{"id":18717,"date":"2026-04-08T22:28:15","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T05:28:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/?p=18717"},"modified":"2026-04-09T22:51:40","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T05:51:40","slug":"athletics-yankees-20260408","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/2026\/04\/08\/athletics-yankees-20260408\/","title":{"rendered":"Athletics Relievers Shut Yankees Down in Narrow Comeback Win"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Athletics 3, Yankees 2<\/h2>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/r\/rookebr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-10_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Brent Rooker<\/a><\/strong> broke a 2\u20132 ninth-inning tie with a sacrifice fly after the <a href=\"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/2026\/03\/28\/athletics-blue-jays-20260328\/\">Athletics<\/a> pitching staff held the <a href=\"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/2026\/04\/09\/yankees-drop-series-against-athletics\/\">New York Yankees<\/a> scoreless beyond the first inning, giving the Athletics a 3\u20132 win Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.<\/p>\n<p>Athletics starter <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/severlu01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-10_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Luis Severino<\/a><\/strong>, after surrendering two runs on three hits and two walks in the first inning, held the Yankees scoreless across the next four. In the process, he limited the potent Yankees offense to one hit and three walks, striking out four. Relievers <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/b\/barlosc01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-10_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Scott Barlow<\/a><\/strong>, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/h\/harriho03.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-10_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Hogan Harris<\/a><\/strong>, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/a\/alvarel01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-10_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Elvis Alvarado<\/a><\/strong>, and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/k\/kuhnejo01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-10_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Joel Kuhnel<\/a><\/strong> combined to hold the Yankees hitless across the final four innings. Only two Yankees even reached base in that span, and they came on a pair of seventh-inning walks.<\/p>\n<h3>Athletics \u2013 Yankees Game Summary<\/h3>\n<p>The Yankees scored their two first-inning runs on an RBI single by <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/b\/bellico01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-10_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Cody Bellinger<\/a><\/strong> and a bases-loaded walk by <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/e\/escarjc01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-10_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">J.C. Escarra<\/a><\/strong>. In the fourth, the Athletics equalized. Run number one came on an RBI single from <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/m\/mcneije01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-10_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Jeff McNeil<\/a><\/strong>. The second came when Yankees starter <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/w\/warrewi01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-10_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Will Warren<\/a><\/strong> uncorked a wild pitch, allowing <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/m\/muncyma02.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-10_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Max Muncy<\/a><\/strong> to score. Rooker hit the sacrifice fly with one out in the top of the ninth, a fly to deep right-center off closer <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/b\/bednada01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-10_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">David Bednar<\/a><\/strong> that brought Kurtz home from third. Kuhnel pitched a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/m\/mcmahry01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-10_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Ryan McMahon<\/a><\/strong> to end the game for his first career save.<\/p>\n<h3>What Went Right for the Athletics<\/h3>\n<h4>Pitching beyond the First Inning<\/h4>\n<p>After the Yankees scored twice in the opening frame, Athletics relievers shut the door. Barlow struck out four of the five hitters he faced. Harris worked around two walks in the seventh. Alvarado delivered a high\u2011leverage eighth with a strikeout. Kuhnel finished the ninth on 11 pitches, ending the game with a strikeout. Across the final four innings, the Yankees did not record a hit and reached base only twice.<\/p>\n<h4>Two-out Execution in the Fourth<\/h4>\n<p>Down 2\u20130, the Athletics built their entire fourth\u2011inning rally with two outs. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/b\/butlela01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-10_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Lawrence Butler<\/a><\/strong> and Max Muncy reached on consecutive singles. McNeil drove in Butler with a single to left. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/c\/corteca01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-10_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Carlos Cortes<\/a><\/strong> walked to load the bases, and Muncy scored the tying run on a wild pitch. The inning reset the game and shifted momentum toward the Athletics.