Rooker's 9th-inning sacrifice fly lifts Athletics over Yankees 3-2

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Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers, left, and pitcher Joel Kuhnel celebrate a win after the ninth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

The Athletics' including Max Muncy (3) and Jeff McNeil (22) celebrate a win after the ninth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa) — Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers, left, and pitcher Joel Kuhnel celebrate a win after the ninth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

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7:10 PM on Wednesday, April 8

The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Brent Rooker hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly off David Bednar in the ninth inning, and the Athletics rallied to beat the New York Yankees 3-2 on Wednesday night.

Nick Kurtz singled leading off the ninth against Bednar (0-1), and Shea Langeliers doubled. Rooker lofted a flyball to center field and Kurtz scored without a play.

Elvis Alvarado (2-0) got two outs for an A's bullpen that pitched four hitless innings in relief of Luis Severino. Joel Kuhnel worked a perfect ninth for his second major league save, his first since 2022.

New York's Ryan McMahon made his first big league start at shortstop, where he had two prior appearances in late-inning switches totaling three innings for Colorado in 2020. He had five assists and was 0 for 3 with a walk at the plate, dropping to 2 for 26 this season.

Severino, who pitched in the Yankees organization from 2012-23, allowed two runs in the first. He gave up four hits and five walks in five innings.

New York went ahead seven pitches into the first on three straight singles, the last being Cody Bellinger's blooper. After a pair of strikeouts, Severino forced in a run with eight straight balls. The A's challenged the last, to J.C. Escarra, which ABS showed was 2.1 inches above the strike zone.

The A's tied it 2-all in the fourth on an RBI single by Jeff McNeil, celebrating his 34th birthday, and Will Warren's run-scoring wild pitch. McNeil is 8 for 16 on his birthday.

New York's Ben Rice had the first four-strikeout game of his big league career, and the Yankees went 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position, dropping to 22 for 97 (.227) this year.

Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake was ejected by plate umpire Carlos Torres for arguing ball/strike calls from New York’s dugout in the third inning.

Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe, recovering from left shoulder surgery on Oct. 14, could start a minor league rehabilitation assignment next week, manager Aaron Boone said.

Up next

New York's Ryan Weathers (0-0) and the A's Jeffrey Springs (1-0) start Thursday's series finale in a matchup of lefties.

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