Category: Oakland Athletics

Twins rout A’s 14-4 win three-game series two games to one at Coliseum

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The expression on the Chevron car on the Oakland Coliseum padded outfield wall kind of says it all about Wed May 18, 2022 game as Oakland A’s leftfielder Chad Pinder (10) can’t get a glove on the Minnesota Twins Luis Arraez’ double in the fourth inning. (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND–The Minnesota Twins (22-16) pummeled the Oakland A’s (16-24) to take two out of three from the A’s. Oakland’s starter Daulton Jefferies (1-7 ERA 5.72) gave up six runs in four innings of work.

A’s pitchers issued ten walks. The Twins strolled to an easy 14-4 win over Oakland. There were 26 hits in the game, and not one left the park.

The Twins got off to a hot start in the finale of the three-game set with the A’s. With one out, Twins’ first baseman Luis Arreaz single. Fresh off the 10-day IL, the next hitter Carlos Correa singled, sending Arreaz to third.

Jefferies struck out Jorge Polanco for the second out. Jefferies walked Max Kepler to load the bases. Jefferies now had the task of pitching to the power-hitting DH, Gary Sanchez. Sanchez worked the count 3-2.

With the runners going on the pitch, Sanchez blooped a broken-bat single onto a short leftfield to drive in Kepler with the Twins’ third run. The A’s, facing their former teammate Sonny Gray put one on the board in the bottom of the first.

With two out, Ramon Laureano doubled. First baseman Seth Brown singled to drive in Laureano with the A’s first run. The Twins led 3-1 after one inning of play.

The Twins added to their lead in the top of the third. With one out, Jefferies walked Jorge Polanco. Jefferies retired Kepler for the second out. The next hitter, Gary Sanchez, blasted a double to deep right-center-field to drive in Polanco.

The Twins lead 4-1 midway through the third. The A’s rallied in their half of the third to make it a 4-2 game. With two out, Seth Brown ripped a ball down the right-field line that went for a triple. The next batter, A’s catcher Christian Bethancourt, singled to drive in Brown.

The Twins continued to make life miserable for Jefferies. With two out in the top of the fourth, Jefferies walked Byron Buxton. Luis Arreaz, a left-handed-hitter, blasted a ball that went over A’s left fielder Chad Pinder’s head for a double to drive in Buxton with the Twins’ fifth run.

The onslaught didn’t end. Twins’ shortstop Carlos Correa doubled to drive in Arreaz. The score is now 6-2. A’s manager Mark Kotsay sent the word to the bullpen to get someone to get ready to relieve Jefferies.

A’s reliever Justin Grimm pitched a scoreless fifth. It wasn’t easy as the Twins had the bases loaded with one out. The A’s nailed the runner at home for the second out. Grimm got the final out 1-2 to end the inning.

The Twins broke the game open when they sent nine to the plate in the top of the sixth. Lefty Kirby Snead was on the hill for Oakland. Snead contributed to his downfall by walking the first two batters he faced. Snead gave up three hits and three walks that allowed the Twins to score five times. The Twinkies lead 11-2 midway through six.

Oakland added a run in the bottom of the seventh. Two singles and a player hit by a pitch loaded the bases with no out. Tony Kemp’s sacrifice fly to left drove in the A’s third run. The Twins are in the driver’s seat 11-3 after seven.

With two out in the eighth, Chad Pinder doubled off the wall in right field. Luis Barrera, playing right-field for the A’s, singled for the third time to drive in Ponder. The A’s trail 11-4.

Chad Pinder is on the mound to pitch the ninth for Oakland. It did not go well for Pinder and the A’s. Pinder walked three and gave up a single and double, and the Twins plated three more runs to own a 14-4 advantage as the A’s are batting for the last time. The A’s failed to score in the ninth. The Twins win 14-4.

Game Notes- The A’s fall to 16-24 for the year. The A’s have played about 25% of the season. If the A’s continue on this pace, they will win about 65 or 66 games this year. The Twins are now 22-16 and are first in the AL Central Division. The A’s reside in the AL West cellar.

Daulton Jefferies was the losing pitcher. His record is now 1-7. Former A’s pitcher Gray picked up the win. He is now 1-1.

The A’s line was four runs, 12 hits, and one error. The hitting star for Oakland was Luis Barrera with three hits. Seth Brown had a single and a triple. Kevin Smith added two hits.

