NEW YORK -- Although the A’s lost to the Yankees, 4-3, in 11 innings on Saturday afternoon, right-hander Homer Bailey showed once again how tough he is on the Bombers. Outside of allowing two solo home runs to Gary Sanchez, he kept the top team in the American League East in check throughout the day.

“That was kind of the theme of the game,” Bailey said. “They beat us with four solo shots. We played really well against them. They have one of the best records in the league. When you have two teams that want to win every game, you are going to lose some. You are going to lose some tight ones. Sometimes, that’s how it goes.”

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Bailey left the game after 5 2/3 innings, having allowed four hits with nine strikeouts. He exited with runners on first and second with two outs, but reliever Blake Treinen came in and induced Sanchez to ground out to end the inning.

“I think it was par for the course for what the bullpen has done for us this year,” Bailey said. “Treinen came in and got the out when I came out. [The relievers] held the fort down for a few innings.”

In three starts against the Yankees this season, Bailey has allowed four runs in 17 1/3 innings.

“I don’t know. Maybe they are catching me on the right day. I don’t think it’s one thing in particular. It would be really hard to say,” Bailey said.

Said Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge of his club’s struggles at the plate outside of their home runs: “Their pitcher was doing well, working the corners, and the bullpen kinda frustrated us a little bit.”

Bailey has been a solid acquisition since the Athletics brought him over from the Royals on July 14 of this year, winning five games in nine starts.

Oakland has a tough time scoring runs

The Athletics left 15 runners on base against the Yankees on Saturday afternoon, loading the bases three times without scoring.

“[The Yankees] were giving us opportunities to take that one and we couldn’t do it,” said center fielder Mark Canha. “We have to have better at-bats tomorrow. We were right on the cusp of breaking it open a couple of times. We needed that one more hit. It didn’t work out unfortunately.”

Oakland even thought they had taken the lead in the 10th inning when Matt Chapman hit a ball to deep right field. It looked like it was going over the wall, but Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge took advantage of his 6-7 frame and jumped at the warning track to make the catch.

“I was sure hoping it would go out,” Canha said. “I was willing it to go out.”

“You have a 10-foot outfielder out there in right field. It probably goes out if he doesn’t catch it. It was a game of inches today. They finally got the big hit,” Athletics manager Bob Melvin said.