Jose Molina was hit by Lenny DiNardo's pitch with the bases loaded in the 12th inning, and the New York Yankees outlasted the Oakland Athletics for a 4-3 victory Saturday. Robinson Cano had four hits and David Robertson earned his first major league win as New York pulled out a tight game that lasted 4 hours, 45 minutes in 93-degree heat. The Yankees, who stranded a whopping 21 runners, were down to their final out in the ninth when Cano doubled off Huston Street. Wilson Betemit tied it with an opposite-field single on an 0-2 pitch, handing Street his fifth blown save in 22 chances. Long after Joba Chamberlain was lifted, Ryan Sweeney put Oakland ahead 3-2 with an RBI single off Mariano Rivera in the ninth. The All-Star closer struck out three straight batters with a runner on second to keep it a one-run game. Yankees pitchers had 18 strikeouts in all, their most since fanning 19 on April 29, 2001, in a 17-inning game at Toronto. The 21 runners left on base by New York were its most since stranding 22 on July 20, 1998, in a 17-inning game against Detroit. The three runners on the bases when the game ended Saturday count in the Yankees' total. The A's stole second base twice in the ninth, taking advantage of Jorge Posada's sore hand. The 36-year-old catcher, hit by a foul ball in the eighth, missed 32 games this season with tendinitis in his right rotator cuff and has been relegated to part-time duty behind the plate. He is 3-for-37 throwing out base stealers. Posada was replaced on defense in the 10th by Molina, who wound up with two chances to win it. He grounded out with two on to end the bottom half, then sent the Yankees home happy in the 12th. The last time New York won on a game-ending hit by pitch, it was Clete Boyer who was plunked on July 15, 1965, against the Washington Senators. Edwar Ramirez struck out four in two shutout innings and Robertson (1-0) worked a scoreless 12th with help from Brett Gardner. The left fielder tracked down Carlos Gonzalez's leadoff drive and held on after slamming into the fence. Derek Jeter singled leading off the bottom half against DiNardo (1-2), recalled from the minors Friday. Jeter went to second on Bobby Abreu's tapper to the mound, and Alex Rodriguez was intentionally walked. DiNardo then walked Richie Sexson, loading the bases, before hitting Molina on his right knee with a 1-2 delivery. Continued... |