The Twins line was 14 runs, 14 hits, and one error. They benefited from ten walks issued by the A’s. Eight of those who walked scored.

The A’s are off on Thursday. They meet the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim for three games this weekend. For Friday night’s tilt, Righty Paul Blackburn (4-0, ERA 1.67) will go for Oakland. The Angels’ Chase Silseth will oppose him. Silseth is 1-0, with a 0.00 ERA. First pitch at 6:38 pm PT.

The time of the game was 3:25. 7,106 fans watched the A’s get trounced at the Coliseum.

A’s finally swinging again Smith gets two run blast and Murphy with two run RBI in 5-2 win over Twins

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Oakland A’s hitter Sean Murphy swings for a two RBI single in the bottom of the seventh against the Minnesota Twins as Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers watches at the Oakland Coliseum on Tue May 17, 2022 (AP News photo)

Minnesota. 2. 7. 0

Oakland. 5 11. 1

Tuesday May 27, 2022

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–In spite of my generally cynical nature, I try to find something consoling about any situation. So I was somewhat gratified to read in today´s Oakland A’s (16-23) game notes that Oakland doesn’t have the worst record in the American League. The A’s picked up their 16th win of the season and got some timely hits to defeat the Minnesota Twins (21-16) at the Oakland Coliseum 5-2 on Tuesday night.

There are members of the junior circuit beneath them in the standings, the Orioles; the Royals; and the Tigers. not to mention the four National League teams with records worse than the 15-23 the green and gold brought to Tuesday’s game.

James Kaprieian, two weeks off of the injured list and with an 0-2, 4.97 record to show for the three appearances he made since his return, took the mound for Oakland.

In each of those starts he did better than in the previous one (excepting the first, of course). In fact he had an ERA of 2.53in the 10-2/3 innings he pitched in his second and third starts.

His opposite number for Minnesota, fresh off the Covid 19 list, Dylan Bundy, began his monticular labors with a lifetime record of 49-59, 4.75, unimpressive but better than his season’s mark of 3-2,5.76.

He has five tools in his bag of tricks, a four seamer that he throws about 35% of the time and at an unintimidating speed of about 89 mph; a slider that he utilizes another 23% or so; a changeup; a sinker; and an Uncle Charley.

Game recap: The teams traded zeroes for 3-1/2 innings, during which Bundy threw 54 pitches, 35 of which were counted as strikes. He surrendered two hits, both of them singles, one a bunt by Tony Kemp, and no walks. He struck out one.

Josh Winder started the fourth and allowed a one out double to Elvis Andrus that might have been another single if the Twins’ right fielder, Max Kepler, hadn’t tried to make a diving catch of it. Kevin Smith made that a moot question by blasting a 93 mph four seamer 395 feet deep over the left field fence, giving Kaprielian a two run lead to work with when he came out for the fifth.

Three pitches later, it was a one run lead. Royce Lewis lifted a 94 mph fastball to deep left field. Luis Barera looked ready to catch it, but the ball disappeared 382 deep into the nearly empty stands. (The attendance was 3,640).

Oakland threatened in their half of the fifth, loading the bases on singles by Jed Lowrie and Seth Brown and a walk to Andrus, but Barrera flew out to right, and the score remained 2-1.

There was no question about Gary Sánchez´s game toying round tripper to left with one down in the Minnesota sixth. It was his fourth of the year and travelled 387 feet into the left field seats. It came on Kaprielien’s 89th and final pitch of the game.

He left, having thrown 5-1/3 frames, allowing two runs, both earned, on four hits and a walk. 64 of his offerings were deemed strikes. Sam Moll relieved him and, in spite of a broken bat single by Kepler, an infield single by Gilberto Celestino, and Moll’s throwing error on Celestino’s single, preserved the tie.

The green and gold retook the lead after the seventh inning stretch. Lowrie walked. Christian Bethancourt ran for him, moving to second when Winder plugged Laureano with a 91 mph fastball.

Then Brown whacked a changeup to the bottom of the right field wall, driving in Bethancourt and sending Laureano to third. Murphy’s sharp single to center plated both runners, but the A’s catcher quickly was eliminated when Andrus grounded into a 6-4-3 Twin killing.

The Oakland attack continued; Barrera and Smith each singled to left, putting runners on the corners when Caleb Thiebar relieved the beleaguered Winder, who had given up five earned runs in his 3-2/3 inning stint and ended up being charged with the loss, his second in four decisions.

