Oakland Athletics’ Mark Canha (20) runs the bases after hitting a three run homerun off San Francisco Giants’ Trevor Gott in the ninth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-Does it bear repeating that the ninth inning for the San Francisco Giants over the first two games of this three-game series have been a nightmare.

Mark Canha hit three-run home run on a 3-2 pitch with two outs in the top of the ninth inning, as the Oakland A’s came back to defeat the Giants 7-6 at Oracle Park.

Canhas home run came off of Trevor Gott, who gave up Stephen Piscottys game-tying grand slam on Friday night that tied up the game.

Gott looked shaky in his 0.2 innings of work, as he gave up a lead-off home run to Sean Murphy on the first pitch, then after Marcus Semien popped out for the first out of the inning, Tony Kemp doubled to centerfield, Gott then retired Matt Chapman on a lineout to Hunter Pence for the second out; however, Matt Olson then walked and then Canha launched his three-run home run that gave the A’s the lead for good.

Darin Ruf, who spent the last few seasons in South Korea, playing in the Korean Baseball Organization, hit a three-run home run off of Burch Smith in the bottom of the seventh inning,

Asides from Ruf, the star of the day was Kevin Gausman, who despite the fact that he did not fare in the decision, pitched a great game.

Gausman went 5.2 innings, allowing three runs on five hits, walked three and struck out a career-high 11 along the way.

The A’s, who scored the final six runs in a memorable 8-7 win on Friday night got to Gausman in the top of the third inning, as Marcus Semien hit a two-run home run to give the A’s a 2-0 lead. Also, scoring on the Semien home run, his second of the season, Vimael Machin, who picked up his first major league hit.

Mike Yastrzemski gave the Giants the lead in the bottom of the third inning in the very unconventional way, as he tripled to right field that scored Austin Slater and Donovan Solano, and Yastrzemski scored, as Semiens throw bounced into the dugout for a throwing error.

Matt Olson, whose last seven hits were all home runs made it 8-for-8, as he homered for the eighth time this season, a solo home run that landed on the netting in straightaway center field.

Solano extended his career-high hitting streak up to 17 games, as he singled in four at-bats in the game and is now batting a robust .433 on the season.

Evan Longoria got the seventh inning rally started, as he doubled to lead off the inning, then Wilmer Flores singled him to third, then after Hunter Pence struck out for the first out of the inning, Ruf planted a Smith pitch into the left field bleachers to give the Giants the lead.

T.J. McFarland struck out the only batter he faced to pick up the win for the A’s, his second win of the season, while Liam Hendricks, despite the fact that he allowed a walk to pinch hitter Alex Dickerson was able to get Dubon to pop out to Kemp for the final out and the A’s won for the second day in a row in dramatic fashion.

NOTES: By allowing four more home runs on the afternoon, the Giants opponents have now hit 36 home runs on the season, the second most in the major leagues behind division rival, the Arizona Diamondbacks, who have allowed 43 coming into the game.

The Giants have now allowed home runs in 18-consecutive games, the longest streak in franchise history, this according to STATS, LLC.

Last night was the Giants’ first loss after leading by five or more runs in the ninth inning or later since June 25, 1929 vs. Brooklyn (led 10-5, lost 12-10 in ten innings). according to Stats, LLC, the Giants had won their last 2,133 games when leading by five-plus runs in the 9th or later before last night, the longest such streak in the modern era.

UP NEXT: Logan Webb will take the mound in the finale of the series on Sunday afternoon, while the As have not yet announced their starter.