Oakland Blanks Yanks

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, May 4- The Yanks were prevented from scoring a run in the first game of a three-game set with the Oakland Athletics on Friday night at Yankee Stadium. Although C.C. Sabathia and reliever Adam Warren pitched well, the absence of Yankee hitting resulted in a 2-0 loss.

The outcome of the game was determined by the first pitch of the contest, which was delivered by C.C, Sabathia at 7:08. Oakland’s shortstop Adam Rosales drove the ball into the stands in left for his first home run of the season.

The second and final run of the game was scored by the A’s off Sabathia in the sixth after he surrendered three hits that culminated in a single by Derek Norris that drove in the run.
A.J. Griffin broke his two game losing streak by hurling his fifth career scoreless start. Griffin scattered six hits, walked one and fanned four in 6+ innings. He was removed in the seventh after lead-off batter Brett Gardner beat out an infield single.

Yankees skipper Joe Girardi commented on the opposing starter, “He was tough on our hitters. He kept the ball away from the middle of the plate.”

Reliever Sean Doolittle kept the Yanks scoreless in 2.2 innings. This was the 11th of his last 13 appearances in which he has not allowed a run. Closer Grant Balfour struck out Eduardo Nuñez, the final batter of the game to record his fourth save in four opportunities in 2013. He has been successful in converting his last 22 save opportunities. Balfour’s last blown save occurred more than one year ago, April 29, 2012.

Sabathia threw the most pitches, 117, in a single game this season, but lasted more innings in every previous outing but one this year. The Yankees starting pitcher gave credit to the Oakland batters, “I felt like I had good stuff [but] they did a really good job of fouling off pitches.”

Yankees reliever Adam Warren held the Athletics scoreless in three innings. Girardi praised the newcomer, “[Warren] did a great job and gave us an opportunity to win the game. We just didn’t put any runs across.”

In the second game of the series on Saturday afternoon, Phil Hughes (0-2) will start for the Yanks against veteran Bártolo Colón (3-0).