Oakland Athletics’ Nick Allen, left, douses Jonah Bride with iced water after the team’s 2-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves in a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Tuesday, May 30, 2023. (AP News photo)

Atlanta (32-23).  001 000 000 –  1.  4. 1

Oakland (12-45)  000 010 001. – 2.  5. 0

Time: 2:19    

Attendance: 5,116

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–On this day in 1899, the Cleveland Spiders split a Memorial Day doubleheader with the Boston Beaneaters, losing the first game, 7-3, but winning the nightcap by the score of 6-3. In the process they raised their season’s record to 8-25, .242. The combined attendance for the two games played in The Hub was 8,500.

On this day in 1962, the New York Mets lost both ends of a double header at home in the Polo Grounds to the by then Los Angeles Dodgers, 13-6 and 6-5. Sandy Koufax was the winning pitcher in the first game. The twin setbacks dropped the Mets’ record to 12-29, .293.

Tuesday, the still Oakland Athletics, having snapped their 11 game losing streak, won their second straight game in a thrilling come from behind walk off error committed by Braves third baseman Austin Raley who couldn’t handle the line drive off the bat of A’s hitter Seth Brown 2-1. For Oakland’s win over the NL East leading Atlanta Braves.

Before the game began, the A’s announced that they had reinstated Paul Blackburn from the 15 day IL. He hasn’t thrown a pitch in the major leagues since last August 4th and has gone 0-0, 7.50 in a half a dozen rehab starts for Stockton in the low class A California League and the AAA Las Vegas Aviators so far this year. They also recalled  infielder Jonah Bride from the Aviators. Remember that name.

Oakland also optioned Garrett Acton, whjo had been getting pretty lit up in relief for the parent team to their Vegas farm club and DFA’d veteran Jesús Aguilar.

Oakland’s starting pitcher, JP Sears brought an ugly 0-3, 4.70 season’s record to the mound, but those figures are somewhat misleading. He was 0-3, 5.97 on the road but 0-0, 2.86 at home. He pitched very well tonight, going six full innings before he was lifted for Austin Pruitt to start the seventh.

Sears held the Braves to four hits, including a home run that resulted in the only run scored against him; it was earned. He threw 90 pitches, 50 for strikes. He got a no decision but lowered his ERA to 4.37

Bryce Elder, Atlanta’s right handed pitcher was making his 11th start of the year and first ever against the green and gold. He came with a National League leading ERA of 2.01 and a 3-0 won-lost record.

He performed brilliantly tonight, going 7-1/3 innings and giving up  only five hits. He left having yielded one run, which was earned. He, like Sears, got a no decision. He threw 95 pitches, 63 for strikes and brought his already low ERA down to 1.92.

The Braves drew first blood, with Kevin Pillar taking Sears deep to lead off the third. His homer to left just eluded the glove of a leaping JJ  Bleday.

The Athletics drew even in the home fifth. Shea Langeliers smacked a strong single to left and made it around to third on Nick Allen’s single to center. Esteury Ruíz sent the A’s catcher home with another single, this one to center. Then Noda grounded into an inning ending 4-6-3 double play.

Pruitt retired the five batters he faced in the seventh and eighth before yielding to Sam Moll face Michael Harris II, Atlanta’s number nine batter and,  Moll, left handed. The tactic worked; Harris fanned, and we went to the bottom of the eighth with the score tied at one all.

Elder got Allen out on a pop up, but he walked Ruíz and was removed in favor of AJ Minter, the only southpaw in the Atlanta bullpen. He picked Ruíz off, a play that Oakland appealed but New York upheld.

Moll retired Ronald Acuña, Jr. and Matt Olson in the top of the seventh and then passed the ball to Shintaro Fujinami, who’s been reshaping  himself as a reliever. He got Austin Riley to foul out to Langeliers.

Atlanta turned to Raisel Iglesias to stave off the A’s in the bottom of the ninth. He walked Brown. Jace Peterson pinch hit for Díaz and went down swinging.  

Laureano walked on four pitches. Bleday walked to load the bases, bringing Bride, who had been 0 for 3, to the plate.  He hit a sharp grounder to third. Riley bobbled the ball and threw home … too late, and the A’s pulled off their second upset in a row.

Fujinami was the winning pitcher, improving his record to 2-5, 12.00.

The A’s will go for the – dare I say it? – a sweep tomorrow, Wednesday, afternoon at 12:37. James Kaprielian (0-5,8.45) is scheduled to go against Atlanta’s Jared Shuster (1-2, 5.33).