By Jeff Hall
OAKLAND — What a difference a day makes. It was not exactly the way you would expect a team to bounce back after coming off an emotional victory the day before against the red-hot Houston Astros team.
Yesterday it was an elated locker room following the game and a day later it was a gloomy scene. Primarily, because the way in which the game was lost as the A’s fell 4-3 to the Astros.
The A’s took a gritty 3-2 lead into the 9th thanks to a Nate Freiman’s 2-run homer off reliever Jose Veras (4-0) to left that put the A’s in front. But that would be the pinnacle moment for the A’s. Nate Freiman reflected after the loss, “It was disappointing to lose today, after having a lead late., good teams are able to put it behind them.”
Ryan Cook came on to close the game, but Cook couldn’t’ find the strike zone and walked the lead off hitter Marwin Gonzalez to begin the 9th, he then got Jon Singleton to pop out to catcher Geovanny Soto, Cook then walked both Gregorio Petit and Alex Pressley to load the bases.That would be all for Cook (1 – 3) who was replaced by Fernando Abad
Abad allowed a deep fly to center driving in Petit with a sacrifice for the game tying run. The A’s elected to intentionally walk Jose Altuve who has hit the A’s hard this season and then Abad walked Dexter Fowler who picked up what turned out to be the game winning RBI. Jonathan Villar mercifully concluded the inning with a fly out to right caught in foul territory. It was a complete implosion by Cook and the bullpen. In all the Astros scored 2 runs on 5 walks and no hits in the inning It’s a game the A’s will soon want to forget. I couldn’t make pitches, there’s no excuses, I didn’t make pitches, that’s all there is to it.” said Cook following the game.
The A’s got on the board first when Derek Norris grounded out to Altuve that scored Andy Parrino who reached on an error The out could have been an inning ending double play, but Altuve was unable to field the ball cleanly.
The Astros came right back in the top of the 7th. Chris Carter led off the inning with a double high off the right center field wall. Next, Jason Castro walked and both later scored on a single up the middle by former Athletic Gregorio Petit, to give the Astros a 2-1 lead
With the loss the A’s fall 7 behind the Angels who beat the Twins easily today.
The numbers are pretty gloomy A’s fans, the A’s have lost 8 of the last 10 games and 10 of the last 14. They went 2-4 on the brief homestand, losing a series each to Seattle and Houston.
There were a few highlights, Jason Hammel had another quality start for the A’s. Hammel allowed two earned runs in 6.2 innings pitched, striking out 7. Jed Lowrie was 3-4 and has feasted off of Houston pitching. He is batting .369 with 10 runs, 9 rbis and 7 walks against the Astros.
Up next the A’s head to Chicago to Face the Whitesox beginning tomorrow. Sonny Gray (13-8, 3.25) vs. Hector Noesi (8-8, 4.28)
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