After seven pitches from Luis Severino and before they had recorded one out, the Yankees had knocked three hits and scored one run.
Over the next 153 pitches from the A’s, the Yankees recorded 27 outs and added one hit — a fourth-inning single from Amed Rosario that would be wiped away by a double play.
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In the early weeks of the season, the Yankees have so often found a way, typically finding a timely hit that would swing a game in their direction.
The Yankees bats made like the weather and froze, applying too much pressure on a bullpen that eventually cracked when David Bednar allowed the go-ahead run in the ninth in what became a 3-2 loss to the A’s in front of 38,147 shivering fans in The Bronx on Wednesday.
The Yankees (8-3) would have to take the rubber game Thursday afternoon to win a fourth series in as many tries this season.
The losing pitcher was Bednar, who had thrown 14 pitches in recording a save Tuesday and could not pitch his way out of danger as he has so often.
After excellent, shutdown work from Tim Hill, Camilo Doval and Brent Headrick, the closer allowed loud and hard contact to Nick Kurtz for a single and Shea Langeliers for a double before Brent Rooker lofted a sacrifice fly to score the go-ahead run.
The Yankees went quietly in their half of the ninth on a night Nos. 4-9 in the order went 1-for-20. Of particular note were Ben Rice (four strikeouts) and Ryan McMahon (0-for-3 with a walk, two strikeouts and a double play, on which he heard boos).
The Yankees got to old friend Severino immediately and then not again.
In a long bottom of the first, the Yankees strung three hits together and scored quickly, the seventh pitch a looper down the left field line from Cody Bellinger.
Later in the frame, Jazz Chisholm Jr. walked to load the bases before J.C. Escarra drew his own walk to push a second run across. It took Severino 32 pitches to escape the frame.
But over the final eight innings, the Yankees could not find a clutch hit or any kind of hit, including going 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position against Severino. Inning-ending double plays halted rallies in the second inning (Judge the double-play victim) and fourth (McMahon).
Severino walked Trent Grisham to begin his fifth and final inning, but bounced back and struck out Judge and later Ben Rice, roaring off the Yankee Stadium mound like it was 2017.
Will Warren (4 ²/₃ innings, two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out five) was not sharp but kept the Yankees around.
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Both runs the righty allowed arrived in the fourth, when the team that used to be from Oakland put together a two-out rally.
Consecutive singles from Lawrence Butler, Max Muncy and Jeff McNeil — the last a shot through the left side of the infield that resulted in Butler diving home just ahead of a throw from Cody Bellinger — scored one run. After Warren walked No. 9 hitter Carlos Cortes to load the bases, he dirted a curveball that bounced off Escarra, the wild pitch tying the game.
Warren got into more trouble in the fifth largely not his doing: Tyler Soderstrom grounded to first base, and a poor hop bounded off the top of Rice’s glove and into foul territory for a two-base error.
A walk to Brent Rooker put two on, before Tim Hill entered with two outs and needed one pitch to retire Butler and escape the inherited danger.
