Street, bullpen fall apart in New York

NEW YORK — The trade rumors hardly are dying down regarding the A’s, with closer Huston Street thought to be the next player who might be dealt.

How prospective teams gauge him at this time is unknown, particularly after Street let another would-be victory slip away in the ninth inning Saturday against the New York Yankees.

The Bombers eventually pulled out a 4-3 victory in the bottom of the 12th when A’s reliever Lenny DiNardo hit Jose Molina in the right knee with the bases loaded, providing a fitting conclusion to a wacky afternoon in the Bronx.

DiNardo was the seventh pitcher manager Bob Geren used in the 4-hour, 45-minute marathon.

The bullpen would have been saved a healthy amount of work had Street taken care of business in the ninth, which he fully knew.

The A’s have tied their season high with four straight losses. In the two games in which they’ve been in position to win, Street has surrendered a lead in the ninth.

He gave up two runs last Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels leading into the All-Star break, and his 77.2 percent save rate (17-for-22) is the lowest in the American League.

“You have to,” Street said when asked if it’s easy to put such games behind him. “If you don’t then you’re done. That’s the test of any pitcher at this level. My last two outings I’ve felt like I’ve had good stuff, but I ran into some good at-bats.”

Geren didn’t express concern about Street’s recent outings.

“His velocity is there, everything’s there,” Geren said. “He’s feeling fine.”

With the A’s a season-high eight games back in the American League West and five back for the wild card, trade speculation will continue.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that the Brewers are scouting this series, presumably to watch Street.

The right-hander hardly shouldered the full blame Saturday. The A’s were 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position and struck out 18 times, just one off the franchise record set in 1997 against Seattle.

But things looked promising in the top of the ninth. The A’s broke a 2-2 tie against All-Star closer Mariano Rivera, who allowed just his sixth earned run in 39 appearances.

Ryan Sweeney shot a single down the left-field line to score Rajai Davis, who entered as a pinch runner and stole second after Jack Hannahan singled.

With a 3-2 lead, Street appeared to catch a break in the bottom of the ninth when pinch runner Justin Christian—running for Jason Giambi, who led off with a walk—stumbled and fell while attempting to steal second and was tagged out.

But with two outs and nobody on, Robinson Cano smoked a double to left-center. Wilson Betemit tied it with a single on an 0-2 slider that Street threw low but not low enough.

“If I could have that pitch back, I would have bounced it instead of (throwing it) at his ankles,” Street said.

DiNardo was pitching for the second straight day in relief, a tough task for someone who had been starting in Triple-A before he was called up Friday.

He had little margin for error in the 12th with the bases loaded and one out. He threw a 1-2 cutter that broke too far in and hit the right-handed hitting Molina on the knee cap.

“That last pitch I thought was the right (pitch to throw),” DiNardo said. “With two strikes, I’m not trying to give him a cookie over the middle of the plate.”

New York OF-DH Johnny Damon (sprained left shoulder) took batting practice on the field and pronounced himself ready to come off the disabled list Sunday as a DH. The Yankees were still deciding whether to activate him.

Oakland 1B Wes Bankston, just called up from the minors, began cramping up late in the game and was pulled for pinch-hitter Emil Brown in the 12th. Brown remained in the game at 1B, his first major league appearance in the infield.