Sacramento A’s players are all about the congratulations after defeating the Seattle Mariners in ten innings at T Mobile Field in Seattle on Sat Aug 22, 2025 (AP News photo)

Langeliers Lifts Sacramento to 2-1 Extra Inning Thriller

By Mauricio Segura

For nine innings at T-Mobile Park, the Sacramento Athletics and the Seattle Mariners traded zeros like boxers circling one another, neither willing to blink. It was a heated contest where every pitch carried weight, every swing felt decisive, and both lineups discovered how elusive runs can be on a night dominated by pitching and defense. The A’s finally found daylight in the tenth, seizing a 2-1 victory that showcased grit more than fireworks.

Sacramento broke the stalemate first in the fourth inning when Jacob Wilson doubled to center and Darell Hernaiz followed with a line drive single to plate him. The early run gave Jeffrey Springs something to work with, and the left-hander responded by inducing weak contact and letting his defense shine behind him.

Tyler Soderstrom was particularly steady in left field, robbing Julio Rodríguez of sharp contact and turning potential damage into outs. But Seattle wasn’t about to go quietly. Randy Arozarena, who had been kept quiet in his first two trips, tied the game with a solo blast in the sixth, a reminder that one mistake can change everything.

From that point, the bullpens traded zeroes with an almost surgical precision. Michael Kelly, Sean Newcomb, and Tyler Ferguson combined for scoreless relief, striking out five over three innings. Seattle’s arms were equally stubborn, with George Kirby and his successors silencing Sacramento bats just enough to force the game beyond regulation.

By the ninth, both clubs were gasping for a breakthrough. The Athletics nearly broke through in the eighth after a leadoff walk, but a pair of pop-ups killed the chance. Seattle likewise threatened in the seventh, only to see Victor Robles stranded at second after swiping a bag.

It took the pressure-cooker rules of extra innings to finally crack the Mariners. Colby Thomas began the tenth on second base, and Brett Harris, fresh off the bench, executed a textbook sacrifice bunt to move him to third.

The Athletics had been searching all night for one swing with meaning, and Shea Langeliers delivered it, drilling a sharp double down the right-field line to bring Thomas home. The dugout erupted, finally exhaling after so many squandered chances. Sacramento added baserunners but couldn’t stretch the lead further, leaving Seattle three outs to respond.

The Mariners threatened in the bottom half, putting runners aboard when Jorge Polanco walked and J.P. Crawford reached on a fielder’s choice. With the tying run at second and the winning run on base, Hogan Harris was called upon to clean up the mess.

He got exactly what the Athletics needed: a grounder to third from Arozarena, where Brett Harris calmly initiated the force at second to end it. The final out was less a roar than a sigh of relief, the kind of finish that underscored just how fragile the margin was all night.

Langeliers’ double will rightfully be remembered as the decisive swing, but this game belonged equally to the Athletics’ arms. Springs kept Seattle off balance, while the bullpen backed him with shutdown efficiency.

Wilson’s early knock and Hernaiz’s timely RBI set the table, and Harris’ sacrifice in extras proved just as critical as the double that followed. Baseball purists might call it a throwback game, on scoring, tight defense, and just enough offense to matter. For Sacramento, it was a statement win that showed this club can grind as hard as anyone when runs are scarce.

Starting pitchers for Sunday’s contest at T Mobile: For the A’s LHP Jacob Lopez (7-6 ERA 3.28) for the M’s RHP Logan Gilbert (3-5 ERA 3.85) first pitch at 1:10pm PT.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

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