The New York Yankees will see a familiar face on the mound when they take on the Athletics in the rubber match of a three-game series on Sunday afternoon in West Sacramento, Calif.
Right-hander Luis Severino (1-3, 3.62 ERA) is set to start for the Athletics, who snapped a three-game losing streak with an 11-7 victory Saturday.
Shea Langeliers went 4-for-5 with a three-run homer and a two-run double for the winners. Luis Urias added a solo homer and Brent Rooker hit a three-run shot for the Athletics, who bounced back from a 10-2 loss on Friday.
“They showed what they were made of and the grit that they have, the belief they have in themselves and that’s just a great team win today,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said.
Rooker had two hits in Saturday’s win and is batting .301 over his last 24 games after hitting .188 over his first 16.
Yankees star Aaron Judge hit two homers on Saturday and leads the majors with 14 for the season. His 41 career multi-homer games are the fourth most in franchise history, behind Babe Ruth (68), Mickey Mantle (46) and Lou Gehrig (43).
Judge also leads the majors in batting average (.396), on-base percentage (.486), slugging percentage (.772), hits (59) and RBIs (37).
Judge has been the center of attention this weekend in front of sellout crowds at Sutter Health Park. The two-time MVP grew up about 50 miles south of Sacramento in Linden, Calif., and played college baseball at Fresno State from 2011-13.
“It just felt like being home,” Judge said after Friday’s game. “Any time we play the A’s, that’s always something that’s familiar to me and close to home, to me. It was special.”
Yankees infielder Oswald Peraza hit a two-run homer in Saturday’s loss and drew praise from manager Aaron Boone after the contest.
“I feel like his at-bats have really improved from the start of the season to now,” Boone said. “I feel like he’s having much more competitive at-bats and controlling the zone a little bit, and I think he’s been excellent on defense, wherever you put him.”
Severino spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Yankees before pitching for the New York Mets last season. Signed by the Athletics as a free agent in December, the 31-year-old will face his former team for the first time.
“I’m pretty excited about facing the Yankees,” Severino said. “I’m trying to figure out what to throw (Aaron) Judge. … I’m going to bring everything I have out there.”
Severino received a no-decision after giving up four runs and five hits over six innings against the Seattle Mariners last Monday in his most recent outing. The Athletics won 7-6 in 11 innings.
While Severino has an 0.95 ERA and a 1-0 record in three road starts this season, he is 0-3 with a 5.28 ERA in five outings in West Sacramento.
The Yankees have yet to name a starter for the series finale, but Boone said he expects left-hander Ryan Yarbrough (0-0, 3.72 ERA over 19 1/3 innings) to be “in play in a big way, I’m sure, and could be starting.”
Yarbrough, 33, is well-rested after allowing one run over four innings as a starter against the Tampa Bay Rays last Saturday. The Yankees lost 3-2.
Yarbrough is 2-0 with a 4.56 ERA against the A’s in his career.
–Field Level Media
