Author: Matthew Harrington

Kapanen’s Pair of Goals Caps 5-3 Leafs Win Over Sharks

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

Photo credit: @SanJoseSharks

By Matthew Harrington

SAN JOSE–Concerns about the San Jose Sharks team defense weren’t alleviated Thursday night with the Sharks dropping a 5-3 contest to the Toronto Maple Leafs (13-6-0) at SAP Center on Thursday night. San Jose offseason target John Tavares scored, Kasperi Kapananen netted a pair and Frederik Andersen made 42 saves to seal a Maple Leafs win. Erik Karlsson picked up a pair of assists while Kevin Labanc, Joe Pavelski and Marc-Edouard Vlasic scored for San Jose (10-7-3).

Just like in Tuesday’s game, the Sharks had the lead after a strong 1st period, but unlike the comeback win against Nashville Tuesday, the Sharks couldn’t finish the job Thursday. Toronto scored three unanswered goals in the second and third periods for the win.

Practically every goal could be linked back to a lapse in decision making that made the Sharks vulnerable defensively. The game-tying goal 2:31 into the second came with two Sharks below the Maple Leafs’ goal line and another two along the faceoff dots. That left only Joakim Ryan back as the defender of a 2-on-1 when Brent Burns’ pass was picked off by Tyler Ennis. Ennis fed Josh Leivo, who ripped a shot over Sharks goalie Martin Jones’ blocker for his second of the year.

The game-winning goal proved another egregious play, amplified by the Sharks being on the power play. Pavelski chose a soft backhand chip up the boards from the blue line that Mitch Marner read and picked off easily. His co-winger Kapanen knew his teammate had it and fled the defensive zone, leading to an academic pass and breakaway goal with 7:54 left in the second. The game-winning goal was Kapanen’s 8th of  the year and second of the game.

Mitch Marner tacked on the dagger goal with 6:06 left in the third, taking a stretch pass from his goalie Andersen right at San Jose’s blue line. From there Marner curled to the outside, wrongfooting Jones before firing a shot few in the NHL could save. The Sharks fired a salvo on Andersen, especially with their net empty, but none of their 15 third period shots could tickle the twine.

The goal outage for San Jose was strange after their ability to score at will in the first. The two teams combined for 28 shots and five goals in the first, with the goals coming in all varieties.

First came Tavares’ goal 2:10 into the game. The Sharks aggressively pursued Tavares in the offseason before he inked his seven-year, $77 million deal with Toronto, which led to a chorus of boos every time he touched the puck Thursday. A even louder boo erupted from the crowd after Tavares banked a puck from behind the net off Vlasic’s skate and into the Sharks net for a 1-0 Maple Leafs lead.

The puck luck evened out for the Sharks after Labanc scored 5:28 into the game. Andersen misplayed a dump-in, thinking the puck would carom out the opposite side of the dump instead of following the puck as it came back on the same side. It came right to Labanc for the tap-in and a tie game.

Kapanen’s first goal came on another case of puck mismanagement after Evander Kane tried to peel back while entering the Toronto zone but lost the puck instead, flinging it back after a Johnny Dermott pokecheck. Patrick Marleau picked up the puck and fed Kapanen for the one-time finish and a 2-1 Leafs lead with 8:13 left in the first.

Pavelski scored the Sharks’ lone power play goal in three opportunities after Burns’ shot-fake pass hit the captain on the far post for the soft-touch redirect. Marc-Edouard Vlasic added a one-timer for his first goal of the year with 1:39 left in a highly entertaining first period.

The Sharks continue the homestand, welcoming the St. Louis Blues to the Shark Tank Saturday. They’ll hope to be with Tomas Hertl in the lineup again after he sat out Thursday’s game due to an injury sustained in the the Tuesday tilt with Nashville.

Thornton Joins Elite Company, Scores Game-Winner 5-4 Over Nashville

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

Photo credit: @Sharkfan20

By Jerry Feitelberg

The San Jose Sharks won a seesaw tilt Tuesday night at the SAP Center, seeing a 3-0 lead dissolve into a 4-3 deficit before rallying for a pair goals and 5-4 win. Joe Thornton scored his 400th goal, Joe Pavelski scored twice, Marcus Sorensen had a three point night. Erik Karlsson and Tomas Hertl also notched milestone assists for San Jose’s second win in as many games at home.

