The Sports Xchange
Jun 18, 2017
OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Oakland Athletics completed an unlikely four-game sweep of the American League East-leading New York Yankees with a 4-3 win on Sunday at a sweltering Oakland Coliseum.
New York dropped its sixth consecutive game and completed a disappointing 1-6 West Coast trip. The last-place Athletics, riding winning pitcher Jharel Cotton's 6 1/3 strong innings for the victory, earned their first series sweep at home since May 30-June 1, 2016.
The Yankees were swept for the first time this season.
Cotton (4-7), who entered the game on a four-game losing streak, did well to avoid the big inning against the super-charged Yankees. He allowed six hits and three earned runs, struck out six and walked one. It marked his second-longest start of the season.
After missing more than a month due to inflammation on his rotator cuff, New York closer Aroldis Chapman returned on Sunday. The left-hander entered in the eighth, trailing 4-3, and retired the side in order.
A's closer Sean Doolittle overcame a two-base throwing error by shortstop Chad Pinder to earn the save.
The A's jolted Yankees rookie right-hander Luis Cessa, making his first start of the season, with a four-run rally in the third to take a 4-2 lead. Kris Davis had the telling blow, a tiebreaking two-run homer to center -- his second blast in his last 19 games and the 18th of the season. Josh Phegley started the uprising with a single and Matt Joyce and Pinder followed with back-to-back doubles, the latter one tying the game.
The Yankees' Matt Holliday opened the scoring with his 14th home run to lead off the second. Aaron Judge tacked on his 53rd RBI in the third to score Brett Gardner, who doubled. Holliday sat out Saturday's game suffering from allergy symptoms.
NOTES: Before rejoining his teammates in Oakland, Chapman had a rehab outing with Double-A Trenton on Friday. Chapman has seven saves in eight tries this season. ... Yankees top prospect Gleyber Torres, who has been sizzling at Triple-A Scranton, has been placed on the 7-day minor-league disabled list with a hyperextended left elbow. Torres will undergo more evaluation on Monday. ... The A's fell to 4-12 on replay challenges this season after Jaycob Brugman's out call at second base was confirmed in the fourth inning on an attempted stealing. ... The 90-degree game-time temperature was the hottest for a A's home start since June 20, 2008.