Sacramento A’s Joshua Kuroda Grauer (44) slugs a fourth inning double against Miami Marlins catcher Joe Mack (90) at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Fri Jul 3, 2026 (Golden Bay Times photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a day off on Thursday in Sacramento, the Athletics welcomed the Miami Marlins to Sutter Health Park for the start of a three-game series on Friday night.

The Marlins’ offense matched the 90-degree temperature early, and the A’s couldn’t overcome it as Miami defeated Sacramento, 12-5.

Jack Perkins took the hill for the A’s in hopes of helping the club start the series strong against the Marlins and carry over the momentum from the final game of the Dodgers series. However, Perkins struggled mightily, especially in the first inning, and lasted just three and two-thirds innings. Perkins gave up six runs in the opening frame, digging himself into a deep hole as he didn’t record an out until after allowing five runs. Overall, Perkins surrendered seven runs on seven hits while walking four and striking out eight.

“Tough first inning,” Kotsay said of Perkins after the game. “We know this team can hit, and when you leave balls middle-middle, you’re going to pay the price. So I think the grand slam obviously was the capper of that inning. Obviously, you get in trouble right away, it spirals a little bit out of control. I thought he did a nice job of settling down…”

Perkins spoke with the media after the game and appeared to be searching for answers.

“Just have to keep working… that’s something I’m always going to do,” Perkins said. “I’m trying to figure this out and I’m trying to get on a roll here, but I’m just not too sure what’s going on. I’ll get back to work tomorrow and hope to figure it out.”

The A’s once again needed a lengthy performance from their bullpen, and they turned to Jose Suarez to begin the relief effort. Suarez recorded the final out of the fourth inning after relieving Perkins and also pitched the fifth. Suarez was excellent, allowing only one walk over an inning and one-third while needing just 19 pitches.

In the sixth inning, Mark Kotsay called on Justin Sterner. Sterner was solid, but one mistake to Kyle Stowers cost him as he surrendered a solo home run, his only blemish in one inning of work.

Mark Leiter Jr. pitched the seventh inning for the A’s and was terrific. Leiter Jr. tossed a hitless frame, striking out two Marlins hitters while needing just 13 pitches.

The A’s ran into trouble again in the eighth inning when Mason Barnett entered the game. It was Kyle Stowers once again who did the damage after Barnett issued a walk before allowing a two-run homer, Stowers’ second home run of the game. Barnett returned for the ninth, and it was more of the same. He surrendered another two-run homer to stretch Miami’s lead to 12-5. Overall, Barnett pitched two innings, allowing four runs on three hits while walking two and striking out two.

Offensively, the A’s battled but ultimately couldn’t produce enough offense to overcome a 6-0 deficit before they even came to the plate.

In the bottom of the third inning, Nick Kurtz got the A’s on the board with a mammoth moonshot over the batter’s eye in center field. Kurtz’s home run left the bat at 113 mph and traveled 457 feet into the Sacramento evening. It was his 20th home run of the season and gave him RBIs Nos. 65 and 66.

The A’s added three more runs in the bottom of the fourth in an attempt to mount a comeback. Jeff McNeil connected for a bases-clearing, three-run double into the left-center gap. At the time, it pulled the A’s within two runs and made it seem as though a comeback was possible, but they failed to score again. Overall, the A’s finished with five runs on nine hits while drawing four walks and striking out eight times.

Mark Kotsay was encouraged by the fight his team showed after falling behind early.

“The offense did their job coming back and getting us back into that game,” Kotsay said. “It was a seven-to-five game at the time, I think. You’re a hit away from tying a game that you were down seven nothing. So there’s a lot of positive to the offense there.”

With the loss, the A’s fell to 41-47 on the season and 1-3 on the homestand.

Shea Langeliers left the game in the fourth inning after taking a ball awkwardly off his left thumb in the first. The A’s said X-rays revealed only a thumb contusion, and he is listed as day to day.

The A’s will face the Marlins in Game 2 of the series on Saturday, July 4, at 6:40 p.m. PDT. The A’s are slated to send Aaron Civale (5-5, 5.05 ERA) to the mound, while the Marlins will counter with Sandy Alcantara (9-4, 4.20 ERA). 

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.