The game-winning flurry began with just under seven minutes left oimregulation and the Sharks trailing 4-3. Joe Pavelski netted his second goal of the game and 10th of the year to pull the game even, then Joe Thornton netted the game-winner just 13 seconds later, his 400th NHL goal.

“Jumbo” became just the seventh player to record 400 goals, 1,000 assists and appear in 1,500 games, accomplishing the third feat earlier this season. He joins Jaromir Jagr, Mark Messier, Gordie Howe, Ray Bourque, Ron Francis and Steve Yzerman as the only players to do so. Six of those players are in the Hockey Hall of Fame, with number 19 set to join them when he hangs up his skates.

San Jose led 3-0 after a first period they dominated, out-shooting the Predators 18-5, but the roles were reversed in the second.

Craig Smith scored on a deflection off his skate 4:43 into the period, then a turnover spring Filip Forsberg for a breakaway that he buried just 40 seconds later. Forsberg would beat Jones five-hole with 2:08 left in the period to tie the game heading into the final frame. Nashville pulled closer in the shot differential category after outpacing the Sharks 18-6.

Rocco Grimaldi scored 2:43 into the third period, challenging Joakim Ryan for a Puck at the Predators blue line. The forward picked the puck up and worked Ryan off his back, finishing the play with a back-hand fore-hand deke and his first goal of the year after getting called up in late October to give the Preds a 4-3 edge over a then-lifeless Sharks side.

It looked like San Jose would continue their strong home at and early in the contest after beating the Calgary Flames Sunday. Marcus Sorensen scored 5:09 into the game, outwaiting Predators goalie Juuse Saros, who committed to the butterfly with the forward in the crease. Sorensen was able slide to the side for an open net and his third goal of the year.

Joe Pavelski scored his ninth goal of the year on a power play tip 7:05 into the first, but the assists were the real milestones. Erik Karlsson picked up his 400th career assist, the fifth-most by an active defenseman, and Tomas Hertl’s secondary helper marked his 100th of his career in his second game back from an injury.

Antti Suomela netted his fourth goal on some puck luck thanks to a gaffe from Forsberg. Forsberg went to pass the Puck to a teammate in the defensive end but his rocket hit the boards and bounced dead-center in the slot. Suomela was waiting for it on the forecheck, ripping it over Saros’ glove for a 3-0 edge with just over three minutes left in the first.

The Sharks had their opportunities often, going on five power plays, but only scoring on the one try. Martin Jones made 31 saves in the game. The Sharks continue the homestand Thursday against old friend Patrick Marleau, new enemy John Tavares and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Third Line Steps Up With Hertl Out, Sharks Beat Wild 4-3

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

@SanJoseSharks photo: The San Jose Sharks kept Minnesota Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk (40) busy all night long at SAP Center in San Jose

By Jerry Feitelberg

A late goal from Barclay Goodrow proved the difference-maker for the San Jose Sharks at the SAP Center Tuesday night, with team Teal beating the Minnesota Wild 4-3 after blowing a 3-1 lead. Two’s were wild for San Jose with four different players scoring their 2nd goals of the young season. A newly-formed third line of Joe Thornton, Barclay Goodrow and Marcus Sorensen combined for six points in the win.

With Tomas Hertl out of the lineup, the Sharks (8-4-3) needed some of their depth players on the lower lines to step up and start contributing. Tuesday they did just that, starting with Marcus Sorensen. Sorensen netted the first goal of the contest just under five minutes into play after Brent Burns’ masterful pass left Wild netminder Devan Dubnyk out of position. Sorensen tapped the puck into the empty net for the 1-0 lead. Burns’ assist was his 400th career point as a Shark.

Thornton continued his hot streak in the second period, netting his second goal in as many games since returning to the lineup after his knee infection kept him sidelined for most of the year. The goal was originally credited to Sorensen, who fired a perfect shot, but review showed that it glanced off Thornton’s shoulder and in for a 2-0 lead 5:36 into the second period.

The goal was Thornton’s 399th of his career on a night in which he tied American hockey legend Mike Modano for 19th all-time in games played with 1499. This was one of the first times since joining the Sharks that Thornton didn’t appear in the team’s top six forwards, instead centering the third line between Sorensen and Goodrow, who each assisted on Thornton’s goal.

