J.T. Ginn #35 of the Athletics pitches against the New York Yankees in the top of the second inning at Sutter Health Park on May 30, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Athletics took on the Yankees in game two of a three-game series on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. PST. The A’s looked to bounce back after a tough 8-2 loss on Friday in the opening game of the series.

The A’s got the best of the Yankees on Saturday, defeating New York 6-4.

J.T. Ginn got the ball for the A’s as they looked to get back on track in what has been a tough stretch for them. Ginn, who struggled in his last outing in San Diego after a stretch of three really solid performances, dusted off that outing and performed brilliantly on Saturday. J.T. pitched six innings for the A’s and needed only 80 pitches while giving up just one run (an unearned run) while scattering four hits and three walks over the outing. Ginn struck out four Yankees batters and managed to work his way around two errors from his defense behind him.

It was another strong outing from Ginn, and all the more impressive to see him turn the page on a bad outing and lead the way for the A’s.

“J.T. had a great night,” Mark Kotsay said after the game. “This kid has been throwing the baseball really well. Obviously tonight was a night where they had the lineup stacked with lefties, and in the past that’s been an issue for JT. Tonight he attacked. … This kid’s so mature, he’s maturing so nicely.”

“I think we just stuck with the same process throughout the week,” J.T. Ginn said of his start after the game. “I just flush that last outing and try to get back out there and do what we’ve been doing.”

Ginn also spoke on the more specific ways he’s been able to improve his game, which he attributed to his adjustments against left-handed hitters.

“I think just finding a more consistent pitch mix, especially against left-handed hitters. I think just finding a better mix against them and finding a couple other ways to get them out has been huge for me.”

The A’s bullpen came into the game to start the seventh inning, and they picked up where Ginn left off.

Hogan Harris came in and pitched a scoreless seventh inning, albeit with a bit of drama. Harris gave up a walk and a hit but managed to escape unscathed while striking out two in a 31-pitch frame.

In the eighth inning, Justin Sterner was the second Athletics arm out of the pen. Sterner fired a clean three-up, three-down inning, needing only 16 pitches to get the job done.

Jack Perkins was the next man out of the pen for the A’s as he came on to pitch the top of the ninth inning. It was a rough inning for the A’s staff, as Perkins was only able to get two outs before being lifted. Perkins gave up three runs on one hit and three walks in his outing prior to Mark Kotsay giving the ball to Scott Barlow. Barlow was able to get the final out of the game, but not before surrendering three walks of his own that brought in the three runs charged to Perkins. It was a wild ride in the ninth, but the A’s ultimately were able to get the job done.

On the offensive side of the ball, I wouldn’t say it was an offensive explosion, but it was enough to get the job done.

The A’s tallied six runs on eight hits while drawing three walks.

The first runs for the A’s came in the first inning when Shea Langeliers sent a line drive over the center-field wall that also scored Nick Kurtz from first base. The blast from Langeliers left the bat at 109 mph and landed 426 feet away from home plate, his 14th home run of the year and RBIs 29 and 30.

The A’s didn’t score again until the sixth inning when Tyler Soderstrom hit a solo home run to left-center field. Soderstrom’s rocket home run left the bat at 101 mph and traveled 403 feet as a fan caught it just above the extended wall on the grass. Soderstrom has been beginning to heat up, and it was his seventh home run and 26th RBI of the season.

Soderstrom spoke after the game on his recent surge at the plate and the struggles he faced earlier in the season while not seeing the results he has become accustomed to.

“I’ve felt pretty solid at the plate for a while,” Soderstrom said. “I just didn’t really get much to show for it…. just trying to trust in my process. I know I’ve been in this situation before, kind of just gotta battle, and it’s been going good.”

In the seventh inning, the A’s added two more runs on a Nick Kurtz two-run home run over the center-field wall. It was a 104 mph blast that traveled 410 feet just over the outstretched glove of the Yankees center fielder. It was Kurtz’s 10th home run of the year and RBIs 39 and 40.

In the eighth inning, the A’s scored their final run of the game on a Zack Gelof RBI single that scored Brent Rooker from third base. It was a little poke over the leaping glove of Anthony Volpe, who was playing in at shortstop, to extend the lead for the A’s.

With the win, the A’s improved to 28-30 on the year as the Yankees fell to 35-23.

The A’s and Yankees will play the rubber game of the series on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. PST at Sutter Health Park. Mark Kotsay said after the game that Jacob Lopez (4-2, 5.73 ERA) will start for the A’s, while the Yankees will start Will Warren (6-1, 3.55 ERA) in the matinee affair.