By DANIEL DULLUM
Sports Radio Service
Wednesday, March 30, 2016

photo by: twitter.com–Oakland A’s Chad Pinder socked a home run in Wednesday’s game in Mesa AZ

MESA, Arizona – The Oakland Athletics’ exodus from Hohokam Stadium wasn’t aided by a 3-hour, 24-minute game on spring training getaway day, but the buses were rolling en route to the Bay Area by 4 p.m.

Oakland’s starters had a jump start – they were out of the game, won by Arizona 12-9, by the third inning. The A’s finished up the Cactus League contest with an assortment of Nashville Sounds Midland Rockhounds and Stockton Ports.

Before the game, the A’s announced that right-hander R.J. Alvarez underwent successful surgery on his right elbow. A debridement of the elbow was performed by a Bay Area surgeon. No timetable was announced for his return to the active roster.

On Tuesday, the A’s optioned right-hander Jesse Hahn to Triple-A Nashville.

The Athletics, Visit Oakland and the City of Oakland are hosting a flag raising event at Oakland at 1 p.m. Friday. Dignitaries expected to attend include Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, A’s President Michael Crowley, Manager Bob Melvin, and special guest dignitary A’s mascot Stomper. The event kicks off Oakland A’s Spirit Week, which runs through Opening Night on April 4 when the A’s host the Chicago White Sox at O.co Coliseum.

THE GAME
Arizona won by surging ahead with six runs in the fifth inning and two more in the sixth, taking an 8-7 lead at that juncture. The A’s took their final lead at 9-8 before the Diamondbacks scored single runs in the seventh and eighth and two in the ninth.

A’s starter Rich Hill worked 4 1/3 innings, striking out two with three walks. Sean Doolittle and Tucker Healy were each credited with a blown save, and the loss was hooked on Trey Cochran-Gill (0-1).

Arizona reliever Silvino Bracho (2-0) struck out three in 1 2/3 innings for the win, and Nick Sariandes threw an adventurous ninth – one hit, two walks and three strikeouts – to earn a save.

Oakland received two-run homers from Chad Pinder and Matt Chapman. Chris Coughlan drove in two runs, giving him 11 for the spring.

Wellington Castillo and Chad Oberacker homered for the D-Backs.

Oakland used 28 players in their Arizona finale for 2016, while Arizona used 24. The announced crowd of 5,335 got a good glimpse of both team’s farmhands.

TAGS: Oakland Athletics,Cactus League,Sports Radio Service,Daniel Dullum