Zach Parise scored with 7:04 left in the middle period before Antti Suomela added to the Sharks lead with just under three minutes left in the period. Sorensen picked up his third point of the game, assisting on Suomela’s tally.

The Wild answered back with a ferocious start to the final frame, scoring two goals in the first 4 minutes, with Jared Spurgeon and Matt Dumba beating Martin Jones to tie the game 3-3.

Goodrow scored the winning goal on the Sharks second strike, thanks to traffic in front of Dubnyk. Burns kept the puck in at the blue line and fired it on net, with Goodrow grazing the grease and tipping the puck past Dubnyk for a 4-3 lead 7:25 into the third.

Martin Jones would hold on to the lead in the Sharks net making 23 saves in total. San Jose didn’t go on the power play, but killed three Minnesota power plays. Dubnyk made just 18 saves in the loss. Eric Staal missed the game for the Wild (8-4-2) due to illness, ending his iron man streak at 330 straight games.

The Sharks head to Dallas to take on the Stars on Thursday, November 8 at 5:30 pm PT.

Hertl Beats the Clock, but Hank Is King in the Rangers’ 4-3 Shootout Win Over the Sharks

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

Photo credit: @NYSportsNews365

By Jerry Feitelberg

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The San Jose Sharks fell to the visiting New York Rangers 4-3 in a shootout Tuesday night, but in many ways they should feel fortunate to walk away with even the loser point. Tomas Hertl with less than two seconds left and the Sharks’ net empty to tie the game at 3-3. Chris Kreider scored twice for the Rangers and Mats Zuccarello netted a goal for the Blue shirts. Timo Meier scored his team-best ninth goal of the year for the Sharks and Brent Burns scored his third of the year.

San Jose now moves into a tie for first place in the Pacific Division with Calgary, each team boasting 15 points–though, the Sharks have a game in hand. The Rangers pick up a fourth win in their 12th game of what looks like it will be a long season.

Burns opened the scoring just 3:22 into play, beating Henrik Lundqvist for a 1-0 Sharks lead. That’d be the last thing to go right for the Sharks in the first after Zuccarello found the equalizer a minute later. New York outshot San Jose 17-6 in the period.

The otherwise lifeless Sharks picked up the pace in the second, peppering Lundqvist with 14 shots to just six on their keeper Martin Jones, but neither team could break the stalemate. Kreider opened the third with his fifth goal of the season one-timer just 1:13 into the period before Meier stepped up.

The power forward continued his breakout year coming in on a 2-on-1 8:14 into the third. Instead of passing the puck, Meier ripped a lethal snipe to tie the game. Kreider would again provide a dagger with 9:55 left in the period. Hertl beat lundvist with Jones pulled to tie the game at three-all with just 1.6 seconds left in regulation.

In the shootout both goalies stood tall. Jones, after making 34 saves in regulation and overtime, stopped all but one of the shooters he faced. Kevin Shattenkirk was the lone man to beat him, but Hank was also up to the challenge and didn’t let up a single shootout goal after making 31 saves over regulation and overtime.

The Sharks continue a three-game homestand, taking on the Columbus Blue Jackets Thursday night before welcoming in another Eastern Conference foe, the Philadelphia Flyers Saturday night.

Couture Hat Trick, Revamped Power Play Key to 5-1 Sharks Win over Sabres

Published on by Matthew Harrington

Photo credit: @EMISports

By Jerry Feitelberg

SAN JOSE–The San Jose Sharks power play clicked in a big way Thursday night, pushing team teal to a 5-1 win over the visiting Buffalo Sabres. Logan Couture scored his third career hat trick, Joe Pavelski picked up a power play strike and Joonas Donskoi also lit the lamp a man up to give the home team a win in the debut of their new Stealth jerseys. Jake McCabe lit the lamp for Buffalo, the only shot out of 25 to beat Sharks netminder Martin Jones.

With early season power play woes leading to a bottom-five power play for the Sharks entering play Thursday, changes were made to the first power play unit. It’s safe to assume assistant coach Steve Spott, power play coach for San Jose, found the right mix.

Kyle Okposo drew a double-minor for high sticking just 1:45 into the game, giving the Sharks their first man advantage. With time expiring on the first minor, Joonas Donskoi potted his second goal of the season 3:35 into the game. Logan Couture fired back rapid fire, beating Buffalo keeper Carton Hutton for his second goal of the campaign just 27 seconds later for a 2-0 Sharks edge and two power play goals on two opportunities.

