OAK PITCHERS 2-HIT BOMBERS!

OAKLAND --  Oakland A's pitchers, led by starter Erik Hiljus, limited the Bronx Bombers to just 2 hits (their lowest total of the season) in a 2-1 nail-biter victory!  Erik Hiljus dodged bullets, walking four batters in his 5 innings, but Venafro, Bradford, and Koch pitched flawless relief.  Orlando Hernandez pitched a complete game for New York but took the loss.  What a pitcher's duel!

As Billy Koch struckout Enrique Wilson to end the game, Manager Maty McNeil pumped his chest wildly and threw a fist into the air.  Yanks batters left 6 runners on base, stranding lead-off walks right-and-left.  Soriano, Jeter, and Giambi all went hitless.  The Yankees did not register their 2nd hit until the 7th inning.

"This is a huge lift for us.  I credit Hiljus who stared down this Yankee order fearlessly.  Proud of these guys.  It wasn't easy but this has got to be our biggest win thus far."

BOXSCORE: 2002 New York (AL) Yankees At 2002 Oakland Athletics      4/23/2002
  Yankees            AB  R  H RBI AVG     Athletics          AB  R  H RBI AVG
  A.Soriano 2B        4  0  0  0 .299     M.Ellis 2B          4  0  1  0 .340 
  D.Jeter SS          4  0  0  0 .205     S.Hatteberg 1B      3  2  1  1 .300 
  J.Giambi DH         3  1  0  0 .282     M.Tejada SS         4  0  0  0 .247 
  B.Williams CF       4  0  1  0 .341     E.Chavez 3B         3  0  1  1 .256 
  J.Posada C          4  0  0  1 .227     D.Justice RF        4  0  0  0 .203 
  R.Ventura 3B        4  0  0  0 .194     C.Pena DH           2  0  0  0 .176 
  R.White LF          2  0  0  0 .300     J.Giambi LF         3  0  1  0 .309 
B-E.Wilson PH         1  0  0  0 .000     G.Myers C           3  0  0  0 .000 
  J.Vander Wal RF,1B  3  0  0  0 .272     M.Colangelo CF      3  0  0  0 .125 
  N.Johnson 1B        0  0  0  0 .306                                         
A-S.Spencer PH,RF     1  0  1  0 .333                                         
                     -- -- -- ---                            -- -- -- ---     
         Totals      30  1  2  1                 Totals      29  2  4  2

A-Pinch Hit For Johnson In 7th Inning
B-Pinch Hit For White In 9th Inning

Yankees......... 0 0 0  1 0 0  0 0 0  -  1  2  1
Athletics....... 1 0 1  0 0 0  0 0    -  2  4  1

Yankees (12-9)           IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR  PC    ERA  SCORESHEET
O.Hernandez LOSS(2-1)     8       4   2   2   2   6   1 106   3.21  A1
Totals                    8       4   2   2   2   6   1

Athletics (9-11)         IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR  PC    ERA  SCORESHEET
E.Hiljus WIN(1-2)         5       1   1   1   4   4   0  81   8.47  A1 C3
M.Venafro HOLD(1st)       2       1   0   0   0   1   0  23   7.36  C4 D1
C.Bradford HOLD(3rd)      1       0   0   0   0   0   0  11   6.75  D2 D4
B.Koch SAVE(4th)          1       0   0   0   0   1   0  11   6.75  D5
Totals                    9       2   1   1   4   6   0

ATTENDANCE- 36,135 DATE- Tuesday, April 23rd 2002 TIME- Night WEATHER- Good
UMPIRES- Scott Packard, Jeff Nelson, Derryl Cousins, Alfonzo Marquez
T- 2:19
LEFT ON BASE- Yankees: 6  Athletics: 6
DOUBLE PLAYS- Yankees: 0  Athletics: 0
ERRORS- A.Soriano, J.Giambi
DOUBLES- S.Spencer(1st), E.Chavez(6th)
HOME RUNS- S.Hatteberg(5th)
STOLEN BASES- N.Johnson(2nd)
WALKS- J.Giambi, R.White, N.Johnson-2, S.Hatteberg, E.Chavez
HIT BY PITCH- C.Pena
STRIKE OUTS- D.Jeter, J.Giambi, R.Ventura, R.White, E.Wilson, J.Vander Wal,
             M.Ellis, E.Chavez, D.Justice, C.Pena-2, G.Myers