Yankees flirt with history as 13-run third inning fuels pivotal win at Athletics

The Yankees secured back-to-back series wins Sunday when they took their three-game set at the Athletics with a 13-8 victory in the finale, rebounding from Saturday's 6-4 loss.

Takeaways

1. New York (36-23) was one run shy of a franchise-record 14 runs in the third inning when it batted around twice on its way to 13 runs, 11 hits -- eight singles, two doubles and one triple -- and four walks that spanned three A's pitchers. The 43-minute top half started on Paul Goldschmidt's RBI single with the bases loaded and none out, and Cody Bellinger's two-out edition to follow Ben Rice's two-run triple capped the Yankees' scoring frenzy. After New York scored one run in the first eight innings of Saturday's defeat, it found its stride with a breakthrough that added some needed cushion.

2. Will Warren allowed three unearned runs in the first inning to put the Yankees in an immediate hole but subsequently bounced back with five scoreless frames. He ended his six-inning start with six hits allowed while striking out five and walking three on 82 pitches (51 strikes). Warren lacked his best stuff but dug deep to earn his seventh win at 7-1 and lower his ERA to 3.22.

3. Warren's replacement, Tim Hill, allowed three runs or more for the second time since surrendering three in a short-lived relief appearance during last Friday's 4-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. Hill (4.03 ERA) entered the seventh inning with a 10-run lead but gave up two homers while struggling to locate pitches. Fortunately for New York, the A's (28-31) create too much of a mountain to climb.

4. The Yankees match the AL East-leading Rays (36-20) with 36 wins entering June. After a three-game skid between May 20-21 losses against the Toronto Blue Jays and the aforementioned May 22 defeat against Tampa Bay, New York has won six of its past seven games as it enters the new month with a six-game homestand on the horizon.

Who's the MVP?

Rice, whose start as the Yankees' designated hitter in the second spot of the batting order -- behind Goldschmidt, who started at first and led off -- featured four RBI during a 2-for-5 afternoon. Before Rice's aforementioned triple, his two-run double earlier in the third inning tied the game at 3-3 and ignited the rally.

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Highlights

What's next

The Yankees take Monday off before Tuesday's 7:05 p.m. opener with the Cleveland Guardians starts a three-game series that spills into Wednesday and Thursday. New York's six-game homestand subsequently continues Friday through Sunday with a three-game set against the Boston Red Sox.

Yankees RHP Cam Schlittler (7-2, 1.50 ERA) and Guardians LHP Joey Cantillo (4-2, 3.57 ERA) are set to start Tuesday.