San Jose didn’t score in the second and Buffalo’s McCabe scooped up a rebound for his first goal of the year 1:35 into the period to cut the Sharks lead to 2-1. The Sharks dominated the third though, with Logan Couture scoring the lone even strength Sharks goal of the game 4:54 into the third for his second of the game.

Joe Pavelski scored San Jose’s third power play goal of the night over a whopping seven opportunities, moving San Jose to 19th in the league with a 17.8 percent success rate. Couture capped the hat trick off with an empty-net goal with 1:47 left in regulation.

Buffalo went 0-for-5 on the power play to cap a great special teams night for the Sharks. Evander Kane and Brent Burns each had a pair of assists. The Sharks welcome another team from the Empire State to the Shark Tank Saturday night. The Islanders come to town after shellacking the Los Angeles Kings Thursday night.

A’s Rally Just Short in 8-5 Loss to Angels

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

Photo credit: @athletics_fanly

By Matthew Harrington

The opener concept officially backfired for the Oakland A’s Friday night in Anaheim despite the offense’s best attempt at a trademark eighth inning rally. Following an 8-5 loss to the Halos, A’s manager Bob Melvin has some tweaking to do with his pitching staff with just two days left in the regular season.

The notion seemed to be that either Mike Fiers or Edwin Jackson would start the one-game Wild Card playoff Tuesday against the New York Yankees, but Fiers’ final appearance of the season might not inspire much confidence in a do-or-die situation.

Fiers entered the game after opener Lou Trivino fired a scoreless first inning. The waiver trade acquisition gave up a trio of runs in the second inning after surrendering a run-scoring fielder’s choice and coughing up a two-run homer to Taylor Ward. Mike Trout pulled a pair of homers shy of his career-best in homers, taking Fiers deep in the bottom of the third for his 39th homer of the year and a 3-0 Halos lead.

Fiers departed the game after 3 1/3 innings of work, surrendering another run in the fifth inning. He’d wind up the losing pitcher after coughing up six hits, but he didn’t issue any walks. September call-up Dean Kiekhefer also gave up two runs in the bottom of the seventh, crucial runs for the Angels following the top of the eighth.

The eighth inning has been the A’s best inning offensively and the Green and Gold lead the world in runs scored in that inning. They tacked on a quintet Friday three hits and two walks as well as a timely error. Matt Chapman, Jed Lowrie, and Ramon Laureano knocked in a run each while Marcus Semien doubled in a pair. The A’s would go quietly in the ninth to all, but guarantee the Wild Card contest will be a road game Wednesday at 5:05 pm PT.

Trevor Cahill is slated to start tomorrow’s contest, but Sunday may be a mixture of call-ups and relievers as the A’s try to prepare for the must-win post-season contest.

Davis’ Second Homer Leads to A’s Walk-off Win Over Twins 7-6

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

Photo credit: @Athletics

By: Matthew Harrington

The Oakland A’s inched, or rather walked off a step closer to a playoff berth, coming from behind to beat the Minnesota Twins 7-6 in 10 innings at the Coliseum on Friday night. Khris Davis hit a pair of home runs, including the game-winner, to cut the A’s magic number to three games.

Davis crushed his league-leading 45th homer to deep center field with no outs in the bottom of the 10th, erasing the sting of a blown 4-0 A’s lead. Blake Treinen strengthened his Cy Young candidacy by picking up the win after allowing no hits over the ninth and 10th innings for his eighth win of the year. Matt Magill wound up the loser after finishing off the ninth inning by standing a pair of runners, but failing to retire Davis to start the 10th.

Davis knocked in a pair of runs in the bottom of the first on his first homer of the game, a two-run shot off Twins starter Jose Berrios. A couple of sacrifice flies had the A’s up 4-0 with opener Liam Hendriks and long reliever Chris Bassitt out of the game after five innings of combined work.

The Twins plated six runs in a lengthy sixth inning, knocking around Lou Trivino (four runs) and Shawn Kelley (two runs) to take a 6-4 edge, but Mark Canha returned fire in the bottom of the frame with a two-run shot of his own off reliever Gabriel Moya. Berrios was charged with one of the runs, ending the day with 5 2/3 innings of work and five runs (four earned).

