Yankees Lose to The A’s In 18 Inning Marathon

It took the Oakland Athletics over six hours and eighteen innings to pull out a 3-2 victory against the Yankees, and in a bizarre twist they did it with Mariano on the mound.

It was Preston Claiborne’s runner and Preston Claiborne’s loss, but Nate Freiman’s RBI single in the bottom of the eighteenth inning came off of the greatest pitcher in Yankees history, Mariano Rivera.

In 2012 there were critics that complained that the Yankees hit too many home runs, relying too heavily on the long ball to score. This season, the Yankees wish they had that same problem. Robinson Cano’s two run shot in the first inning was the only scoring the Bombers were able to produce in 18 innings, as their bats continue to struggle. The Yankees squandered numerous chances in the extra frames, including a one out, bases loaded top of the eleventh that fizzled to an end with strikeouts by Travis Hafner and Kevin Youkilis. In fact, between the 11^th and the 14^th, the Yankee bats stranded ten base runners.

Hiroki Kuroda was sensational again en route to a tough luck no decision. The Yankees’ ace pitched eight innings, surrendering two earned runs and striking out three. Amazingly, Kuroda retired the Athletics in order in seven of his eight innings, only allowing runners to reach base in the bottom of the third. In that inning Kuroda surrendered a run on a Derek Norris ground out and another on a Seth Smith double. Both runners plated, John Jaso and Chris Young, reached on walks.

The bullpen performances were highlighted by Adam Warren, who threw six scoreless innings of relief to keep the Yankees afloat.