Sonny Gray fails Yankees in loss to A’s | Rapid reaction

Against his old team for the first time, Sonny Gray was terrible in the Yankees’ 10-5 loss at Yankee Stadium on Friday night.

NEW YORK — For all their dominance, there are still some things far from right for the Yankees.

They were on full display in a 10-5 loss to the A’s at Yankee Stadium on a chilly Friday night before 43,093 .

Sonny Gray was terrible — again. So was Didi Gregorius, who hasn’t had a hit since May 3. The bullpen didn’t help, either.

It led to the Yankees (26-12) losing back-to-back games for the first time since April 8 – April 10 (they had off April 9).

It was just the fourth time this season the Yankees, who entered tied for first place with the Red Sox, lost consecutive games.

The A’s, in fourth place in the AL West, improved to 19-19.

Gray, even with his personal catcher Austin Romine behind the plate, got thrashed. The right-hander, facing the team that traded him in July for the first time, gave up five runs, two home runs and walked a trio. His nine hits allowed were a season-high. 

Gregorius went 0-for-4 and came up small in a huge moment.

David Robertson coughed up a three-run double to Marcus Semien to put the game out of reach for the Yankees and send fans out early to the parking lot.

HAD A CHANCE

In the seventh, the Yankees mounted another one of their trademark comebacks.

Didn’t work.

Aaron Judge, who had crushed a three-run homer in the fifth, walked with the bases loaded in a full count against reliever Lou Trevino, scoring Andujar. That cut Oakland’s lead to 6-5.

But Gregorius, who won AL Player of the Month, remember, extended hit hitless streak to an astonishing 28 at-bats with a fly to right field too shallow to score Austin Romine from third base.

Then Giancarlo Stanton popped out to shallow center and the threat was dead.

Judge’s three-run blast in the fifth also gave the Yankees a bit of hope. Miguel Andujar reached via error to start the frame and Brett Gardner eventually walked. Then Judge cracked shot off A’s starter Kendall Graveman to the seats in right-center field, a no-doubter for his 10th homer of the season, tying him for the team lead with Gregorius.

Top prospect Gleyber Torres put the Yankees on the scoreboard with a solo shot in third inning, the third of his career.

GRAY TERRIBLE

Gray’s troubles started early and never let up. He let someone on base in every inning but the first. He allowed three hits to start the second and third innings each and two to start the fourth. And it was just the fourth time in eight starts he went at least five innings.

TURNING POINT

The A’s started to pull away in the second inning, when Khris David led off with a booming homer to center field to put the Yankees down, 1-0. After Matt Olson immediately followed with a single, Matt Chapman cranked a two-run shot.

The A’s went ahead, 4-1 , when Jed Lowrie singled home Semien, who started the frame with a single. They extended their lead to 5-1 when Mark Canha scored on Semien’s force out.

Yankees reliever David Hale gave up a pair of solo home runs over his three innings. He hadn’t pitched since April 27.

NEXT

Saturday: Yankees righty Domingo German (0-1, 2.66 ERA) vs. A’s righty Andrew Triggs (3-1, 4.41 ERA), 1:05 p.m. at Yankee Stadium.

Sunday: Yankees righty Luis Severino (5-1, 2.21 ERA) vs. A’s lefty Brett Anderson (0-1, 8.68 ERA), 1:05 p.m. at Yankee Stadium. 

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