NFL
By: Billy Lewis
The New York Yankees wrapped up their series against the Oakland Athletics late last night/early this morning. The game started well for the Yankees, Brett Gardner lined out on a bullet to deep right and then Giancarlo Stanton hit a blistering double against A’s pitcher Mike Fiers.
After Andrew McCutchen flew out to center field, Fiers walked Aaron Hicks and Gary Sanchez to load the bases with two outs. Recent Yankee stud Luke Voit grounded out to Matt Chapman and the Yankees wasted an opportunity to pounce early.
Luis Severino took the mound trying to get himself back to his dominant form. Ramon Laureano hit a ringing double to begin the bottom of the first, but Severino was able to get Matt Chapman to ground out and keep Laureano at second. However, during Jed Lowrie’s at-bat, a nightmarish inning began for the Yankees.
Laureano was able to get to third via a passed ball. Lowrie would drive in Laureano with a frozen rope to right for single. By the end of the inning, four pitches got passed Gary Sanchez (two passed balls, two wild pitches). The A’s were able to capitalize and left the first inning with a 4-0 lead.
Severino would go on to struggle and only lasted 2.2 innings into the game. It was Severino’s shortest start of the season and he gave up six runs (five earned) to boot. It appeared a lot of the struggle came out of Severino’s frustration with Sanchez.
Yankee fans that stayed up for the game deserve a ribbon, by the end of the 4th it was 7-0 A’s. Oakland added one in the 6th to make it 8-0. The Yankees answered Oakland’s run with a two-run home run by Sanchez. It was Sanchez’s first home run since making his return from the DL.
The Yankees would not get any closer and the A’s won the game 8-2 and the series 2-1. These two teams seem to be a crash course to meet each other in just under a month in the American League Wild Card Game. The Yankees hold a 3.5 game lead for home-field advantage in the Wild Card Game. It would behoove the Yankees to play that winner take all game in the Bronx.
