Brent Rooker on Friday in the game against the Yankees (Photo: Athletics on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO–“We’re excited to be here for the next three years playing in this beautiful ballpark, but also being able to watch some of the best players in baseball, whether they be Athletics players or Aaron Judge and others, launch home runs out of this very intimate, the most intimate ballpark in all of Major League Baseball, for the next three years.”

That was A’s owner John Fisher during his press conference last year, speaking about the team’s temporary home at Sutter Health Park. On Friday, the A’s welcomed Aaron Judge and the Yankees for the first of a three-game series. But instead of Judge launching balls out of the yard, it was Jasson Dominguez who carried the load for New York. Dominguez, who had never recorded a multi-homer game in his career, hit three home runs—including a grand slam.

The Yankees handled the A’s with ease in a 10-2 victory, jumping out to a quick lead and never looking back.

A’s starter Osvaldo Bido gave the club five and a third solid innings but struggled to execute a few key pitches. His toughest stretch came in the third inning, when he gave up back-to-back homers to Paul Goldschmidt and Dominguez. Bido allowed eight hits and four runs (three earned), walked two, and struck out six.

The A’s offense didn’t show up until late. Jacob Wilson drove in Max Schuemann with an RBI single in the eighth inning to make it 10-1. In the ninth, Lawrence Butler—who has been in a slump—added an RBI single off the right-field wall that scored Shea Langeliers. That would be all for the A’s, who dropped the series opener to New York, 10-2.

The bullpen had a rough outing. Hogan Harris allowed four runs on four hits across two innings, striking out two and walking two. Elvis Alvarado made his MLB debut and pitched the final 1.2 innings, surrendering two runs on two hits with two strikeouts and two walks.

Despite boasting a strong road record (13-7), the A’s continued their struggles at home. Asked by John Shea about the team’s home woes, manager Mark Kotsay said, “Can’t explain it right now, John. I can’t explain it.”

Bido was tagged with the loss and now sits at 2-3 with a 4.75 ERA. The win went to Yankees starter Will Warren, who is now 2-2 with a 4.75 ERA.

The A’s will look to bounce back on Saturday afternoon in game two of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 PM PST in West Sacramento. J.P. Sears (4-2, 2.93 ERA) is slated to start for the A’s against Yankees lefty Carlos Rodón (4-3, 2.96 ERA).

Note of the night: Nick Kurtz continues to take good at-bats and had two more hits tonight, including a ringing double to right-center field that left his bat at 113 MPH.