Yankees Manager Aaron Boone, right, argues with umpire Hunter Wendelstedt after Boone was ejected in the first inning of the Yankees’ game on Monday in New York. Seth Wenig/Associated Press
NEW YORK — Zack Gelof hit a two-run homer off Victor González in the ninth inning Monday, and the Oakland Athletics stopped an eight-game losing streak in the Bronx by beating the Yankees 2-0 following the ejection of New York Manager Aaron Boone just five pitches in.
“It’s embarrassing,” Boone said. “I couldn’t believe it.”
Esteury Ruiz was hit on the back foot by a Carlos Rodón slider leading off the game. Standing on the dugout steps, Boone raised his hands, questioning whether Ruiz swung at the pitch. First base umpire John Tumpane determined Ruiz did not swing and should go to first base.
After a called strike to Tyler Nevin, Wendelstedt removed his mask, took a few steps toward the Yankees’ dugout and could be heard by a YES Network microphone yelling at Boone: “Hey, guess what? You’re not yelling at me. I did what I’m supposed to do and checked! I’m looking for him to get hit by the pitch! You got anything else to say, you’re gone! OK?”
Wendelstedt pointed at Boone as he finished. Boone, leaning on the dugout rail with his left arm, held up his left hand as if to signal OK, then gave the umpire a thumbs-up.
As the umpire put his mask back on and walked behind catcher Shea Langeliers, a fan behind the dugout in a blue shirt appeared to yell at Wendelstedt. The umpire pulled off his mask and demonstratively waved his right arm in an arc, thumb extended, screaming: “Aaron, you’re done! I don’t care who said it. You’re gone!”
Boone ran onto the field and pointed to the fan.
“It was above our dugout!” Boone exclaimed. ”I didn’t say anything! I did not say anything!”
Wendelstedt responded: “I don’t care who said it, you’re gone!”
After Rodon and JP Sears of Oakland matched each other with shutout ball, Abraham Toro reached off González (1-1) leading off the ninth when Gonzalez slipped while trying to pick a dribbler between the mound and the third-base line.
Gelof hit an opposite-field drive into the right-field seats on a flat sinker for his third home run this season.
Lucas Erceg (1-1) pitched two innings and Mason Miller struck out Anthony Volpe, Juan Soto and Aaron Judge to remain perfect in five save chances, finishing a three-hitter and the fourth shutout against the Yankees in 23 games this season.
Oakland, which arrived after getting swept in a three-game series at Cleveland, had not won a road game against the Yankees since 2021.
Judge was 0 for 4 with a pair of strikeouts and a double-play grounder, dropping his average to .174.
Ian Hamilton of Oakland had gotten Langeliers to swing under a high 96.1 mph fastball on a full count to strand the bases loaded in the eighth.
Rodón allowed one hit over seven scoreless innings, Nick Allen’s two-out single in the fifth, and lowered his ERA to 2.70. He has given up three runs or fewer in all five of his starts.
Sears, a former Yankees player, gave up three hits in six shutout innings with seven strikeouts and one walk.
NOTES
TWINS: The team sent struggling starting pitcher Louie Varland to Triple-A St. Paul and reinstated right fielder Max Kepler from the 10-day injured list.
Varland, 26, was 0-4 with a 9.18 ERA in four starts. He allowed four runs on three hits and four walks in 2 2/3 innings Sunday in a 6-1 loss to Detroit. Varland, who pitched effectively out of the bullpen late last season, earned a spot in the rotation in spring training after an elbow injury to Anthony DeSclafani.
BREWERS: Left-handed starter Wade Miley, 37, was placed on the 15-day injured list with left elbow inflammation.
Miley allowed four runs on four hits in three innings his last time out, a 6-3 loss to the San Diego Padres last Tuesday. He is 0-1 with a 5.14 ERA in two starts after beginning the season on the IL with a left shoulder injury.
• Pitcher Jakob Junis was taken away in an ambulance after being hit by a line drive during batting practice at Pittsburgh. The teams said in a joint statement that Junis was “conscious, alert and responsive,” and was taken to a hospital for evaluation.
PHILLIES: First baseman Bryce Harper, who has been a key piece of the offense during a six-game winning streak, was placed on paternity leave.
The team didn’t say how long Harper will be gone. He and his wife, Kayla, announced March 26 that they were expecting their third child.
RAYS: Closer Pete Fairbanks was placed on the 15-day injured list with nerve-related issues.
Fairbanks has experienced numbness in his fingers at times over the past few years, and the problem flared up again Saturday and Sunday.
WHITE SOX: Shortstop Danny Mendick, who homered in five straight games for Triple-A Charlotte, was recalled, and right-hander John Brebbia was activated off the 15-day injured list.
Infielder Lenyn Sosa and right-hander Nick Nastrini were optioned to Charlotte, and infielder Zach Remillard was designated for assignment.
ORIOLES: Outfielder Austin Hays was placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained left calf.
Baltimore also selected the contract of catcher David Bañuelos and designated outfielder Peyton Burdick for assignment.
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