Ryan Buchter and Jeurys Familia pitched scoreless seventh and eighth innings, respectively, to open the door for Treinen. Treinen handle his part, as did Davis, to help the A’s keep pace with the New York Yankees in the top AL Wild Card chase. New York, by virtue of beating the Baltimore Orioles Friday, leads the race for home field in the one-game playoff by just a game and a half. Oakland will send the leading candidate to pitch in the contest, Mike Fiers, to the mound Saturday night at 6:05 pm PDT against Minnesota.

Laureano Better Than Big Mac, Canseco in A’s 8-4 Win over Texas

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

Photo credit: @SportingGreenSF

By: Matthew Harrington

OAKLAND–Just think where the Oakland Athletics might be if they’d called Ramon Laureano up sooner. Maybe a 3.5 game division deficit is actually a division lead at this time. The 24 year old rookie has won games for the A’s with his glove, his arm, his baserunning and his bat since getting the call August 3rd and Friday night was no different.

The speedy center fielder became the first Athletic to have two multi-homer games in his first thirty big league appearances, going deep twice in the A’s 8-4 win over the Rangers at the Coliseum on Friday night. He joins the Bash Brothers, Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco as the only players in A’s history to accomplish the feat in the first 50 games of their careers.

The A’s needed the win with the Astros rallying past the Red Sox and the New York Yankees dispatching of the team directly below the A’s in the Wild Card standings. A loss would have pushed Oakland 4 1/2 games back of each team. The A’s pounced on Rangers starter Yovani Gallardo, plating five runs of him in just 4 1/3 innings.

Laureano put the Rangers on the ropes in his first at bat of the game, working his way into the leadoff spot after earning manager Bob Melvin’s trust over a first cup of coffee that includes a .309 batting average in 81 at-bats. Laureano rewarded his manager with a solo shot to center field, his 4th homer of the year already, to give the A’s a 1-0 lead just one batter into their licks at the dish.

Marcus Semien hit his 12th long ball of the season with a runner on in the bottom of the 2nd inning, then the rally continued till Matt Chapman’s two-run single made it 5-0 A’s.

Joey Gallo did what he does best, crushing two-run homer off Chris Bassitt in the top of the 4th. Bassitt, the second man out of the pen after Liam Hendriks served as “opener” once again, allowed three runs over his three innings of work.

Yusmeiro Petit was credited with the win for his work pitching the fifth and sixth innings despite the A’s already being up 5-2. He got some major run support when Laureano blasted another solo shot, this time off reliever Adrian Sampson. Sampson would get tagged for another pair after an error and three straight singles put Oakland up 8-3.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the A’s. Fernando Rodney labored for his appearance in the seventh inning. He gave up one run, his fourth of September in just 2 2/3 innings and it could have been much worse. Ronald Guzman hit a ball that appeared to hit the top of the wall in right, but was ruled a double and scored only one run. Rodney walked the bases loaded with two outs, but Ryan Buchter came in and got the deep fly out from Rougned Odor to escape the big inning.

Jeurys Familia also struggled in his inning of work after getting one out, but giving up a hit to Nomar Mazara, a walk to Adrian Beltre and an RBI double to  Gallo to pull Texas within four at 8-4. He’d get the final to outs and turn the game over to the closer Blake Treinen. Treinen, a dark horse Cy Young candidate, finished off the ninth in his usual dominant fashion to give the A’s the final 8-4 lead.

The A’s and Rangers will continue their series with game two on Saturday afternoon at 1:05 pm PDT.

The A’s will send one of their few true starters to the hill, Edwin Jackson, a journeyman with a 5-3 record and 2.91 ERA. He’s locked in a battle with Mike Fiers to determine who will pitch in the one-game playoff come October if needed. He’ll be opposed by Yohander Mendez, a southpaw with a 1-1 record and 5.59 ERA.

Chappy’s Homer Lifts A’s to 7-1 Win Over Twins

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

Photo credit: @Athletics

By Matthew Harrington

It was the names you wouldn’t expect that delivered for the A’s at Target Field Friday, but that’s because the usual names were anything but. The Manaealator threw five innings of one-run ball, Chappy launched a three-run homer and Momo and the aptly-dubbed Laureano hit solo shots to push the A’s to a 7-1 while visiting the Twins.

League wide, teams wore special player’s weekend jerseys adorned with nicknames of the player’s choosing,hence the unique recap. Sean Manaea drew the assignment on the hill and rebounding nicely from his previous poor By start, a six run shelling at the hands of the Houston Astros, to give the A’s the win after holding the Twins to just one run.

