The Yanks were blown away by the wind and the sun and the Athletics on a Saturday afternoon at Sutter Park in Sacramento, California.
The wind shifted course late the game, blowing heavy out toward left center — and the sun was glaring — causing balls hit there to be treacherous.
Gold Glover Trent Grisham couldn’t catch a 1-out drive by Tyler Soderstrom off Fernando Cruz in the 7th that went for a double, and next batter Shea Langeliers hit one into the jet stream and out over Grisham’s head for a 3-run homer and 7-6 Oakland lead.
The Yanks got completely blown away in the 8th, when with 2 outs and bases loaded, Tyler Matzek relieved Ian Hamilton, and allowed a 2-RBI double down the 3rd base line, and then a 2-RBI double to Langeliers — again into the wind and sun in center, over Trent Grisham‘s head.
The tough loss came after the Knicks had just gotten blitzed by the Boston Celtics in Game 3 of that best-of-7 series, so Yankee/Knick fans tuning into the baseball game to at least see the Yanks up 6-4, were in for another disappointment.
Earlier, Carlos Rodon had pitched 6 strong innings but been killed by the gopher ball — a solo HR to Luis Urias in the 2nd, and 3-run HR to Brent Rooker in the 3rd. Still Rodon was in position to win after the Yanks scored 5 runs in the top of the 6th — on an Aaron Judge HR to leadoff the inning (his 2nd HR of the day); sac flys by Austin Wells and Oswaldo Cabrera; and 2-run HR by Oswald Peraza.
“The wind really picking up is what I really saw,” said manager Aaron Boone afterwards about Fernando Cruz blowing a hold in the 7th. “Rooker breaks his bat and dunks the one in in short left, then it looked like Grish had a beat on Soderstrom’s ball and it just kept carrying to the wall, and then Langeliers — a hanging splitter — but still felt like a fly ball to center that just kind of took off.”
NY falls to 22-17. Oakland improves to 21-19.
1. Rodon Great But Hurt by HR Ball
Carlos Rodon was great again — his 6th straight strong start. His fastball was crackling and his breaking pitches were breaking.
He struck out 10 in 6 innings, but was killed by the homer ball.
Rodon had a 95-MPH four-seam fastball hit for a solo HR to right by Luis Urias in the 2nd inning. In the 3rd, Rodon allowed 2 singles to start the inning, then hung a slider to Rooker, who hit a 3-run HR to left for a 4-0 A’s lead.
Rodon did not allow a run after that — pitching shutout ball for the rest of the 3rd, the 4th, 5th, and 6th. His line: 6 IP, 8 H, 4 Runs, 10 K’s, 0 walks. He was in position to win but doesn’t get the win. His slash line is 4-3 3.29.
2. Judge HR Makes It 4-1 Oakland in 4th
Meanwhile the Yanks were up against old friend JP Sears. The tough lefty pitched 5 innings, allowing 4 hits and 1 run — lowering his ERA to 2.80. He doesn’t get a decision so remains 4-2 on the year.
That run was a solo HR by Aaron Judge in the 4th.
All Rise. pic.twitter.com/PMdXeIJgl7
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 10, 2025
3. Judge & Peraza HR Highlight 5-Run 6th
The A’s brought in 28-year-old, 6’1 righty Justin Sterner for the 6th and the Yankees pounced.
Aaron Judge led off the inning with a 433-foot HR to center for a 4-2 game — his 2nd HR of the game and league leading 14th of the year.
The Captain Connects 🫡 pic.twitter.com/Aw0LiN6wmJ
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 10, 2025
Cody Bellinger walked, Anthony Volpe doubled to left, and Austin Wells hit a sac fly to left to make it a 4-3 game.
Jasson Dominguez walked, and Volpe scampered to 3rd on a wild pitch by Sterner — then scored on a sac fly by Oswaldo Cabrera — tie game 4-4.
Oswald Peraza then ripped a 345-foot HR to left for a 6-4 Yankee lead.
Peraza Power 💪 pic.twitter.com/LTRuEDx3cw
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 10, 2025
4. Wind & Sun Get Fernando & Grisham
Blessed with a 6-4 lead, Rodon pitched a shutout bottom of 6th — but in the bottom of the 7th, Fernando Cruz allowed a 1-out single to Rooker, then a drive to left center that the wind took away from Trent Grisham — who also had trouble seeing it in the sun. It bounced off his glove for a double.
Next batter Shea Langeliers put one into the same jet stream — and it carried over Grisham’s head and hit the brick wall behind him in center for a 3-run HR and 7-6 A’s lead.
SHEA ANSWERS BACK FOR THE LEAD pic.twitter.com/P4koDqPA15
— Athletics (@Athletics) May 10, 2025
5. Miller the Save
With NY down 7-6, Austin Wells led off the 8th with a walk and got to 2nd with 1 out on an error by reliever Tyler Ferguson.
The A’s brought in relief Ace Mason Miller — he of the 103-MPH heater — and he stsruck out Ben Rice and Paul Goldschmidt to end the inning.
6. Wind & A’s Blow Yanks Away in 8th
But in the bottom of the 8th Ian Hamilton had a bout of wildness. He came in and got a fly out, then allowed a single and consecutive walks to load the bases before striking out Rooker.
With 2 outs and bases loaded, Tyler Matzek came in and allowed a first-pitch single down the 3rd base line to Soderstrom, scoring 2 runs to make it 9-6. Next batter Shea Langeliers hit one into the sun and gulf stream in center, over Grisham’s head to break the game open.
Mason Miller pitched the 9th — allowing a leadoff triple to Trent Grisham and RBI groundout to Judge before striking out Bellinger and Volpe for the old ballgame.
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