Oakland’s newfound 5-2 advantage was endangered in the top of the eighth. Jackson got Sánchez to fly out to right but walked Kepler on a full count and gave up a single to Garlich.

Enter Dany Jiménez, who induced a fly to center from hitter Gilberto Celestino and a ground out to short from Lewis. Jiménez stuck around for the ninth to gain the save, his seventh in as many opportunities.

Those of you who want a reminder of the A’s glory days could do worse than visit the roomy Coliseum, where, at 12:37 Wednesday afternoon, Sonny Gray (0-1,3.68) will start for the Twin Cities team, facing the A’s Daulton Jefferies (1-6, 4.84)

The A’s should retire Campaneris number 19

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Former Oakland A’s shortstop Bert Campaneris is regarded as the best shortstop in Oakland A’s history winner of three consecutive World Series Championships. Campaneris is seen here seated for a 2012 photo (photo from wikipedia)

The A’s Should Retire Campaneris Number 19

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–Baseball is a generational sport. People grow-up watching their favorite players, they are engraved in their collective memories forever. It is passed from one generation to the next one.

Many times during The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame exhibits at Fanfest, All-Star Games, community and other events I have seen fathers telling their kids (as they watch an exhibit) “Billy, this was Minnie Miñoso, my favorite player as a kid”.

Players numbers are retired by teams to honor their past stars.Teams are proud to retire their legends numbers, not to mention it is also a smart marketing tool to sell more jerseys and merchandise for people to wear and use. It is a win-win situation for everybody.

On September 11 when the A’s host the Chicago White Sox, the Oakland A’s fans in attendance will receive a replica of #34 Dave Stewart’s number which will be officially retired by the team. Stewart is one of the A’s legends. As a great pitcher Dave Stewart was the heart and soul of the Oakland Community, specially during the 1989 World Series during the Loma Prieta earthquake.

One of the last pitchers in baseball to have four consecutive 20 game winning seasons, his famous “Death Stare” in the mound when he was pitching is remembered forever in the memories of A’s fans, as well as those hitters who faced him.

Another great Oakland A’s player is Cuban-born shortstop Dagoberto Blanco (Campy) Campaneris. Campy is the only Latino shortstop in history to have been a shortstop for three-consecutive World Series champion. The 1972-73-74 Oakland A’s. Campy will be in attendance as the A’s celebrate their 1972 World Series Champion team reunion on Saturday June 4 at the Oakland Coliseum.

Campy (now living in Arizona) is a shy and humble man who as the A’s lead-off hitter was the spark plug for those great championship teams of the early 1970’s. Many times I have spoken with Campy he has always cherished those great memories.

He is a baseball man to his core, his stories about the game are priceless. He still represents the Oakland A’s and is happy to sign autographs for fans when the A’s conduct their Spring Training camp in Arizona.

A few years ago I was called by CH 2 FOX to translate for Campy for an exclusive interview done by Mark Ibañez their sports anchor during Spring Training. Campy is so humble he told me “¿por qué quieren hablar conmigo?” trans- ‘why do they want to talk to me?”.

Reggie Jackson became a star with the Oakland A’s, and a mega star once he won two World Series championships and earned the nickname “Mr. October,” with the New York Yankees. Reggie said that those Yankee teams were inferior to the Oakland A’s teams that won back-to-back-to back championships in the 1970s with Jackson as its megastar, according to the man himself. Reggie (whose number 9 is retired by the A’s) always talks fondly about Campy Campaneris, “The Road Runner”, the man that ignited that great lineup.

Around 30 to 33 percent of all players in today’s game are Hispanic. The Oakland A’s always enjoyed very loyal Hispanic fans in the Bay Area and across the country and those that remember Campy will tell you he was an integral part of the “Swinging A’s” during his playing days.

I hope the Oakland Athletics consider the retirement of Campy Campaneris number 19. To this day, the A’s have not retired a number from one of their Latino players and I cannot think of a better person than Dagoberto Blanco (Campy) Campaneris. In the past I have suggested to A’s upper management the importance of retiring Campy Campaneris number 19. I hope in the near future they will. It is time.

These are the numbers retired to date by the Oakland A’s:

34 Rickey Henderson, 43 Dennis Eckersley, 9 Reggie Jackson, 27 Jim “Catfish” Hunter, 34 Rollie Fingers and Walter A. Haas, Jr, Owner.