<\/p>\n<h4>The Ninth Inning<\/h4>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/k\/kurtzni01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-10_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Nick Kurtz<\/a><\/strong> opened the ninth with a single to left, and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/l\/langesh01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-10_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Shea Langeliers<\/a><\/strong> followed with a double to deep left\u2011center, putting runners on second and third with no outs. After a strikeout, Rooker lifted a fly to deep right\u2011center for the go\u2011ahead sacrifice fly. The inning produced two hard\u2011hit balls against Bednar and gave the Athletics their first lead of the night.<\/p>\n<h3>What Went Wrong for the Athletics<\/h3>\n<h4>Command in the First<\/h4>\n<p>Severino needed 34 pitches to get through the first inning, allowing three hits and two walks. The Yankees loaded the bases twice and scored both of their runs before the Athletics recorded the third out. Severino settled in afterward, but the early traffic forced the bullpen to cover four innings.<\/p>\n<h4>Missed Chances with Runners On<\/h4>\n<p>The Athletics finished 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left 11 runners on base. Six were in scoring position. They stranded one in the second, one in the third, two in the fourth, two in the fifth, one in the sixth, one in the seventh, and one in the eighth. Both runners in the fourth, one in the fifth, and each stranded runner in the seventh and beyond were in scoring position. The ninth\u2011inning breakthrough kept those missed opportunities from costing them a victory.<\/p>\n<h4>Limited Production from Middle of Order<\/h4>\n<p>The 3\u20135 hitters combined to go 0-for-10 with two walks and three strikeouts, with the lone RBI coming on Rooker\u2019s sacrifice fly.<\/p>\n<h3>Looking Ahead<\/h3>\n<p>Alvarado earned the win for the Athletics as Bednar took the loss, both in relief. As mentioned earlier, Kuhnel notched the save.<\/p>\n<p>The Athletics (4\u20137) will face the Yankees (8\u20133) in the third and final game of the series on Thursday. The starting pitcher matchup will be a battle of lefties \u2014 <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/sprinje01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-10_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Jeffrey Springs<\/a><\/strong> (11\u201311, 4.11 ERA in 2025) for the Athletics and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/w\/weathry01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=sportrelay.com&amp;utm_campaign=2026-04-10_br\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Ryan Weathers<\/a><\/strong> (2\u20132, 3.99 ERA in 2025 with the <a href=\"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/category\/marlins\/\">Miami Marlins<\/a>) for the Yankees. First pitch will be at 1:37 pm Eastern\/10:37 am Pacific.<\/p>\n<h4>More coverage from this series:<\/h4>\n<p>Tuesday, April 7 \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/2026\/04\/07\/athletics-yankees-20260407\/\">Yankees 5, Athletics 3<\/a><\/p>\n<h4>Main Photo:<\/h4>\n<p><a id=\"eieldbqUQEt-tXZzjxTbXA\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/2269866854\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'eieldbqUQEt-tXZzjxTbXA',sig:'jA_9O2ddD-yL_T5mjyXIyLboMcQ8d6SSjSc6ary3yoQ=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'2269866854',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Athletics 3, Yankees 2 Brent Rooker broke a 2\u20132 ninth-inning tie with a sacrifice fly after the Athletics pitching staff held the New York Yankees scoreless beyond the first inning, giving the Athletics a 3\u20132 win Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium. Athletics starter Luis Severino, after surrendering two runs on three hits and two walks [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":18718,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16,26],"tags":[2191,2373,999,94,978,2034,1099,2198,262,2374,387,1065,402,1985],"class_list":["post-18717","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-yankees","category-athletics","tag-2026-athletics-season","tag-2026-new-york-yankees-season","tag-brent-rooker","tag-cody-bellinger","tag-david-bednar","tag-elvis-alvarado","tag-hogan-harris","tag-j-c-escarra","tag-jeff-mcneil","tag-joel-kuhnel","tag-luis-severino","tag-ryan-mcmahon","tag-scott-barlow","tag-will-warren","pmpro-has-access","eq-blocks"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Athletics Relievers Shut Yankees Down in Narrow Win - Sport Relay<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Athletics rallied after the first inning and held the Yankees quiet late, taking the lead on a ninth inning sacrifice fly.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/2026\/04\/08\/athletics-yankees-20260408\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Athletics Relievers Shut Yankees Down in Narrow Win - Sport Relay\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Athletics rallied after the first inning and held the Yankees quiet late, taking the lead on a ninth inning sacrifice fly.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/2026\/04\/08\/athletics-yankees-20260408\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Major League Baseball\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/100088190202878\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thompsontalks\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-09T05:28:15+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-10T05:51:40+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/20260408-Athletics-Yankees.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"612\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"408\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Evan M. 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