Sacramento A’s pitcher Mitch Spence (28) delivers a fifth inning pitch to the New York Mets at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Fri Apr 11, 2025 (AP News photo)

Friday, April 11, 2025

Sutter Health Park

New York Mets 7 (9-4)

Sacramento Athletics 6 (5-9)

Win: Griffin Canning (1-1)

Loss: JP Sears (1-2)

Save: Edwin Diaz (3)

Time: 3:21

Attendance: 9,632

By Stephen Ruderman

WEST SACRAMENTO–The A’s put up an impressive fight, but fell just short in a 7-6 loss to the New York Mets to open this three-game series at Sutter Health Park.

It was another beautiful night for baseball at the A’s rental home here in West Sacramento. The clouds illuminated a beautiful sunset on a 73-degree evening on the shores of the Sacramento River.

The A’s were looking for their second win in Sacramento, and they would face another strong team in the New York Mets. Like the Padres, the Mets had a large contingency of fans in attendance in their trip to valley.

The left-hander, JP Sears, would take the ball for Sacramento, as he would try to set the tone in this series. Sears got off to a good start by pitching a scoreless top of the first inning.

However, Brandon Nimmo led off the top of the second with a home run to right-center field. Later in the inning, back-to-back doubles by Luisangel Acuna and Luis Torrens plated another run to make it 2-0.

Mets’ starter Griffin Canning began his night with a 1-2-3 bottom of the first. The A’s then got on the board in the bottom of the second on a two-out base-hit the other way to right off the bat of Miguel Andujar.

Sears was in trouble again in the top of the third, but got out of it thanks to a nice sliding catch by right-fielder Lawrence Butler next to the side wall in foul territory. Canning, too, survived a jam in the bottom of the third. Brent Rooker tripled with one out, but he was cut down at the plate on a ground ball off the bat of Tyler Soderstrom.

Sears was back in trouble in the top of the fourth, as the Mets got a runner to second with nobody out. However, like the inning before, Sears was able to get out of it unscathed.

Unfortunately for Sears, he would not be able to work out of another jam in the top of the fifth. Juan Soto singled to lead off the inning, and Pete Alonso knocked him in with a double to left-center to make it 3-1. That did it for Sears, as Mark Kotsay made the move for Mitch Spence. Spence got out of the inning without any further damage to keep it a 3-1 game.

Sears threw 101 pitches over just four-plus innings, as he gave up three runs and six hits. Sears only walked one, and he struck out seven.

Meanwhile, Canning threw a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the fourth, and he survived a jam in the bottom of the fifth.

Spence was back out for the top of the sixth, and the Mets would open it up. Jose Siri walked with one out, and Francisco Lindor reached on an error by second-baseman Max Muncy. Juan Soto then walked to load the bases for Pete Alonso, who knocked Siri in with a sacrifice fly to right to make it 4-1.

Up came the longtime veteran and former A, Starling Marte. Marte hit a double over the head of center-fielder JJ Bleday and off the bottom of the wall in straightaway center, and Lindor and Soto sored to make it 6-1.

However, the A’s bounced right back in the bottom of the sixth. Shea Langerliers doubled to lead off the inning, and Wilson knocked him in with a one-out base-hit off the end of the bat to right-center to make it 6-2. The throw home from right-fielder Juan Soto allowed Wilson to move up to second.

Up came Andujar, who hit one out to left, and just like that the A’s got all three runs back to make it 6-4. That also did it for Canning.

Reed Garrett came in for Metropolitans, and the A’s loaded the bases against him with two outs. Soderstrom then came up and hit a bullet to right, which got this crowd going, but it was right to Juan Soto, and that ended the inning.

Jose Leclerc came in for Oakland and threw a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the seventh. Leclerc was an out away from another 1-2-3 inning in the top of the eighth, but Pete Alonso hit a line-drive home run down the line in left to make it 7-4.

Ryne Stanek and A.J. Minter pitched 1-2-3 innings in the bottom of the seventh and eighth respectively for the Mets. Jason Alexander then threw a scoreless top of the ninth for the A’s.

The Mets brought in their electric closer, Edwin Diaz, to try and get the save in the bottom of the ninth. Diaz has struggled at the start of the season, and those struggles would carry into this one.

Lawrence Butler walked on four pitches to start the inning and advanced to second on defensive indifference. Soderstrom then walked on a wild pitch, and Butler went to third. Langeliers then lined a double down the left field line, which scored Butler to make it 7-5.

Bleday got Soderstrom home with a sacrifice fly to left-center to make it a one-run game at 7-6. The A’s had the tying run in Max Schueman, who had come in to pinch-run for Langeliers, at second. However, Wilson grounded out to second, and the A’s fell just short.

Griffin Canning got the win; JP Sears took the loss; and Edwin Diaz picked up his third save of the young season.

The A’s fall to 5-9 and last place in the American League West.

The A’s will look to bounce back against the Mets’ left-hander, David Peterson (1-0, 2.53 ERA) Saturday afternoon. The A’s have yet to announce their starter. First pitch will be at 1:05 p.m.