Left-handed starter JP Sears allowed just two hits over 5 2/3 innings to fuel the Athletics’ 7-0 win over All-Star slugger Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees on Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.
“I thought I came with a good game plan today, winning behind the plate,” Sears told reporters postgame. “I felt I was able to execute my fastball in and away and execute the sweeper good away — keeping the hitters off balance.”
Sears earned four strikeouts to three walks and went to his four-seam fastball and sweeper for 71 of his 90 pitches (79 percent). Sears now holds a 6-7 record and 5.09 ERA on the 2025 MLB season, and the A’s improved to 34-51.
It was the 29-year-old Sears’ first-career win against the Yankees, the franchise where he started his major-league career before being traded to the A’s in 2022. He entered 0-4 over six games against the reigning AL champions.
“This was a big start for JP, to be able to bounce back, to hopefully get some momentum going,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said about Sears, who entered also having allowed 10 earned runs over three consecutive losses. “It was one that he needed.”
“No, I don’t think so,” Kotsay added when asked if Sears pitched with extra motivation. “He’s pitched against the Yankees before. This was a start where he knew he had to be good today, and he met that challenge.”
Earning his first-career save in his second-career outing, right-handed reliever Jack Perkins finished the job with a one-hit 3 1/3 frames, allowing Kotsay to use just two arms. Perkins allowed one hit in three innings against the Cleveland Guardians in his big-league debut last Sunday.
The A’s offense equally was in full force, as the entire lineup — except right-fielder Lawrence Butler — finished with exactly one hit.
Designated hitter Brent Rooker sent a centered sweeper from Yankees right-handed starter Clarke Schmidt 403 feet to left center to give the Green and Gold a 1-0 lead and all it needed to win in the fourth.
And A’s top prospect and rookie first baseman Nick Kurtz added three RBI with a 356-foot three-run shot off Schmidt in the sixth, and now is up to 18 hits and 16 RBI since returning from the 10-day injured list (strained left hip flexor) on June 9.
“Yeah, we’re hoping so,” Rooker said about using Saturday to build momentum on “A’s Cast” with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Jenny Cavnar and Dallas Braden. “We know and we’re confident in the damage we can do one through nine. All it takes is one game like that to get things rolling and go on a little run here.”
The A’s still have a ways to go to climb back into the AL playoff race. But Saturday’s all-around dominance could serve as a blueprint for what the Green and Gold’s potential can be.
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