Author: Sports Radio Service

JJ Bleday on Thursday in the Angels vs Athletics game (Photo: Athletics on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO — The A’s got the start they needed from veteran ace Luis Severino on Thursday afternoon. Yet, the bullpen couldn’t hold the lead, as the A’s dropped their ninth consecutive game—and 13th in their last 16—in a 10-5 matinee loss to the Angels.

Looking to snap what was then an eight-game skid, the A’s had full confidence in Severino, hoping he could turn the page on his home/road splits. Severino did his part, tossing six innings of two-run ball to keep the A’s in it. He finished his outing having allowed seven hits, striking out five, and exiting with a 5-2 lead.

I asked Severino if he changed anything in his routine compared to previous home starts. “I think the main thing was rhythm. Like I said before, there is nothing I can do to change my other routine… The main thing was getting comfortable on the mound and throwing strikes.”

In the throes of a now nine-game losing streak, Mark Kotsay kept it real in his postgame remarks.

“We are in it right now,” Kotsay said following the loss. “The outing we got from Severino is what we needed. This one hurts because, you know, he threw the ball so good today—and for him to walk off the mound in the sixth and turn the ball over to Holman, who’s been great all season, and some missed locations… next thing you know, you are down.”

Grant Holman, who entered the game with a 0.61 ERA to relieve Severino, gave up a grand slam to the Angels’ Taylor Ward, and just like that, the Angels led 6-5. It was an uncharacteristic outing for Holman, who had been stellar all year in high-leverage situations. He recorded just two outs and gave up five runs on four hits, including two home runs—the second being a solo shot by Logan O’Hoppe.

Mitch Spence came in and stopped the bleeding, tossing one and a third hitless innings.

Trouble returned when Carlos Duran came in for his MLB debut. Duran, who missed most of the 2023 season due to Tommy John surgery while with the Dodgers organization, walked three batters and gave up three runs, managing to record only one out.

Hogan Harris came in to finish off the ninth, throwing two-thirds of an inning with one hit allowed and one strikeout.

The A’s bullpen has been struggling mightily during their 3-13 stretch. Over those 16 games, the relief corps owns a 9.19 ERA.

The offense for the Athletics came early. In the bottom of the first, Brent Rooker launched a two-run shot to left-center field that traveled 440 feet.

Nick Kurtz added to the lead with an RBI sac fly in the third, making it 3-0.

In the fifth, the A’s had starter Tyler Anderson on the ropes. He issued two walks, including one that forced in a run. Hunter Strickland then entered and walked Jhonny Pereda to score another, giving the A’s a 5-2 advantage. That would be all the offense the A’s could muster, despite having opportunities in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings.

The Athletics’ ninth straight loss drops them to 22-29 on the season. Grant Holman was charged with the loss. Hunter Strickland earned the win, as the Angels improved to 24-25 and extended their win streak to seven games—having swept the Dodgers before arriving in Sacramento.

The A’s will welcome the Philadelphia Phillies to town on Friday for a 7:05 PM PST start at Sutter Health Park. Zach Wheeler (5-1, 2.67 ERA) is slated to start for the Phillies. The A’s have not announced a starter as of this writing.

Note of the day: Tyler Soderstrom showed additional signs of life in the loss. He walked twice and singled. A’s manager Mark Kotsay said after the game that he was encouraged by Soderstrom’s approach. “Great session with Tyler… the second day of this series with Darren (Bush, A’s hitting coach) and him. They talked a lot about Tyler expanding and swinging at pitches that he can put in play but not do damage with. I think we saw that quick adjustment, and that shows the maturation… For Tyler, shrinking the zone and you see the success in a short amount of time, that’s pretty good growth right there.”

Lawrence Butler on Wednesday afternoon in the Angels vs A’s game at Sutter Health Park (Photo: Athletics on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO — The A’s continued to reel on Wednesday night at Sutter Health Park, falling to the Los Angeles Angels 10-5.

There were bright spots for the A’s, including two towering home runs from Nick Kurtz, who appears to be breaking out of his slump. But once again, the pitching couldn’t support the offense, and the A’s fell behind late.

Manager Mark Kotsay addressed the growing frustration during the A’s current eight-game losing streak and noted the bullpen’s recent struggles.

“I think each of our leverage guys, if you look back over the last two weeks, has had a rough one,” Kotsay said. “These are stretches you go through as a club. You don’t want it to continue, obviously. We had a couple games where we pitched well and didn’t hit. The last couple nights we’ve had 10–12 hits and scored runs, but we haven’t thrown the ball well. So it’s kind of a perfect storm in this eight-game stretch.”

The bullpen combined for four innings of six-hit, four-run baseball—unable to keep the game close. Tyler Ferguson relieved JP Sears in the sixth and tossed two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out one. But things unraveled when Michel Otanez came in. After two solid innings earlier in the series, Otanez couldn’t record an out on Wednesday, giving up two runs on two hits and walking two.

Matt Krook followed and had mixed results, surrendering two runs on three hits over an inning and a third. Anthony Maldonado wrapped things up by striking out both batters he faced.

As for Sears, Kotsay credited the Angels with a solid approach.

“I think the Angels had a great game plan,” Kotsay said. “They waited him out and got the sweeper up in the zone. He lacked a bit of fastball command, and they took advantage of sitting soft and jumping on pitches close to or in the zone. The result was a few home runs.”

Sears gave up four homers over five innings, allowing eight hits and six runs in total. It felt as if it was feast or famine for the Angels, as nearly every swing against Sears seemed to either result in a home run or an out.

Offensively, there were encouraging signs for the A’s—though the team stranded 13 runners, a number that needs to improve.

Lawrence Butler launched a three-run homer in the second inning to give the A’s an early 3-2 lead. But they quickly surrendered the lead and never got it back. Nick Kurtz provided the rest of the offense with solo home runs in the fifth and seventh innings, both pulled to right-center and combining for 866 feet per Statcast.

With the loss, the A’s have dropped eight straight and now sit at 22-28. JP Sears (4-4, 4.00 ERA) took the loss, while Hector Neris (2-1, 12.71 ERA) earned the win.

The A’s will turn to Luis Severino (1-4, 4.22 ERA) on Thursday as they look to halt the skid. Severino will need to overcome his own struggles at home. The Angels will counter with Ty Anderson (2-1, 3.04 ERA). First pitch is set for 12:35 PM PST.