Yankees, CC Sabathia stink in loss to Athletics | Rapid reaction

The Yankees lost their second straight game, falling 6-3 to the A’s in a likely AL Wild Card preview in Oakland on Monday.

OAKLAND — The best part of the Yankees’ Labor Day lasted maybe a half-hour and came with almost nobody around.

Aaron Judge, finally, hit balls off a batting tee — his first swings since fracturing his wrist July 26 and the best sign yet that he’ll return from the disabled list before the playoffs.

Everything after that stunk like expired milk.

CC Sabathia got rocked before his hometown crowd and the offense wasn’t any better in a 6-3 loss to the A’s at Oakland-Alameda County Stadium on Monday.

Sabathia lasted just 3 1/3 innings, surrendering five runs (four earned), seven hits and two walks while striking out four. He threw 66 pitches He came into the game with a 2.28 ERA in his last four starts

His pitches were flat and his command wasn’t nearly good enough to handle the A’s, who are 28-14 in the second half and are bent on snatching the American League Wild Card home-field advantage from the Yankees.

What it means

The Yankees lost their second straight game. They have lost five of their last eight following a four-game sweep of the Orioles in Baltimore.

They fell to 3 1/2 games ahead of the A’s for the top Wild Card spot with two more games to play in Oakland before heading to Seattle and then Minnesota. They’re 2-2 vs. Oakland this season.

Tied, but not for long

The Yankees erased a two-run deficit in the second when Luke Voit’s sixth homer since joining the team at the trade deadline. His shot to right-center field came in a full count and brought home Gary Sanchez, who walked to start the inning, knotting the game at 3-all.

Didn’t last.

Matt Chapman hit a double to left field — bouncing just out of the reach of center fielder Aaron Hicks. Marcus Semien scored as the ball traveled toward the wall and things were tied up again. But Chapman tried turning it into a triple and was denied. Shortstop Adeiny Hecheverria’s cut off throw got Chapman just in time at third base.

The A’s notched a run in the fourth and fifth, too. In the fifth, Mark Canha smashed a home run off A.J. Cole, who had entered for Sabathia in the previous inning and gave up an RBI single.

Down quickly

Sabathia needed 39 pitches to get through a nightmare first inning.

Staked to a 1-0 lead — thanks to Aaron Hicks’ sacrifice fly – Sabathia coughed up three runs. He allowed four straight singles and five consecutive baserunners.

Khris Davis contributed an RBI single before Sabathia loaded the bases for Matt Olson, who walked in Oakland’s second run. Sabathia had gotten to two strikes on Olson but missed badly with a breaking ball, bouncing it for ball four.

Sabathia’s defense didn’t help. With two outs, he got Mark Canha to ground to third base, but rookie Miguel Andujar’s defensive struggles continued as his throw was wide of first baseman Voit. A run scored and it was 3-1, A’s ahead.

You should know

The Yankees had runners on first base and second base for Gary Sanchez with two outs in the eighth. He worked a 2-2 count and ex-Mets closer Jeurys Familia struck him out swinging on the at-bat’s eighth pitch.

Jonathan Loaisiga, in his first outing since going on the DL on July 2, threw a scoreless seventh inning, striking out the side. He also threw a scoreless eighth.

Giancarlo Stanton went hitless in four at-bats. He entered the game hitting .108 (4-for-37) over his previous 10 games.

None of the Yankees’ Nos. 2-4 hitters recored a hit. 

Next

Yankees lefty J.A. Happ (15-6, 4.00 ERA) vs. unannounced A’s starting pitcher at 10:05 p.m. EST Tuesday at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

Brendan Kuty may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.