Photo credit: @Athletics

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND — The Oakland A’s, behind the pitching of Homer Bailey, beat the New York Yankees 6-2 Tuesday night at the Oakland Coliseum. The Yankees came to town with the best record in the American League. They were 40 games over the .500 mark with a record of 83-43. The A’s were unfazed. They had won three out of four from the Houston Astros, and they felt that they can compete with the best. They did just that as Bailey and three relievers (Yusmeiro Petit, Joakim Sori, and Liam Hendriks) held the vaunted Yankee juggernaut to only two runs.

The Yankees grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first. With two out, Yankees’ DH Gary Sanchez blasted his 29th of the year. The ball left the park as if shot from a cannon. The exit velocity was 112 mph as it went over the 388-foot mark in left-center-field. Gio Urshela and Didi Gregorius singled, but Bailey retired Gleyber Torres for the third out. The lead didn’t last long as the A’s put a three-spot on the board in their half of the first. With one out Robbie Grossman worked German for a free pass. Matt Chapman then struck out. A’s first baseman swung at German’s first pitch and sent it into the stands in right field to give the A’s the lead 2-1. Mark Canha increased the advantage to 3-1 when he hit an opposite field home run. It was the 11th time this year that the A’s hit back-to-back home runs. For Olson, it was his 26th of the year, and for Canha, it was his 19th.

The A’s plated a run in the bottom of the second. With two out, A’s catcher Chris Herrmann singled. Marcus Semien blasted a double down the left-field line that allowed Herrmann to score all the way from first. Semien was caught in a rundown as he tried to advance to third on the throw home. A’s lead 4-1 after two.

The A’s put two more on the board in the sixth. Matt Olson led off with a single. He went to third on a double by Mark Canha. German struck out Khris Davis for the first out. Stephen Piscotty’s single drove in Olson with the A’s fifth run. Canha scored when Yankees’ left-fielder Cameron Maybin committed a fielding error. The A’s now led 6-1.

The Yankees’ Aaron Judge sent Joakim Soria’s first pitch 467 feet into the seats in left-field. The exit velocity was an astounding 116 mph. Soria gave up a single but struck out three Yankees to retire the side. The A’s failed to score in the bottom of the eighth. They led 6-2 heading into the ninth.

The A’s closer Liam Hendriks gave up a two-out double to Mike Tauchaman in the ninth. Hendriks retired DJ LeMahahieu for the final out to secure the win for Oakland. The A’s won 6-2.

Game Notes: Homer Bailey improved to 11-8 for the year with the win. He went 5 2/3 innings and allowed seven hits and one run. Bailey struck out a season-high eight batters. Yankees starter Domingo German’s record dropped to 16-3.

The A’s offense was paced by Matt Olson and Mark Canha. Olson had a two-run homer and a single in the game. Canha had a homer and a double. A’s DH Khris Davis had another tough night. Davis earned a “Golden Sombrero” as he struck out four times. Davis has hit just one home run since being injured in Pittsburgh.

The Yankees’ Gary Sanchez now has 99 career home runs. Gio Urshela was 2-for-4. Urshela has reached base safely in 24 of his last 25 games and is hitting .437  with 23 runs, 12 doubles, nine home runs, and 21 RBIs over that stretch. The Yankees have hit a Major League-high 49 home runs this month and have hit multiple home runs in 14 of their last 19 games.

The A’s line score was six runs, nine hits, and no errors. The Yankees’ line was two runs, 11 hits, and one error. The error allowed Canha to score an unearned run in the sixth inning.

The A’s improved to 72-53. They picked up a game on the Tampa Bay Rays, and they are now tied for the second Wild Card. The Cleveland Indians lost to the New York Mets Tuesday night and the A’s trail them by just 1 1/2 games for the first Wild Card. If the A’s were to be the first Wild Card, the one-game playoff between the two Wild Cards would be played in Oakland.

Time of game was two hours and 49 minutes. 21,471 fans were on hand to see the A’s take the opener of the three-game set.

Up Next: Game two of the three-game series will be played Wednesday night in Oakland. The A’s Mike Fiers (11-3, 3.46 ERA) will be on the hill, and he will be opposed by the Yankees’ lefty J.A. Happ (10-7, 5.40 ERA). The game will start at 7:07 pm.