Carlos Rodon's best Yankees start goes to waste in 2-0 loss to A's
The Yankees couldn't push a run across and wasted a gem on the mound, falling to the Oakland Athletics by a score of 2-0 on Monday afternoon.
Here are a few key takeaways...
-Aaron Boone was in the dugout for a grand total of five pitches, and while he does have a tendency to get on umpires, this one was, very clearly, not Boone’s fault.
Home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt yelled at Boone after the skipper had some words following an Esteury Ruiz hit-by-pitch, telling Boone not to say another word. At that point, a fan sitting just behind the dugout yelled in Wendelstedt’s direction, and Boone was wrongfully tabbed as the culprit and ejected.
Boone, rightfully so, couldn’t believe he was ejected in what was a moment you certainly don’t see every day.
-Carlos Rodon didn’t have his best command early, but he still managed to put zeros on the board. He hit two batters and walked another over his four innings, but didn’t allow a hit to the light-hitting A’s lineup during that stretch.
Rodon didn’t allow a base knock until a Nick Allen single to left with two outs in the fifth, and ended up pitching his best game in pinstripes. The lefty got through the seventh inning for the first time as a Yankee, and his day ended there. He allowed just one hit while striking out four and walking two.
-Aaron Judge’s cold stretch continued early in this one. He grounded into a double play in his first at-bat and then went down chasing a high fastball from former Yankees prospect JP Sears his second time up.
Judge ended up going 0-for-4 and is now hitting .174 on the season.
-As good as Rodon was, Sears -- sent by the Yankees to the A's in the Frankie Montas deal -- was just as good. In 6.0 innings of work, Sears allowed just three hits and stuck out seven Yankees while walking one. The Yankees only managed to put one runner in scoring position against their former prospect.
-This game became a battle of the bullpens after both starters turned in scoreless outings. Ian Hamilton loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth but got out of the jam with a big strikeout of Shea Langeliers.
Victor Gonzalez had a ninth inning to forget, though, allowing a two-run home run to Zack Gelof to break the scoreless tie. Gonzalez faced three hitters and didn't retire any of them. A's flamethrower Mason Miller came in for the save and topped out at 103 mph in a 1-2-3 inning.
Who was the MVP?
Rodon, who pitched his best game in a Yankees uniform.
Highlights
What's next
The Yankees and A's continue their series on Tuesday night, with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m.
Marcus Stroman will face righty Paul Blackburn.
