Oakland A’s hitter Tony Kemp takes strike three in the top of the ninth inning at T Mobile Field in Seattle against the Seattle Mariners on Thu Jun 30, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

 Oakland’s offense came to life Thursday night against the Seattle Mariners. A’s hitters blasted three home runs and scored six times, but it was not enough as they lost to the Mariners 8-6. The A’s play the Mariners three more times before returning home to Oakland. 

The A’s started rookie Adrian Martinez Thursday night. Martinez was making his second Major League start. His first start came on May 10th when he beat the Detroit Tigers. Logan Gilbert was on the mound for Seattle.

The Mariners drew first blood in the bottom of the first inning. Martinez hit the M’s outstanding rookie center-fielder, Julio Rodriguez, with a pitch. Martinez went to third on a double by Jessie Winker.

Martinez walked Mariners’ third baseman Eugenio Suarez to load the bases with no out. Martinez retired Carlos Santana for the first out. Martinez got Abraham Toro to foul out to left fielder Tony Kemp. Rodriguez tagged up and scored on the play as Kemp’s throw was not in time to nail Rodriguez. A’s catcher Sean Murphy threw out Winker as he tried to advance to third. Seattle leads 1-0

The A’s tied the game in the top of the third. Elvis Andrus led off the inning with a blast into the left-field seats. The tie didn’t last long as Julio Rodriguez hit his 13th home run. It was the fourth homer that Rodriguez hit against Oakland in seven games. Seattle led 2-1 after three.

The Mariners plated two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Adam Frazier singled. The next hitter, Dylan Moore, hitting a buck sixty-three, homered to make it a 4-1 game.

The A’s tied the game in the top of the fifth. With one out and Nick Allen at first, Tony Kemp singled, sending Allen to third. Ramon Laureano homered into the right-field seats to tie the game. The tie didn’t last long as Seattle scored four times in their half of the fifth.

With one out and a man on first, Carlos Santana singled to put men on at first and third. Abraham Toro singled to make it 5-4. Oakland’s manager Mark Kotsay brought in lefty A.J.Puk to pitch to the Mariners’ catcher Cal Raleigh.

Raleigh loves to hit against Oakland. He came through with a booming fly ball that bounced off Skye Bolt’s glove for a triple. Raleigh scored on Nick Allen’s throw past third baseman Sheldon Neuse. The Mariners in front 8-4.

The A’s added a run in the eighth, and Ramon Laureano hit a solo home run in the ninth to make it 8-6. Seattle held on to win 8-6. Seattle has won 17 of the last 19 games played against Oakland.

Game Notes: With the loss, the A’s are now 25-53. Seattle improved to 37-41. Adrian Marinez was the losing pitcher. He went 4.2 innings, allowing seven runs and seven hits. Seattle’s Logan Gilbert won the game and is now 9-3.

The hitting stars for Oakland were Ramon Laureano with two home runs and Sheldon Neuse with three hits and a walk.

The A’s announced from their press releases several player moves on Thursday. 

The Oakland Athletics recalled right-handed pitcher Adrián Martínez from Triple-A Las Vegas, selected infielder Vimael Machín from Las Vegas, and reinstated outfielder Skye Bolt from the 60-day injured list, the club announced today.

The A’s also placed Jed Lowrie on the 10-day injured list retroactive to June 27 with a sprained left shoulder and optioned right-handed pitcher Adam Oller and outfielder Cristian Pache to Las Vegas. To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, the A’s designated left-handed pitcher Adam Kolarek for assignment.

There was a significant decision made by the BCDC that improved the A’s chances of staying in Oakland. The story follows below from KTVU Fox 2 News.

The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission voted Thursday to move forward with the Oakland A’s stadium project at Howard Terminal.

The commission voted 23 to 2 to reclassify a 56-acre terminal at the Port of Oakland as a mixed-use area where a new ballpark could be built. The vote is the first in a series of legal hurdles the team would have to overcome before it gets permission to break ground for the project.

The BCDC must give its permission whenever a port is to be used for a non-maritime purpose, such as a ballpark or stadium. 

Other government bodies, including the Oakland City Council, must still vote on the A’s plans.

Mayor Libby Schaaf said the vote is a step in the right direction.

“Today’s vote moves Oakland toward a more prosperous future. Our city has historically been overlooked for major economic development, but today that story about Oakland changes,” Schaaf said. 

The proposed 56-acre ballpark at the port has garnered some strong support and opposition.

“It’s a maritime port, a working maritime port, the fourth largest with 80,000 workers. By having a hotel and stadium and 3000 luxury condo units, you’re actually gentrifying and hurting the port,” said Steve Zeltzer of Schools and Labor Against Privatization.

The Oakland City Council will be attempting to put a non-binding advisory measure on the ballot in November. If they are to stay in Oakland, the A’s have several obstacles to overcome. Let’s hope things continue to go well in the A’s desire to build here.