Oakland Athletics’ Sean Murphy (12) get congratulated by Jed Lowrie (8) after Murphy’s three run third inning blast off Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Shane McClanahan at Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay on Wed Apr 13, 2022 (AP NEWS PHOTO)

By Jerry Feitelberg

On Wednesday evening, the Oakland A’s (3-3) sent their ace, Frankie Montas, to the hill to face the Tampa Bay Rays (4-2) at Tropicana Field. The A’s hoped to rebound from a loss Tuesday night to the Rays.

The A’s made three errors in that game, and A’s skipper Mark Kotsay wanted them to correct their ways. The Rays, winners of the AL East in 2019 and 2021, and playing the Dodgers in the World Series in 2020. The Rays, much like the A’s, are a small market team and do not draw well.

Their front office operates similar to the A’s. They do not have a huge payroll. They trade their expensive players for prospects. They develop pitchers as well as position players. Their young players include Brandon Lowe, Wander o, Rookie of the Year for 2021, and Randy Arozarena.

Add in Ji-Man Choi, Yandy Diaz, Manuel Margot, and Kevin Kiermaier, and one can see how the Rays have been built into a contender. Montas’ task was to shut down the Rays’ potent lineup. Frankie came through for his club.

He earned his first win of the season as he went six and one-third innings and allowed five hits and two runs. One of the runs was unearned. The A’s won the game 4-2 to even their record for 2021 at 3-3.

The A’s offense put three runs on the board in the top of the third. With one out, Rays’ starter Shane McClanahan walked Jed Lowrie and Stephen Piscotty. The next hitter, Sean Murphy, homered to put the A’s in the lead. For the third consecutive game, the A’s grabbed a 3-0 lead on the strength of a three-run dinger.

The Rays put a run on the board in the bottom of the fourth Rays first baseman Ji-Man Choi, a very hot hitter, hit a solo blast leading off the Rays’ half of the fourth. Montas settled down and retired the next three hitters.

The A’s added an insurance run in the top of the seventh. Shortstop Elvis Andrus continued his hot start with a double to left. Rays’ reliever Dusten Knight retired the next two hitters. A’s centerfielder, Cristian Pache, who came to Oakland from Atlanta in the trade for Matt Olson, singled to drive in Andrus with the A’s fourth run of the night.

Tampa scored an unearned run in their half of the seventh. Yandy Diaz led off the frame with a single. He went to second on an error by second baseman Sheldon Neuse. A’s manager Mark Kotsay brought in lefty Kirby Snead to pitch.

Snead gave up a hit to Rays catcher Francisco Mejia. Taylor Walls, pinch-running for Diaz, scored on the play. The A’s led 4-2 after seven.

Zach Jackson pitched a scoreless eighth for the A’s, and Lou Trivino shut the Rays down in the ninth to earn his first save of the year.

Game Notes- With the win, the A’s are 3-3. The A’s have earned at least a split of the four-game series. Game four will start at 10:10 am. Lefty Cole Irvin will go for Oakland, and the Rays’ have yet to announce their starting pitcher.

A’s catcher Sean Murphy hit his first home run of the year. He had 17 big flys last year. Montas is now 1-1 for the year.

The time of the game was three hours and one minute. Attendance at Tropicana Field continues to be dismal. Only 8954 people were on hand to see the A’s down the Rays.