Chicago Cubs’ Cody Bellinger hits an RBI single against the Oakland Athletics during the eighth inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Tue Apr 18, 2023 (AP News photo)

Chicago (NL) 000 000 040. -4 8 1

Oakland. 000 000 000 -0 2 1

Time: 2:54

Attendance: 5,196

Tuesday, April 18, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–Your Oakland Athletics reported for work today dragging a five game losing streak and a won-lost record of 3-14 behind them. That record, incidentally gave them a winning percentage of .176. If that were a batting average it would be 12 percent below the Mendoza line. Their starting pitchers had an ERA of 9.39; the bullpen, one of 5.97. The team’s fielding percentage over its initial 17 contests was .981, third worst in the American League and only four percentage points over the league worst Boston Red Sox.

So it came as a surprise that the A’s battled the Cubs through seven innings tonight before succumbing to a four run eighth inning Chicago outburst in the episode that doomed the host to their sixth consecutive loss 4-0.

Before game time, the A’s announced that they had placed Dany Jiménez on the 15 day injured list, effective yesterday and in his place recalled pitcher Adam Oller from their Las Vegas Aviators affiiliate in the PCL. Before being optioned to Vegas, he had an ERA of 9.00 and an opponents’ BA of .320 with Oakland.

Oakland’s starting pitcher, Ken Waldichuk woke up this morning with an 0-2, 10.20 record.. He was in trouble early, loading bases with only one down in the first but escaping unscathed. He held the Cubs at bay for the next nine hitters and exited after having throw five shutout innings, in which he allowed five hits, including the dreaded curse of the leadoff double and three walks.

He notched five Ks and threw 102 pitches, 60 for strikes. He reduced his ERA to 7.65 but, leaving with the score tied at zero, was deprived of any chance of being credited with the win. Sam Moll replaced him on the mound to open the sixth and held Chicago scoreless before turning the ball over to James Kaprielian, the erstwhile starter.

The North Siders’ starting pitcher, Starboard Sider Marcus Stroman, pitched excellently in two of his previous starts and had what is called a “quality start” in the other, giving him a record of 2-1, 1.00 so far this season. He tossed six scoreless innings of two hit, two walk ball, striking out five. He threw an even 100 pitches, 63 counting for strikes. Mark Leioter, Jr, relieved him for the seventh frame and preserved the scoreless tie.

It was Trevor May on the mound for the green and gold inthe top of the eighth. And it was May who proved to be the weak link in the chain of Athletics hurlers. He walked Seiya Suzuki on four pitches. Patrick Wisdom followed that with a double to left that moved Wisdom to third.

Yan Gomes sent a liner off Mays’ glove over to shortstop Kevin Smith, who threw Wisdom out at first, allowing Wisdom to score. That brought Richard Lovelady in from the bullpen. After Eric Hosmer grounded out to first, moving Bellinger to third. Nick Madrigal, who had run for Luis Torrens in the seventh, singled to enter, plating Bellinger and upping the Cubs’ lead to 3-0.

Conner Capel then dropped Hoerner’s fly ball to right for a two base error, and it was 4-0. That was it for Lovelady. The newly recalled Adam Oller stopped the bleeding, getting Swanson to fly out to Capel. This time he held on to the ball.

Leiter was the pitcher of record when Michael Fulmer relieved hin for the home eigth , allowing nothing but a walk to Noda. That made Leiter the winning pitcher. He now stands at 1-0, 0.00.

Oller stayed on too pitch the top of the ninth for Oakland and held A’s deficit to a seemingly insurmountable four runs.

Michael Rucker showed it was insurmountable, earning his first save.

May took the loss. His record now stands at an ugly 2-3, 12.00.

The series will continue tomorrow, Wednesday, at 12:37. Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Justin Steele (2-0,1.42) will face the Athletics’ Mason Miller (0-0 ERA 0.00)