Gusty Yankees pitching overcomes quiet offense in shutout win over A’s

The Yankees’ offense has quieted, as if Aaron Judge proving human for a few weeks has infected the rest of the bats. 

But when their pitching is performing like this, slumps can be shrugged off and absorbed. 

A gutsy Will Warren passed off to a series of four relievers, who collectively silenced the A’s in a 3-0, series-opening victory in front of a sellout crowd of 46,192 in The Bronx on Friday. 

The Yankees (47-34), who had lost seven of eight after the series opener against the Orioles, have responded by taking four of six and appear closer to the right track largely because their staff has out-pitched the offensive issues that have popped up. 

Their offense tallied just four knocks against former Yankees prospect Mitch Spence and Sean Newcomb, but the first three of those hits scored runs: a second-inning home run from Jazz Chisholm Jr.; a third-inning single from Cody Bellinger (that followed an intentional walk to Judge) that scored Anthony Volpe; and a fourth-inning, bases-loaded comebacker from DJ LeMahieu that might have been an inning-ending double play had Spence not tried to barehand it, slowing the ball for an infield single. 

That was the entirety of the offense, which did not matter because Yankees pitchers authored their ninth shutout of the season, tied with Cleveland for the most in the AL. 

Most impressive was Warren, who nearly got knocked out in the first yet somehow survived five scoreless, two-hit, four-walk innings. 

In an opening frame that seemed ominous, Warren walked the bases loaded and prompted Allan Winans — who is in the mix to start Sunday’s series finale — to begin warming in the bullpen.

But on pitch 36, a good sinker from Warren caught Gio Urshela looking, stranding all three and allowing the Yankees to exhale. 

Warren then sailed until the fifth, when again he danced into and out of trouble.

A Willie MacIver double and Max Schuemann walk began a threat, but Lawrence Butler swung through a four-seamer, Jacob Wilson flew out and Brent Rooker grounded out, Warren once again navigating out of danger and exiting after 100 pitches. 

Tim Hill — despite another lateral play that exposed LeMahieu’s lack of range along with an error from Chisholm — ground-balled his way out of a jam, and Fernando Cruz, Luke Weaver and Devin Williams (11th save) preserved a three-hitter.