Sep 16, 2023; Oakland, California, USA; San Diego Padres catcher Brett Sullivan (29) appeals to the third base umpire on a check swing by Oakland Athletics first baseman Ryan Noda (49) during the fifth inning at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Noda was ruled out on the play. Credit: D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023

Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

Oakland, California

San Diego Padres 5 (71-78)

Oakland Athletics 2 (46-102)

Win: Matt Waldron (1-3)

Loss: Mason Miller (0-3)

Save: Josh Hader (29)

Time: 3:15

Attendance: 14,376

By Stephen Ruderman

OAKLAND–The San Diego Padres beat the Oakland A’s, 5-2, in the second game of this three-game series on a partly cloudy Saturday afternoon at the Oakland Coliseum to hand the A’s their third-straight loss.

The A’s sent the young right-hander, Mason Miller, to the mound. Miller, who was making his second start since coming off the 60-Day Injured List, struggled with his control.

Miller walked Ha-Seong Kim, following a 1-2 count, to start the game; and then Fernando Tatis Jr. doubled to put runners at second and third with nobody out for Juan Soto, who knocked Kim with a sacrifice fly to right. Xander Bogaerts then hit a donk single off the end of the bat into center for a base-hit to knock in Tatis and make it 2-0 Padres. Miller then issued a pair of two-out walks to load the bases, but he escaped further damage.

“Everytime [I’m] out there is a blessing and an opportunity,” said Miller. “I look to capitalize on things I’m struggling with, [and] make those adjustments week to week, outing to outing.” I don’t want to make any excuses for [my command].”

The knuckleballer, Matt Waldron, got the start for the Padres, and pitched scoreless innings in the bottom of the first and second. The A’s got to Waldron for a run to put the A’s on the board in the bottom of the third, as Nick Allen doubled to left with one out, and scored two batters later on a sacrifice fly to center off the bat of Ryan Noda.

“I think that was my first time getting [a] hit off a knuckleball,” said Allen. “It was nice getting a double, [and] getting in scoring position for the guys.”

Luis Medina succeeded Mason Miller on the mound for the A’s, and threw a 1-2-3 top of the second, as well as a scoreless third. Medina remained in a groove in the top of the fourth, as he struck Trent Grisham out swinging to start the inning, and he got Matthew Batten looking for the second out. However, Medina walked Brett Sullivan, and gave up a single to Kim, which put runners at first and third. Medina walked Tatis to load the bases, and then he walked Soto to give the Padres a run for free.

Waldron pitched a scoreless bottom of the fourth for the Padres, and Medina came back out for the A’s in the top of the fifth. Medina hit Luis Campusano with a pitch to start the inning. He got Ji Man Choi to strike out swinging for the first out; he walked Grisham with one out; and got Batten looking again for the second out.

A’s Manager Mark Kotsay then opted to pull Medina for the lefty, Easton Lucas to face the left-handed-hitting Brett Sullivan. Sullivan hit a chopper to first that was picked up by A’s first-baseman, Ryan Noda, who threw a bouncer that went all the way to the A’s dugout.

Campusano and Grisham both scored to open the Padres’ lead to 5-1. Sullivan was originally awarded second base, but the third base umpire and crew chief, Dan Iassogna, convened the crew, and awarded Sullivan third since he had reached first before Noda got his throw off.

Mark Kotsay wanted an explanation as to why Sullivan was awarded third, and Iassogna checked in with the replay center in New York for a rule’s check, but he was backed up by Approved Ruling of Rule 5.06(b)(4)(G), which states:

“If all runners, including the batter-runner, have advanced at least one base when an infielder makes a wild throw on the first play after the pitch, the award shall be governed by the position of the runners when the wild throw was made.”

Zack Gelof hit a home run to left off Waldron to start the bottom of the sixth to cut the Padres’ lead to 5-2. Seth Brown struck out swinging, but after Aledmys Diaz singled to center, Waldron’s day was done. Padres Manager Bob Melvin brought in Scott Barlow, who gave up an opposite-field single to Lawrence Butler, which brought the tying run to the plate. However, Carlos Perez grounded back to the mound for a 1-4-3 double play to end the inning.

Easton Lucas ended up pitching two innings in total, and with two outs in the top of the seventh, he was replaced by Lucas Erceg, who would’ve ended up pitching a perfect inning and a third had Tatis not reached on an error with two outs in the top of the eighth.

Barlow ended up pitching an inning and a third of scoreless ball for San Diego, as did Robert Surarez. Dany Jimenez pitched a scoreless top of the ninth for the A’s, and the Padres summoned their closer, Josh Hader, for the bottom of the ninth.

Carlos Perez singled to left to start the bottom of the ninth, but Brent Rooker flew out to left; Nick Allen grounded into a fielder’s choice; and Shea Langeliers pinch-hit for Tony Kemp and struck out swinging to end the game.

The A’s will try and salvage a game in this series tomorrow, as they will send the young 6’7” right-hander Joe Boyle to be the opener in his major league debut.

[Joe Boyle] will open tomorrow,” said A’s Manager Mark Kotsay. “We’re looking forward to this day tomorrow to see a young man that [has] earned this opportunity.” said A’s Manager Mark Kotsay.

Stephen Ruderman is a http://www.sportsradioservice.com contributor and podcaster