Oakland scored first off Twins starter Jake Odorizzi with a sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth. It seemed like manufactured runs would and a low score would rule the day after Miguel Sano brought a run home in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly as well.

Jonathan Lucroy singled in another run in the top of the 5th of Odorizzi, who exited the game trailing 2-1 after seven innings of work and five hits. Oliver Drake would struggle in his inning of work, thanks to Oakland’s rally.

Lucroy singled to open the inning and Nick Martini walked. After a mound visit, potential MVP darkhorse Matt Chapman stepped up to the plate. He blasted his 18th homer of the year for a 5-1 A’s lead.

Stephen Piscotty greeted Addison Reed in the top of the ninth with a homer to open the inning, then rookie Ramon Laureano hit his third career homer for the final seventh run. Laureano, having recently been called up earlier in the month, didn’t get a chance to submit a nickname and simple wore “Laureano” on his jersey.

Manaea turned the game over to his pen after five innings with a 2-1 lead. Lou Trivino, Fernando Rodney, Jeurys Familia and Shawn Kelley all threw shutout innings to preserve the win.

Oakland remains 1.5 games back of Houston after the Astros beat the Halos in Anaheim.

Oakland sends Mike Fiers to the mound Saturday at 4:10 pm PDT to face Stephen Gonsalves.

Olson’s First Walk-Off Homer Puts A’s One Game Back of Astros After 4-3 Win in 10 Innings

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

Photo credit: @MLB_News247

By: Matt Harrington

OAKLAND — The Oakland A’s now have a chance to exit the weekend series against the Houston Astros with a one-game lead in the American League West, and momentum is on their side. The A’s tied the game in the bottom of the ninth inning on a play at the plate, then Matt Olson launched his first career walk-off hit, a homer of Tony Sipp, in the bottom of the 10th for a 4-3 win over the division leaders at Oakland Coliseum on Friday night.

Olson pulled the A’s to within one game of the division lead after working a full count off Sipp. Sipp’s 3-2 pitch, a slider low in the zone just below the belt, found its way over the right field wall for Olson’s 23rd longball of the year and Sipp’s first loss of the campaign (1-2, 1.80 ERA). He almost didn’t get a chance for his heroics. The A’s trailed 3-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth inning. The leadoff man Mark Canha grounded out against reliever Hector Rondon to leave the A’s two outs away from defeat. Pinch hitter Chad Pinder walked, then was replaced by rookie Ramon Laureano, a pivotal substitution by A’s manager Bob Melvin.

The next batter, Nick Martini, laced a ball to right, with Laureano racing home from first. Josh Reddick’s throw home beat him to the plate and Astros catcher Martin Maldonado appeared to block off the plate perfectly to tag out Laureano as he dove headfirst across home. Home plate umpire Alfonso Marquez thought so, too, calling Laureano out.

The rookie, however, felt he had gained the plate legally, gesturing as soon as he rose from his slide. His manager challenged the play, and following a lengthy review, Laureano was deemed both correct and safe and Oakland was tied 3-3. Blake Treinen (6-2, 0.87 ERA) worked around a runner at second with two outs, while striking out three Stros to pick up his sixth win of the year.

The A’s had to play catch-up three times. They trailed 2-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth after starter Edwin Jackson gave up solo homers Alex Bregman and Maldonado in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively. They loaded the bases against Houston starter Charlie Morton with no outs, but Jonathan Lucroy only plated one runner on a double-play grounder. Matt Chapman would plate another run in the inning, but the big damage was avoided with the A’s forced to settle for the 2-2 tie.

The tie would be short-lived, as Houston scored in the top of the sixth. Lou Trivino struck out Carlos Correa but walked Marwin Gonzalez and Evan Gattis to put himself in trouble. Reddick capitalized against his former team, singling in Gonzalez. Trivino wriggled out of the jam trailing 3-2 after getting first baseman Tyler White to bounce into a double play.

The A’s don’t need to do any scoreboard watching if they want to lead the division by the end of play Saturday. They just need Trevor Cahill to take the bump and stymie the Houston batters. Oh, and they also need to beat Dallas Keuchel, a former Cy Young award winner.

The A’s and Astros will square off for game two Saturday afternoon at 1:05 pm PDT.