Walker’s walk-off, reversal help Yanks top A’s 7-6 in 11
NEW YORK — Matt Olson slid past Gary Sanchez across home plate and scored the go-ahead run for Oakland in the ninth inning.
But wait! Ninety seconds later, the call was reversed when a replay ruled the catcher had snagged the one-hop throw from left fielder Brett Gardner and his mitt’s edge caught at least one thread of Olson’s name on the back of his jersey . Aroldis Chapman had become the first Yankees pitcher in 26 years to walk the first three batters of an inning and escape without allowing any runs.
Two more innings and another hour led to what has become commonplace this season: another walkoff win for New York.
“It’s only May — that’s what’s exciting about it,” Aaron Judge said.
Neil Walker flared a run-scoring single into center field in the 11th inning , and the Yankees rallied from a four-run deficit for a 7-6 win Saturday that avoided what would have been their first three-game losing streak since August. New York stopped its first two-game mini-skid since April 8-10 and remained tied with AL East rival Boston for the best record in the major leagues at 27-12.
Sanchez and Aaron Hicks hit the Yankees’ first consecutive home runs of the year in the second, but Oakland ended Domingo German’s 15-inning scoreless streak with a five-run fourth that included Khris Davis’ three-run homer off the top of the left-field wall and Mark Canha’s two-run single. Jed Lowrie’s sacrifice fly boosted the lead to 6-2 in the fifth.
Judge sparked a fourrun bottom half with a two-run homer off Andrew Triggs . Walker hit a run-scoring single off Danny Coulombe, and Miguel Andujar had a tying single against Ryan Dull.
Jonathan Holder, Chad Green and Dellin Betances each pitched a perfect inning before Chapman’s wild ride.
His velocity was down 3-4 mph on the cool afternoon from the 100 mphplus heat that overpowered Boston on warm spring nights earlier in the week. Both pitching coach Larry Rothschild and head athletic trainer Steve Donohue visited the mound to check Chapman, who was pitching with a cracked fingernail.