees-struggle-in-oakland
“I think I got a little lazy and I didn’t prepare myself very well in that situation,” Torres said. “I didn’t feel good about that. But baseball always gives you another opportunity.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-yankees-struggle-in-oakland
Tanaka, who surrendered all of Oakland’s runs while lasting six innings, shouldered blame for the immediate deficit. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-yankees-struggle-in-oakland
“It’s more on me,” said the right-hander, who owns a 6.58 ERA in 12 road starts and a 5.82 ERA in three outings at the Coliseum. “I just wasn’t able to control the ball well enough. You never want to give up two base hits starting off a game. Obviously that hurt, but the two walks after that, you never can do that. I feel I wasn’t able to control the ball, and it’s on me.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-yankees-struggle-in-oakland
Meanwhile Oakland swept New York.
The question surrounding the A’s entering their current nine-game homestand was about how they would be able to hold up in the playoff race with such a daunting stretch of games. Surely they’d be glad just to stay afloat against the Astros and Yankees, who hold the top two records in the American League. But the A’s made a statement: They can hang with baseball’s elite. “according to https://www.mlb.com/athletics/news/tanner-roark-athletics-sweep-yankees
The A’s jumped on Masahiro Tanaka early to provide a nice cushion for Tanner Roark, who continued his strong run since joining the A’s before the Trade Deadline by limiting the Yankees to just two runs over 6 1/3 innings in a 5-3 victory Thursday at the Coliseum. After taking three of four from the Astros over the weekend, Oakland secured a three-game sweep of New York and moved into a tie with the Rays atop the American League Wild Card standings. “according to https://www.mlb.com/athletics/news/tanner-roark-athletics-sweep-yankees
You keep looking at the scoreboard, and the Rays keep winning. It just tells you that we know we have to play well for five more weeks,” A’s outfielder Mark Canha said. “There’s no letting up. This is going to be a fight. We have to keep doing this for five weeks. We’re not in this to slip into the Wild Card and play a Wild Card Game. We’re in this to win the World Series.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/athletics/news/tanner-roark-athletics-sweep-yankees
“What we’ve done this homestand so far is very impressive,” Roark said. “It shows what these guys in the clubhouse and the coaches are all about. We’re fighters, and we’re not going to give in. We’re going to have fun and play together, do the small things right.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/athletics/news/tanner-roark-athletics-sweep-yankees
The A’s are now a season-best 21 games over .500, and they haven’t done it by beating up on the lesser teams. Their win over the Yankees now puts them at 26-19 against teams currently holding at least a share of a playoff spot. “according to https://www.mlb.com/athletics/news/tanner-roark-athletics-sweep-yankees
Though the A’s have been dependent on the long ball for most of the year, Thursday’s performance showed they can win in a variety of ways. For just the fourth time this season, the A’s won a game without hitting a home run. The offensive outburst instead came from their ability to string together quality at-bats against Tanaka in the first, beginning with a leadoff double by Marcus Semien that sparked a three-run inning capped by a two-run single by Canha, who extended his hitting streak to seven games and is batting .354 this month. “according to https://www.mlb.com/athletics/news/tanner-roark-athletics-sweep-yankees
“Once you let him settle in, he is tough to deal with,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said of Tanaka, who threw 33 pitches in the first. “You know you’re not going to get predictable fastballs from him. He’s probably throwing 30% fastballs, tops. In 2-1 counts, sometimes 20%. Marcus is up there looking to hit the ball the other way. That set the tone, and other guys made him work. Next thing you know, we have a big inning.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/athletics/news/tanner-roark-athletics-sweep-yankees
The early scoring allowed Roark to pitch with more confidence as he often got ahead in the count and pounded the strike zone, with 60 of his 95 pitches thrown for strikes. It wasn’t hard to figure out Roark’s plan of attack -- he threw 65 fastballs -- but the ability to work it up and down the zone led to seven strikeouts, all coming on the heater. His only real mistake came in the seventh, when Gleyber Torres’ solo blast to center knocked Roark out of the game with one out. “according to https://www.mlb.com/athletics/news/tanner-roark-athletics-sweep-yankees
With the Yankees entering the night leading the Majors with 6.36 runs per game on the road, Melvin and the coaching staff delivered a clear message before the start of the series: “Don’t walk people.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/athletics/news/tanner-roark-athletics-sweep-yankees
The starters responded, combining to allow just three free passes over 17 1/3 innings, including none by Roark on Thursday. “according to https://www.mlb.com/athletics/news/tanner-roark-athletics-sweep-yankees
“It’s important against these guys,” Melvin said. “[If] they hit solo home runs, they hit solo home runs. But when you start walking people and they start making you throw multiple pitches and wear you out, that’s when you make the mistake and it’s three runs.”
The message was music to Roark’s ears. He considers himself an aggressive pitcher, and with good command of his offerings, he was able to focus his two-seam fastball with sinking action to pound the inside against lefties while elevating the four-seam in the zone to righties, which produced most of his strikeouts.
“Walks will kill you. You limit those and challenge guys, which is what I think I do well,” Roark said. “Just challenge and attack, move in and out, up and down, keep them on their toes.”
Roark continued what has been a strong run by A’s starters for the better part of a month, posting a 3.11 ERA over the past 22 games.
With a 2.63 ERA over four starts with his new club, Roark has acclimated himself rather quickly. He was even the recipient of the celebratory free throw: The challenge awarded to the A’s player of the game after every win, which involves attempting a shot into a miniature basketball hoop set up above one of the lockers.
“It’s a lot of fun,” Roark said. “All these guys love to mess around and I’m right there with them, trash-talking them back. No matter what it is, there’s always some type of game or competition going on in here to keep it loose. It’s a tight clubhouse that makes you get to know each other and become better teammates.”
Bullpen locks it down
Roark’s quality work was finished off by Jake Diekman, Lou Trivino and Joakim Soria over the final 2 2/3 innings.
The A’s bullpen has been much maligned this season, entering the night with an AL-leading 22 blown saves. But over these three games against the Yankees, Oakland’s relievers consistently slammed the door in the late innings, with Liam Hendriks recording saves the previous two nights. “according to https://www.mlb.com/athletics/news/tanner-roark-athletics-sweep-yankees
That’s what we envisioned,” Melvin said. “We’re starting to pitch a lot better throughout the bullpen. Lou has been terrific last three times out. We really have the ability to have a really deep bullpen. Blake Treinen and Trivino pitching a lot better and we have [A.J.] Puk here now. In a series where you’re leaning on a couple of guys like we did [Yusmeiro] Petit and Hendriks, it’s going to take some other guys. They came through for us.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/athletics/news/tanner-roark-athletics-sweep-yankees
New York will continue their west coast trip as they visit the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.