A’s Thump Johnson, Hand Yankees First Day Loss of 2006

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The New York Sun

Missing three big hitters, the Oakland Athletics still knocked Randy Johnson around and gave Dan Haren plenty of offense.

Haren pitched a six-hitter for his first complete game this season and Oakland homered twice off an inconsistent Johnson to beat the Yankees 6-1 yesterday.

Mark Kotsay and Jay Payton connect ed for the A’s, who avoided a three game sweep and snapped their four game skid. They did it without Eric Chavez, Frank Thomas, and Milton Bradley in the lineup.

Haren (3-3) gave up only a second inning homer to Jorge Posada, winning his second consecutive start and sending the Yankees to their first loss in 13 day games this year.

Pitching in the Bronx for the first time, the 25-year-old right-hander struck out six and walked none in his fourth career complete game.

“He never throws the ball straight. He’s not fun to face,” Derek Jeter said.

The Yankees lost for only the fourth time in 14 games.

Johnson (5-4) has struggled so much recently that the Yankees sent him for an MRI after his previous outing to make sure he wasn’t injured. He pitched a little better this time out, but not good enough.

“I thought he was more aggressive. He’s still a little erratic with his slider. It’s a step in the right direction. We have a long way to go yet,” Joe Torre said. “I know he’s not going to be happy with it. He still thinks he can dominate a game.”

Johnson fell behind 3-0 in the first. He yielded four runs and eight hits in six innings overall, throwing 72 of 106 pitches for strikes.

After beginning the season with three solid starts, the left-hander is 3-3 with a 6.89 ERA in his last six. He has lost his last two outings, both at Yankee Stadium, after winning 12 decisions in a row at home.

“There’s nobody more frustrated than me,” Johnson said. “I’m not pitching the way I’m accustomed to pitching.”

Johnson walked his first hitter, Mark Ellis. One out later, Kotsay pulled a low pitch just over the short porch in right for his third home run. Kotsay was swinging one of the pink bats used all around the big leagues on Mother’s Day to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research.

“First home run by a pink bat? Sweet,” Kotsay said. “It is heavier. The balance of the bat wasn’t the best.”

The Big Unit had gone 36 regular-season starts without giving up a homer to a left-handed hitter. The crowd of 52,587 began to boo, and Bobby Crosby followed with a single before stealing second and scoring on Payton’s RBI grounder.

“I remember when he used to throw 97, 98 all game and his slider was about 90. He’s a pitcher now,” Payton said.

Posada connected on an 0-2 pitch from Haren, cutting it to 3-1.But Haren set down his next 13 batters.

Johnson also settled down, retiring 10 straight until Payton went deep in the sixth. It was his first homer of the season and third off Johnson.

“I’m trying to find something to build on. I need a foundation first. I have to keep working and trying to work it out,” Johnson said. “It’s disheartening because you still didn’t execute enough to win the ballgame.”


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