A’s get to Yankees closer David Bednar as Bombers’ bats go quiet in loss
NEW YORK — The Athletics got to New York Yankees closer David Bednar in the ninth inning Wednesday night, paving the way for a 3-2, series-tying victory for the nomadic visitors at Yankee Stadium. Bednar, who hasn’t had his top velocity in the early going this season, ran into trouble right away in the ninth, allowing a leadoff single to Nick Kurtz. Shea Langeliers then smoked a double off a 94.
4-mph heater, which pushed Kurtz to third base. With one out, Brent Rooker then lofted a sac fly to center, giving the A’s their go-ahead run. The Yankees, who finished the game 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base, got on the board first earlier in the evening, welcoming Luis Severino back to the Bronx with three consecutive singles from Trent Grisham, Aaron Jude and Cody Bellinger in the first frame.
Bellinger picked up an RBI, and the Yankees forced in another run when Severino, who threw 32 pitches in the first, walked J. C. Escarra with the bases loaded later in the inning.
Severino granted four more walks on the night, but the Yankees never made him pay for those free passes, nor did they score again. The righty also totaled five innings, four hits, two earned runs, seven strikeouts and 100 pitches over five innings. The A’s knotted things up in the fourth, first getting on the board with three two-out singles, including an RBI knock from Jeff McNeil, before adding another run on a wild pitch from Will Warren.
The Yankees’ starter didn’t have the sharpest control throughout his chilly start, as he also walked three batters while allowing five hits and striking out five over 4 2/3 innings and 85 pitches. While Warren couldn’t complete five innings of work, Yankees starters have now allowed three runs or fewer in each of their 11 games this season. With the series now tied, the Yankees will turn to Ryan Weathers in Thursday’s finale.