Andres Chavez
Star-in-the-making Cam Schlittler allowed his first three runs of the season, but Amed Rosario hit a jaw-dropping three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth, his second of the game, to flip the score and give the New York Yankees a stunning 5-3 comeback win over the Athletics on Tuesday night in their series opener at Yankee Stadium. The ‘Bombers’ offense had been held in check all night, but Rosario, who earned a rare start over Ryan McMahon at third base, had other plans.
Pitching with a 1-0 lead in the top of the third, Schlittler’s run of shutout baseball came to an end. Nick Kurtz blasted a two-run double that left his bat at 115 mph, scoring Max Muncy and Jeff McNeil. Then, Tyler Soderstrom hit a two-bagger of his own to plate the third run for the Athletics.
The Yankees had taken the lead in the bottom of the second frame when Rosario hit his first home run of a night he will surely remember for quite some time.
Schlittler’s Perfect ERA Is No Longer A Thing
Schlittler was otherwise solid in the night, pitching five frames and allowing no additional runs. He walked no one and struck out seven Athletics, but those three runs in the third frame nearly cost his team the game. His ERA for the season now stands at 1.62, which is still among the best in the league.
Athletics’ right-hander Aaron Civale kept the Yankees offense at bay for five frames. His four walks indicate he was a bit on the wild side, but he struck out six and conceded just two hits and one run.
The Yankees’ bullpen did its job and kept the team in the game, hoping for a reaction by the offense. Hopefully, it came in the eighth frame.
Yankees Mount A Rally Against Old Friend
With former Yankee Mark Leiter Jr. on the mound, Cody Bellinger and Ben Rice hit consecutive singles to immediately mount a threat. Giancarlo Stanton also singled, this time bringing Bellinger home to cut the A’s deficit to one run.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. flied out to give away the first out, but Rosario launched a mammoth 414-foot blast deep into New York’s night to turn a 3-2 deficit into a 5-3 lead.
David Bednar pitched the ninth and earned his fifth save of the year, not before Jake Bird, Brent Headrick, and Fernando Cruz all combined to keep the A’s at three runs. They all gave the offense a chance to come back, and it didn’t disappoint.
The Yankees and A’s will do it again on Wednesday, starting at 7:10 pm ET. Former Bombers star Luis Severino will toe the rubber for the visitors, and Will Warren will do it for the Yankees.
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