Rizzo’s 2-run homer in 4-run first leads Yankees over Athletics 4-3

NEW YORK (AP) — Anthony Rizzo snapped a lengthy power drought with a two-run homer that capped a four-run first inning, and the New York Yankees held on for a 4-3 win over the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night.

A day after getting shut out for the fourth time in their first 23 games, the Yankees fell behind when Seth Brown hit an RBI double in the first off Marcus Stroman (2-1).

Giancarlo Stanton had a go-ahead two-RBI double against Paul Blackburn (2-1) in the bottom half, after which Rizzo hit his second home run and his first since April 7.

Blackburn had not allowed a home run in four previous starts this season.

Rizzo, who missed the final two months of last season with post-concussion syndrome, had just one extra-base hit in 54 at-bats between homers.

“Every time I go up to the plate, I just try to have good at-bats,” Rizzo said. “Sometimes you look really good and sometimes you don’t.”

The Yankees, who have scored in only four of 46 innings on their current homestand, had just one hit over the final eight innings.

“You want to put together a few big innings to give us some breathing room, but all it takes is one sometimes,” Stanton said.

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Stroman (2-1) struck out nine in 5 2/3 innings — his most whiffs since he struck out nine for the New York Mets against San Francisco on Aug. 17, 2021.

“That’s not characteristic of me, honestly,” Stroman said with a grin. “That’s not my game. That’s not what I’m trying to do.”

Shea Langeliers homered in the second and Lawrence Butler in the fourth.

Ron Marinaccio, Caleb Ferguson, Dennis Santana and Clay Holmes combined for 3 2/3 hitless innings, with Holmes striking out two in a perfect ninth for his ninth save in 10 chances.

Blackburn (2-1) gave up five hits in six innings, retiring 17 of his last 18 batters, including the last 13. His ERA rose from 1.08 to 2.03.

“We did have our chances to get a big hit and Paul’s job tonight after the first inning — he put up zeroes and gave us a chance to get back in it,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. “Nice night after that first for Paul.”

Yankees manager Aaron Boone, ejected by plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt five pitches into Monday’s 2-0 loss over a remark he and his players maintained was yelled by a fan behind the dugout, said he didn’t expect to be fined following multiple conversations with Major League Baseball senior vice president of on-field operations Michael Hill.

“I feel good about where the league is on it,” Boone said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Athletics: LHP Scott Alexander (left rib), RHP Luis Medina (right knee) and LHP Ken Waldichuk (elbow) all had successful bullpen sessions Tuesday. … INF J.D. Davis (right adductor) and OF Miguel Andujar (right knee surgery) both began running.

Yankees: 3B DJ LeMahieu was removed in the second inning of his first rehab game Tuesday for Double-A Somerset due to soreness in his right foot. … RHP Gerrit Cole (right elbow), the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, said he felt good after throwing 50 times from 120 feet.

UP NEXT

The four-game series continues Wednesday night, when Yankees RHP Clarke Schmidt (1-0, 3.15 ERA) opposes Athletics RHP Joe Boyle (1-3, 7.23 ERA).

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