The Yankees‘ offense exploded for six runs in the first three innings on Saturday night, en route to a 10-0 win over the Oakland A’s at Oakland Coliseum.
Here are the takeaways…
-The Yankees jumped on A’s pitcher J.P. Sears early. After loading the bases after the first three batters he faced, Sears managed to get Giancarlo Stanton to ground into a double play, trading a run for the two outs. But Jasson Dominguez made sure Sears would not get off too easy, ripping a RBI single into left field to give the Bombers a 2-0 lead.
Anthony Volpe, fresh off a three-hit night on Friday, continued his hot hitting when he blasted a mammoth 421-foot solo home run into left-center field to put the Yankees up 3-0 in the second inning. It marked the longest home run of Volpe’s career.
After back-to-back singles by Juan Soto and Aaron Judge to lead off the third inning, Stanton stepped up to the plate with another chance to do damage and this time he did not disappoint. The Yankees slugger obliterated a first-pitch changeup 441 feet into left field, leaving the bat at 111.5 mph, which gave the Yankees a commanding 6-0 lead.
–Carlos Rodon enjoyed the cushion the Yankees offense gave him, breezing through the Oakland lineup for six scoreless innings, allowing just five hits and striking out four.
The Yankees southpaw hardly found himself in any trouble, inducing soft contact all night. Shea Langeliers managed two hits off of Rodon, including a two-out double in the sixth, but Rodon stranded him on second by getting JJ Bleday to fly out to center to end the soft threat.
Rodon has now allowed two or fewer runs in four consecutive starts and nine of his last 12, posting a 2.97 ERA in that span as he gears up for the postseason.
–Aaron Judge, who entered Saturday with just two home runs in his last 23 games, belted his 54th home run of the season when he led off the seventh inning with a 425-foot blast to center field off of right-hander Brandon Bielak. He finished 2-for-3 with a single and walk.
–Gleyber Torres quietly had an impressive night at the plate, going 3-for-6 with two RBI. He knocked in both runs in the seventh inning with a bases-loaded single to left field, which was misplayed by A’s outfielder Lawrence Butler, and extended the lead to 10-0.
-The Yankees win combined with Baltimore’s loss on Saturday moves the magic number to clinch the AL East at 3.
Game MVP: Giancarlo Stanton
Stanton finished 2-for-4 but it was his three-run home run in the third inning that broke the game opened and solidified the Yankees were on track for another win.
Highlights
What’s Next
The Yankees will look to complete the three-game sweep of the A’s on Sunday at the Oakland Coliseum. First pitch is scheduled for 4:07 p.m. ET.
Luis Gil (14-6, 3.14) toes the rubber for the Yankees while Joey Estes (7-8, 4.78) gets the start for Oakland.