NEW YORK — Even a little more Zack Gelof can go a long way for the A’s.
Gelof, the slumping A’s second-year second baseman, broke a scoreless tie with a two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning and Mason Miller needed just 14 pitches to strike out Anthony Volpe, Juan Soto and Aaron Judge to preserve the 2-0 victory as Oakland won at Yankee Stadium for the first time since 2021.
Gelof was the A’s breakout star last season as rookie, batting .267 and anchoring the top of the order. Gelof has scuffled to start this season, seeing his average drop below .200 over the weekend.
Manager Mark Kotsay took some pressure off Gelof on Sunday in the series finale against at Cleveland, dropping him from second to sixth in the order. He resonded by going 2 for 4 after collecting just four hits in his previous 35 at-bats. Gelof bated sixth again in the series opener against the Yankees and with the game on the line, ripped an opposite-field drive in the right-field stands on a flat sinker from Victor González.
“Just trying to get him comfortable, get him relaxed,” Kotsay said.
The homer, Gelof’s third of the season, was also of note because it came against a left-hander.
Gelof had entered 3 for 19 against left-handers after hitting .167 (12 for 72) with one homer against them last year.
“It’s something that I focused on in the offseason,” Gelof said.
Kotsay said, “To see him go oppo on a lefty, a really good lefty, is a good sign.”
The A’s opened this 10-game East Coast swing with growing confidence after an 8-11 start. They lost three straight in Cleveland, but winning in the Bronx might help them regain momentum.
Oakland had lost eight in a row at Yankee Stadium.
The afternoon game was only give pitches old when New York manager Aaron Boone was ejected.
Boone was ejected over a remark from a fan behind the dugout aimed at the plate umpire. Esteury Ruiz was hit on the back foot by a Carlo Rodón slider leading, Boone questioned whether Ruiz swung at the pitch and Hunter Wendelstedt ejected Boone after a fan behind the dugout yelled at the umpire.
Former Yankee JP Sears gave up three hits in six shutout innings with seven strikeouts and one walk.
“His slider for us lefties was tough, tough to see,” Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo said.
The Yankees, like everyone else who has faced him this season, had trouble with Miller, too.
Get up!
Get out!
Gelof! pic.twitter.com/v95R3K3JeS— MLB (@MLB) April 22, 2024
The first-year closer threw eight fastballs averaging 101.8 mph and six sliders to covert his fifth save opportunity in a row.
“He has a pretty good fastball,” Soto said.
Miller, a 25-year-old right-hander, was pitching at Yankee Stadium for the first time.
“Walking around before the game, it’s got a different air about it, for sure,” he said.
Judge was 0 for 4 with a pair of strikeouts and a double-play grounder, dropping his average to .174.
Rodón allowed one hit over seven scoreless innings, Nick Allen’s two-out single in the fifth, and lowered his ERA to 2.70. He has given up three runs or fewer in all five of his starts.
UP NEXT
Yankees RHP Marcus Stroman (1-1, 2.42) starts Tuesday night against Oakland RHP Paul Blackburn (2-0, 1.08), who entered the series third in the major leagues in ERA.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
