The A's Just Hit Three Homers, and the League Is Still Talking About the Mariners

Alright, Seattle, you ain't gonna believe this one. You know how we absolutely obliterated the Oakland A's recently? Well, apparently, getting swept by our Mariners was the wake-up call they needed. Because last night, the A's actually, truly, honestly won a game against the New York Yankees, snapping a brutal four-game skid. They broke out the long ball, something we definitely didn't see when they faced us.

Oakland's Offense Wakes Up, Finally

It took them until the fifth game of a six-game homestand to hold a lead. Before this, they were outscored a staggering 30-6 over four games, including the three-game sweep courtesy of our mighty Mariners. A's manager Mark Kotsay has been sounding off about early deficits, but Saturday night, that wasn't an issue. Shea Langeliers got things rolling right away, belting a two-run homer in the first inning. Kotsay was pumped, saying they'd "talked about not having a lead in the last four games," and their "success lies in that area," adding, "Our offense gives us the lead and then we can add on."

And add on they did! Tyler Soderstrom, who went 3-for-3 with a walk, launched a solo shot in the sixth, pushing the lead to 3-1. Then, in the seventh, Nick Kurtz, a beast going 3-for-4 and scoring twice, drilled a two-run blast to give Oakland a comfy four-run cushion. Kotsay was hyped, shouting out "Tyler, Lang and Kurtz doing the damage. We talked about our offense being successful when we hit the ball over the fence and we hit three of them."

Yankees Couldn't Close The Deal

The Yankees, who came into this game on a five-game winning streak where they outscored opponents 36-6, just couldn't get it done. Their manager, Aaron Boone, made a questionable move in the seventh, sticking with pitcher Ryan Weathers to get the lefty-on-lefty matchup against Kurtz. It didn't work. Kurtz absolutely hammered the first pitch for that two-run bomb. Boone defended the choice, saying, "I don't question leaving him in for Kurtz. I'm going to take my left-on-left shot."

New York went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position. They scored one run on an error and three on walks. They loaded the bases in the ninth, drawing five walks, but Jazz Chisholm Jr. bounced out to first to end the game. Boone admitted they had "great at-bats by them to give us a chance there, not only to get the tying run to the plate but then to have the go-ahead run on base at the end."

What's Next?

The A's will try to win the series Sunday afternoon in West Sacramento. The Yankees are sending right-hander Will Warren (6-1, 3.55 ERA) to the mound. He received a no-decision against the A's back on April 8, giving up two runs and five hits in 4 2/3 innings. Warren is 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA in three career starts against the A's, though Kurtz is 3-for-7 against him. For the A's, lefty Jacob Lopez (4-2, 5.73) will get the start. He's served up 11 homers in just 48 2/3 innings this season. After seeing the Mariners humble them, it's wild to watch the A's suddenly find their power. Can they keep that momentum, or was Saturday a fluke?

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.