Gardner, Ford go back-to-back in 9th, Yanks beat A’s 5-4

NEW YORK (AP) — Brett Gardner and pinch-hitter Mike Ford hit back-to-back homers off A’s closer Liam Hendriks, and the New York Yankees walked off for the second straight game, rallying from four runs down to beat the Oakland Athletics 5-4 Sunday.

Gardner led off the ninth with a shot to right off Hendriks (4-2) and Ford followed with his 10th homer into the Yankees bullpen in right-center. The rookie stood at home plate and watched his first pinch-hit homer soar, and teammates doused him with a water cooler after he circled the bases.

DJ LeMahieu hit a game-ending homer in a 4-3, 11-inning victory over Oakland on Saturday. New York has won six of seven and salvaged a series win against the A’s. The Yankees have won eight straight rubber matches.

A’s left-hander Sean Manaea pitched one-hit ball over five innings in his first start since shoulder surgery last September, and Oakland led 4-0 after 7 1/2 innings.

The Yankees loaded the bases in the eighth, got a sacrifice fly from Gleyber Torres and a two-run single by Didi Gregorius to make it 4-3. New York hasn’t been blanked in 220 games, the second longest streak since at least 1900 behind the Babe Ruth-led Yankees spanning 1931-33.

Sheldon Neuse lined a tiebreaking two-run double for his first major league hit in the seventh for Oakland, and Matt Olson made a stellar defensive play at first base before hitting his 28th homer to put the A’s ahead

Manaea walked three and struck out five with 82 pitches in a stellar return.

Yankees left-hander J.A. Happ countered Manaea with six scoreless innings of one-hit ball, walking four and striking out five, but the bullpen couldn’t keep pace on a day manager Aaron Boone sought to rest some key relievers.

Oakland entered Sunday tied with Tampa Bay for the second AL wild card and a half-game behind Cleveland for the first.

Adam Ottavino (6-4) pitched a scoreless inning to win.

Neuse — pronounced “noisy” — was 0 for 9 to start his career before he poked a bases-loaded double into the right field corner in the seventh for the first runs of the game. Oakland added another run on Josh Phegley’s groundout to lead 3-0. The rally came against former A’s right-hander Ryan Dull, who was selected by New York off waivers last month and called up for the first time Sunday.

The 27-year-old Manaea opened with three perfect innings and faced the minimum through four. The left-hander walked three in the fifth inning but left the bases loaded when Olson dived at first base to stop Mike Tauchman’s grounder and threw from his back to Manaea at the bag.

Olson, last year’s AL Gold Glove Award winner at first, also made an over-the-shoulder, basket catch on the warning track on Gary Sánchez’s pop foul in the eighth.

SEPTEMBER CALL-UPS

The Yankees recalled brazen young outfielder Clint Frazier from Triple-A more than two months after sending him down amid a roster crunch. The 24-year-old hit .283 with 11 homers and an .843 OPS in 53 games with New York this season, becoming a fan favorite before several embarrassing miscues in the outfield led to booing at Yankee Stadium. He had a walk and two hard-hit outs.

New York also recalled right-handers Dull and Chance Adams from Triple-A, signed left-hander Tyler Lyons to a major league deal and transferred right-hander David Hale to the 60-day injured list.

The A’s recalled infielder Franklin Barreto and right-hander Paul Blackburn, and also promoted catching prospect Sean Murphy to the majors for the first time. Right-hander Tanner Anderson and second baseman Corban Joseph were designated for assignment.

MOOSE TRACKS

Hall of Famer Mike Mussina was honored before the game and threw out the first pitch.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Athletics: OF Khris Davis returned from paternity leave and batted fifth as the designated hitter. He had two hits.

Yankees: RHP Dellin Betances (right shoulder impingement) returned to New York after facing hitters at the club’s complex in Florida on Saturday. He said he’s making progress and expects to throw again Tuesday. He’s still uncertain about his timeline for a return to game action. … OF Cameron Maybin (sore left wrist) was held out of the lineup and hasn’t batted in a game since Wednesday. Boone hopes he’ll be back in full swing within a few days.

UP NEXT

Athletics: Get Monday off after traveling home, then host the Angels for three games. RHP Mike Fiers (13-3, 3.40) will face Los Angeles RHP Jamie Barria (4-7, 6.10).

Yankees: Play a third straight day game in the Bronx on Monday when they open a series against Texas. RHP Masahiro Tanaka (10-7, 4.47) opposes Rangers LHP Mike Minor (11-8, 3.25).