New York Yankees Recap: Tanaka Finally Gets Run Support in Win

After doing what they haven’t been able to do all season, win three straight games, the New York Yankees (19-22) took on the Oakland Athletics (19-24) on Saturday afternoon.  On the mound for the Yankees was Masahiro Tanaka (1-0, 3.51 ERA).  He faced off against Sean Manaea (1-1, 7.91 ERA), who was on the mound for the A’s.

New York has won the first two games of the four game set with Oakland.  On Saturday, Joe Girardi stacked the lineup with right-handed bats against Sean Manaea, as he has struggled so far this season.  The most surprising addition to the lineup on Saturday was Rob Refsnyder, who started the game in right field where he played in college.

The Yankees encountered their first scare in the bottom of the third as Oakland was able to string three singles to load the bases with one out.  Masahiro Tanaka was able to get out of the inning with a strikeout and a ground out to Chase Headley at third.

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The Yankees were able to do some damage of their own in the fourth inning.  It all started with a walk by Jacoby Ellsbury.  A single by Starlin Castro and a walk by Mark Teixeira would load the bases for New York.  Ellsbury would score on a single by Carlos Beltran, also advancing the runners.  Castro would score on a sacrifice fly by Aaron Hicks, giving the Yankees a 2-0 lead.

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Refsnyder stepped in with two on, still in the fourth, and doubled over the head of Coco Crisp, scoring both Teixeira and Beltran.  This would extend the Yankees lead to 4-0.

Oakland was able to again load the bases in the bottom of the fifth following walks to Matt McBride and Billy Burns, and a single by Max Muncy.  The A’s were only able to get one run on a sacrifice fly by Danny Valencia, cutting the Yankee lead to three.

Castro would help the Bombers get the run back on a bullet double over third base, scoring Ronald Torreyes from first base and bringing Manaea’s day to an end.  In 6.2 innings Manaea allowed five runs on six hits, two walks and four strikeouts in the loss.

Tanaka earned his second win on Saturday in 7 innings of work.  He allowed just one run on five hits, two walks and four strikeouts.  Finally, the Yankees were able to get Tanaka some run support after allowing seven no decisions in eight starts in 2016.

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Nick Goody pitched well through the eighth and ninth innings allowing the Yankees to breeze to a win.  With their fourth straight victory, the Yankees move to being just two games from .500 on the season.

Sunday’s game will showcase Michael Pineda (1-5, 6.60 ERA) on the mound for the Yankees, and Jesse Hahn (1-1, 3.38 ERA) for the Athletics as the Yankees look to…  First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET.