Gerrit Cole has best start of season, Yankees’ offense comes through late in 4-2 win over A’s in extra innings

The Yankees scored three times in the 10th and Gerrit Cole pitched nine one-run innings as New York won their series opener against the Athletics in Oakland, 4-2.

With the win, the Yankees’ magic number to clinch the AL East is five. They remain four games up on the Baltimore Orioles, who won earlier in the game.

Here are the takeaways…

-The turning point in this game was in that 10th inning. With Jasson Dominguez on second as the ghost-runner — he pinch-ran for Giancarlo Stanton earlier in the game — moved to third on an Anthony Rizzo single.

Juan Soto, who was scratched from the starting lineup with a sore knee, pinch-hit for Trent Grisham. On the third pitch in the at-bat, catcher Shea Langeliers couldn’t handle a fastball that went to the backstop, allowing Dominguez to score and put the Yankees up 2-1. Soto would take the next pitch the other way for an RBI double.

Anthony Volpe followed with an RBI single, scoring Jon Berti who ran for Soto, and putting New York up 4-1.

–Luke Weaver, the de facto Yankees closer, allowed the ghost runner to score on a leadoff single in the 10th but struck out the next three batters to lock down his third save of the season.

– Cole had his best start this season. He pitched into the seventh inning for the first time and was the first Yankees starter to pitch into the ninth. A nice bounceback start from that intentional walk game against the Red Sox.

Cole allowed just two hits and one walk across his nine innings. Those two hits? They came in the fourth when Malcolm Butler and Shea Langeliers picked up two singles — with a stolen base in between — that put the Athletics ahead 1-0.

The Yankees ace pitched nine innings (99 pitches/66 strikes), allowing one run on two hits, and one walk while striking seven batters.

-The Yankees had trouble getting to Oakland starter J.T. Ginn until the fifth. With two outs, Rizzo walked before Grisham — starting in center field — lined a single to put runners at the corners for Volpe. The Yankees shortstop went with the 83 mph slider and deposited a single to right field to plate Rizzo and tie the game at 1-1.

Volpe came in struggling but finished 3-for-4 with two RBI.

-With Soto out of the lineup, Aaron Boone went with Austin Wells in the No. 2 hole. It was the first time the young catcher hit in that spot and finished 0-for-5 with a strikeout.

Game MVP: Gerrit Cole

This could go to Volpe who had three hits and two RBI but the Yankees don’t make it to the 10th without Cole’s dominant performance.

Highlights

What’s next

The Yankees and Athletics continue their three-game set on Saturday evening. First pitch is set for 9:07 p.m.

Carlos Rodon (15-9, 4.12 ERA) will be on the mound while the Athletics send J.P. Sears (11-11, 4,24 ERA) to the bump.