A’s Bats Stay Cold in Series Opener Against Yankees

Following a shutout loss in the series finale in Detroit, the bats stayed cold once again facing the New York Yankees with a 3-0 loss in the Bronx. Will Warren picked up his fifth win of the season, while former Yankee prospect Mitch Spence would get his third loss of the year. Closer Devin Williams collected the save.

Spence took the mound for the opener of the series, and the right-hander tossed five innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits, walked a season-high four batters, and punched out five opposing hitters.

The A’s would threaten early in the first inning, as Yankees’ starter Will Warren would walk the bases loaded, but the righty managed to collect three strikeouts to escape the tough jam without any damage being done.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. would open up the scoring in the second inning as he would take Mitch Spence deep into the second deck in right field. This homer would be Chisholm’s 12th of the season. The Yankees would strike again in the next inning, as Cody Bellinger poked one into centerfield to drive in Anthony Volpe. This would give the Yankees an early 2-0 lead.

In the fourth, DJ LeMahieu would hit the ball up the middle for what looked like it would be an easy double play to escape a bases loaded jam, but Spence would get a glove on it and deflect the ball, making it impossible for Jacob Wilson to field it. This would allow Paul Goldschmidt to score, and the Yankees to extend their lead to 3-0.

Following Spence’s outing, the A’s would turn to Sean Newcomb out of the bullpen. The Hartford product would toss three scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one hit, 1 walk, and a pair of strikeouts.

The A’s offense was unable to get much going for the second consecutive day. The only hits were pokes to right field by Brent Rooker and Nick Kurtz, and a hustle double to centerfield by catcher Willie MacIver. Following today's shutout, that's now back-to-back games without scoring a run, being outscored 11-0 in two the games against the top two teams in the American League.

The team will have JP Sears take the mound tomorrow afternoon against his former team. The southpaw is coming off a solid start against Cleveland and he will be looking for another one against a tough New York lineup. The key for the A’s tomorrow will be getting to Clarke Schmidt, who is throwing it well for the Yankees recently.