Tony Kemp’s three-run home run in the sixth inning was the turning point in the Oakland A’s 5-3 win over the New York Yankees on Friday night in the Bronx. It is the A’s seventh straight win.
In front of Yankee Stadium crowd at 100% capacity for the first time, James Kaprielian thrived under the spotlight. Perhaps motivated to prove something against a Yankees team that traded him, Jorge Mateo and outfielder Dustin Fowler for pitcher Sonny Gray back in 2017, Kaprielian worked through minimal damage in 5 2/3 innings.
Through the fifth inning, Kaprielian allowed all of two hits, but both were home runs. After walking nine-hitter Brett Gardner, Kaprielian left a pitch up for DJ LeMaheiu, who hit a game-tying two-run home run in the third. Rougned Odor took a two-strike fastball out of the park for a solo home run.
Kaprielian gave up his third, and final, hit in the sixth inning to Aaron Judge. A bloop. Judge advanced to third on a pair of outs and Yusmeiro Petit needed one pitch in relief to retire Giancarlo Stanton and extinguish the threat. Kaprielian finished his New York return with 5 2/3 innings, three earned runs allowed with seven strikeouts and one costly walk.
The A’s offense generated plenty of hard contact against Yankees starter Jameson Taillon. Matt Olson stated his case, again, for the Home Run Derby and an All-Star bid with his 19th home run of the year in the first inning to give the A’s a 1-0 lead. One of Mark Canha’s two hits was an RBI single in the third inning to score Elvis Andrus, who had singled.
Kaprielian might have let go of the lead, but Kemp’s three-run home run against Yankees reliever Wandy Peralta blasted the A’s back on top. Matt Chapman and Sean Murphy set the table with a pair of hits — Murphy’s knocked through an opposite-field hole.
Lou Trivino shut the door with his 12th save.
