Yankees turn game-ending triple-play, beat A’s

Associated Press
Sunday, June 20, 2021 8:11 p.m. | Sunday, June 20, 2021 8:11 p.m.

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The Yankees’ DJ LeMahieu (left), Tyler Wade (center) and Clint Frazier (right) celebrate after the Yankees completed a triple play to defeat the Athletics in the top of the ninth inning Sunday, June 20, 2021, at Yankee Stadium in New York.

NEW YORK — Yankees manager Aaron Boone knew it off the bat.

“Usually, a triple play sneaks up on you,” he said. “Right away, I’m thinking, ‘That’s a triple play.’ ”

New York turned its record-tying third triple play of the season to strand the go-ahead run in the ninth inning, bailing out closer Aroldis Chapman from a shaky outing and closing a 2-1 win over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday.

Gary Sánchez spoiled Sean Manaea’s gem with a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth inning, and relievers Jonathan Loaisiga (7-2) and Lucas Luetge turned a 2-1 lead over to Chapman in the ninth.

A day after reaching 103.4 mph during his 15th save — his fastest pitch on a strikeout since the 2017 AL wild-card game — Chapman walked Jed Lowrie and Chad Pinder on nine pitches, topping out at 98 mph.

He was visited by an athletic trainer because the nail in his left middle finger broke, but Chapman stayed in the game to face Sean Murphy, who drilled the second pitch of the at-bat right at third baseman Gio Urshela.

Urshela stepped on third and whizzed the ball to DJ LeMahieu, and the second baseman relayed to first baseman Chris Gittens to get Murphy by a step.

“You’re around long enough, you see everything,” longtime A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “I’ve never seen a game end like that before.”

New York also turned the first 1-3-6-2-5-6 triple play in major league history Thursday at Buffalo against the Blue Jays and also had an around-the-horn triple play on May 21 against the Chicago White Sox involving Urshela, second baseman Rougned Odor and first baseman Luke Voit. The storied franchise had never turned more than one triple play in a season and tied a major league record for most in a season, last accomplished by the 2016 Chicago White Sox.

The triple plays have happened over 31 days, the shortest span ever for three by a big league team.

Chapman’s 16th save in 18 tries sent Oakland to its first road series loss this season after eight wins and a split. The A’s had just four hits.