Athletics Sweep Yankees, Gain Ground In Playoff Race
Aug 22, 2019, 9:30 PM | Updated: 9:50 pm
(Photo by Cody Glenn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Oakland is now tied for the top Wild Card spot with Tampa Bay
As September baseball nears, the Oakland Athletics made a statement against the league-best New York Yankees by sweeping a three-game series at the Coliseum.
Tanner Roark delivered six innings of two-run ball while striking out seven batters to propel the Athletics to a series sweep over the Yankees, winning 5-3 on Thursday night. Roark has been electric since being acquired at the deadline, as he improves to 2-1 with a 2.91 ERA since joining the A’s.
With the win, Oakland improved to a season-high 21 games over the .500 mark.
Stephen Piscotty picked up two hits and an RBI in the win, while Robbie Grossman tripled and scored two runs for an Athletics team that has won eight of their last nine contests.
Oakland will be back in action on Saturday night when they face the San Francisco Giants at the Coliseum for part-two of the Bay Bridge Series.
Game 2: Wednesday, August 21 – A’s 6, Yankees 4
Two-run home runs from Khris Davis and Marcus Semien powered the A’s over the Yankees by a final of 6-4 on Wednesday night.
Mike Fiers gave up two runs over 5.1 innings while striking out four batters to claim his 12th win of the season. Liam Hendriks came into the game in the bottom of the eighth inning with runners on first and third with one out for New York, but got out of trouble with consecutive strikeouts of D.J. LeMahieu and Aaron Judge.
Hendriks would go on to convert the five-out save for his 15th save of the year.
Game 1: Tuesday, August 20 – A’s 6, Yankees 2
In their first meeting since New York ended their season last October, the Oakland Athletics defeated the Yankees 6-2 on Tuesday night at the Coliseum.
Homer Bailey stymied the high-powered Yankee offense, holding them to one run over 5.2 innings while striking out eight batters. Mark Canha and Matt Olson went back-to-back in the first inning off of New York starter Domingo German to give themselves an early 3-1 lead.
The A’s would hold on, tacking three more runs on for good measure to give themselves a big win to stay in the thick of the American League Wild Card race.