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Yankees Recap: Oakland Ends Yankees Three Game Winning Streak

By Michael Cambria

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After a three game sweep at home over the Kansas Royals, the first place New York Yankees (25-22) traveled out west to the Bay Area to take on Billy Beane and his last place Oakland Athletics (17-32). Starting the series on the hill for the New York Yankees was veteran southpaw C.C. Sabathia, who grew up in Vallejo, California, just 30 minutes north of Oakland. His opponent, Kendall Graveman, the 24-year old right-hander who headlined the late November trade that sent Josh Donaldson over to the Toronto Blue Jays. Interestingly enough, Graveman and recent New York Yankees call up Jacob Lindgren were teammates at Mississippi State.

Prior to the start of tonight’s game, it’s important to note that recent call-up Slade Heathcottwas scratched from his scheduled start in center field with a tight right quad.

On the positive side of things, it was announced that Masahiro Tanaka could rejoin the Yankees on their current road trip and might make his first start back next week against the Seattle Mariners.

The game started off as the Brian McCann show, as the Yankee backstop homered to right field, putting the Yankees up 1-0 and giving them the early lead. It was Brian McCann‘s first home run this season outside of Yankee Stadium.

Two innings later, Brian McCann singled in Alex Rodriguez, putting the Yankees up 2-0.

One inning later, Alex Rodriguez hit a sacrifice fly out to right field that plated Brett Gardner, extending the Yankees lead to 3-0. Alex Rodriguez continuing to make history, as that sacrifice fly became his 1,996th career RBI, tying Barry Bonds for second on the all-time list.

Kendall Graveman was chased after 5.2 innings after allowing 7 hits, 2 BBs and 3 earned runs. Just as things the New York Yankees and their veteran pitcher looked to be in control, things quickly began to unravel.

Their slide started in bottom of the sixth inning when Billy Burns homered to left, cutting the Yankees lead to 3-1.

One inning later, Sabathia gave up another long ball to former Toronto Blue Jay 3B Brett Lawrie, which plated Ben Zobrist and knotted the ball game up at three.

C.C. Sabathia was replaced after 6.0 innings by David Carpenter, who eventually went on to walk a batter with bases loaded and gave up a long sacrifice fly to Billy Butler, giving the Athletics a 5-3 lead. Sabathia was charged with all five earned runs, and that was all Oakland would need.

Stellar pithing from Fernando Abad and Evan Scribner held the Yankees bats in check. In the top of the ninth, the Athletics called upon former Yankee prospect Tyler Clippard to nail down the save. Despite a two out RBI from Brett Garnder in the bottom of the ninth that cut Oaklands lead in half, he still managed to get Chase Headley to pop out and end the ballgame.

The Yankees three-game winning streak was snapped and their struggles against the AL West has continued to haunt them.

The Yankees are right back at it tomorrow night, as Athletics ace Sonny Gray is set to take on Chris Capuano and the New York Yankees at 10:05 pm EST.

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