Donaldson, Kiner-Falefa lead Yankees over A’s 10-4 as New York wins 2 of 3 in the series

By BEN ROSS
Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Josh Donaldson hit a 472-foot home run in an eight-run sixth inning, Isiah Kiner-Falefa had three RBIs and the New York Yankees beat Oakland 10-4 Thursday to take two of three from the major league-worst Athletics.

A day after Domingo Germán pitched the fourth perfect game in franchise history, the Yankees rallied with seven hits in the sixth, overcoming a 3-1 deficit and winning their third straight series. New York scored 21 runs in their last two games after totaling 21 in their previous nine.

“I thought the guys were really energetic,” manager Aaron Boone said. “I really felt the energy was really good early on and then just a lot of good at-bats.”

New York reached the first half at 45-36, down from 58-23 last year. The Yankees are 10-11 since Aaron Judge tore a toe ligament on June 3.

Clarke Schmidt (3-6) won for the first time since May 19, allowing three runs, five hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings.

“Overall, it was a good performance, being able to go deep in the game, get into the sixth inning and keep my team in it,” Schmidt said.

Every Yankees starter scored and eight of nine had hits, all but Jose Trevino.

Oakland has lost 12 of 14 following a season-best, seven-game winning streak. At 21-62, the A’s are on pace to finish 41-121, the most losses since the 1899 Cleveland Spiders went 20-134.

New York trailed 3-1 before Kiner-Falefa’s fourth-inning sacrifice fly. Harrison Bader singled leading off the sixth and Donaldson hit a drive to left-center off Hogan Harris (2-2) for his seventh homer.

Donaldson, who began his big league career with Oakland in 2010, is hitting .143 with 13 RBIs. The Yankees had been winless in the previous games he homered this year.

Gleyber Torres followed with a two-run single to make it 6-3. Giancarlo Stanton added a two-run double and Bader singled in a run with his second hit of the inning. Kiner-Falefa had an RBI single, capping the Yankees’ highest-scoring inning this season.

Kiner-Falefa also homered in the second inning, though he was nearly robbed by Esteury Ruiz. The Oakland center fielder made a leaping effort at the wall and caught the ball in the pocket of his glove, but the entire glove fell off over the wall with the ball inside it.

“I thought he caught it, and then they said his glove fell over,” Kiner-Falefa said. “But initially, I saw the ball go in the glove, so that was my first thought.”

Anthony Rizzo was hit by a pitch on his left elbow and left the game after getting hit for the 212th time in his career. The Yankees said X-rays were negative.

“We’ll see if he’s good enough to go tomorrow,” Boone said. “It’s probably a day-to-day thing.”

Harris (2-2) was charged with five runs — four earned — nine hits and two walks in 5 1/3 innings.

“I thought he managed the game pretty well,” Oakland manager Mark Kotsay said. “Going back out for the sixth inning, I still felt good about him. Unfortunately, that inning got away from us.”

Seth Brown and Brent Rooker had RBI singles for the Athletics. J.J. Bleday and Carlos Pérez added sacrifice flies.

HAPPY DAYS

New York is a big league-best 22-7 in day games but 23-29 at night.

HIT PROBLEMS

Oakland had eight hits, its 19th consecutive game with fewer than 10, the longest such streak since the franchise moved to Oakland in 1968.

UP NEXT

Yankees: RHP Luis Severino (1-2, 5.25 ERA) opens a three-game series at St. Louis on Friday night. The Cardinals counter with LHP Matthew Liberatore (1-2, 5.60).

Athletics: RHP Luis Medina (1-7, 6.84) starts Friday’s series opener against the Chicago White Sox.

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