Dagoberto “Blanco” Campaneris is in The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum and Hall of Fame.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead Spanish play by play announcer for the Oakland A’s on flagship station 1010 KIQI LeGrande San Francisco and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: A’s simply are missing the hitting; Failure to score is keeping A’s in loss column

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The Oakland A’s Ramon Laureano steals third base in the bottom of the fifth inning of Sun May 15, 2022’s game against the Los Angeles Angels at the Oakland Coliseum. The A’s have been thin on scoring runs in recent games. (AP News photos)

On That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury, Oakland A’s starter Frankie Montas has had some great outings but took another loss on Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels 4-1. The A’s simply have not been able to provide enough offense against a team like the Angels.

#2 Onto Montas his line impressive six innings, four hits, two earned runs, one walk, and 12 strikeouts. He’s been consistent keeping runners in check and hitters off balance.

#3 The A’s host the Minnesota Twins tonight opening up a three game series here at the Coliseum. The Twins have won five out if their last ten games maintain first place in the AL Central and have a three game lead over the second place Cleveland Guardians.

#4 Amaury, in other baseball news speaking of not getting any run support Cincinnati Reds starter Hunter Greene went 7.1 innings, no hits and nine strikeouts and reliver Art Warren pitched two thirds of an inning walking the Pittsburgh Pirate Rudolfo Castro who eventually scored the game’s only run in the bottom of the eighth as the Pirates were no hit but won the game 1-0.

#5 Amaury, The Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox were the first game to be postponed in the 2022 season. There were multiple Covid 19 positive tests within the Guardian organization which included manager Tito Francona the Guardians are scheduled to face Minnesota Twins Friday night for three games.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead Spanish play by play announcer for flagship station 1010 KIQI Le Grande San Francisco and does News and Commentary podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Howard Terminal Ballpark-Lawsuit has 270 days of life

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Artists rendition of the Oakland A’s Howard Terminal Ballpark at Jack London Square in downtown Oakland (image from the San Francisco Chronicle)

Howard Terminal Ballpark – Lawsuit have 270 days of Life-

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

OAKLAND–Howard Terminal New Ballpark. A huge project that would transform the City of Oakland.

-$12 Billion private investment

-$1 Billion for the construction of the ballpark

-3.000 units of housing

-1.5 million square feet of office space

-270,000 feet of retail space

-400 room hotel

-18 acres of parkland

-$450 million in community benefits

In 2014 California Judicial Council approves new court rules, (below)

  • New court rules will significantly expedite the timeline for lawsuits brought under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to challenge the certification of the environmental impact report (EIR) or the granting of any project approvals that require the actions or proceedings for certain large “leadership” development projects certified by the Governor.
  • For these leadership projects, the CEQA lawsuit, including appeals, must be resolved within 270 days of certification of the administrative record.

The A’s are facing two lawsuits, one by the Union Pacific Railroad Company and another by the East Oakland Stadium Alliance, which is a coalition of marine, port and transportation.  Both lawsuits are challenging the certification of the ballpark’s environmental impact report, another important part of process to approve the project.

Most recent good news for the A’s came in early May, from the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission which said a report that the land where the A’s proposed to build the ballpark is not needed by the Port of Oakland.

This was a preliminary recommendation, although a positive step, now the Commission will decide on June 30 whether to accept that recommendation. If that hurdle is cleared, the A’s are running between-second and third, on their way to score the new ballpark in Oakland.

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez at the Oakland Coliseum for a visit at the Major League Baseball Hispanic Heritage Hall of Fame Museum and for News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Where’s the O in Oakland? A’s are looking for it after quiet 4-1 loss to the Angels

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By Morris Phillips

OAKLAND–Thirteen times in 37 games the A’s haven’t given themselves a chance. In the cavernous, sparsely populated Coliseum, you can hear what everyone’s asking.

Where’s the offense?

The A’s got a high quality start from Frankie Montas but did little to support it in 4-1 loss to the Angels on Sunday. Thirteen times the A’s have scored one or no runs, and they lost for the 12th time on Sunday under those limitations.

The A’s finished with five hits, proof they couldn’t solve Patrick Sandoval or reliever Jimmy Herget. Both pitchers had their moments of vulnerability, but the A’s never produced a breakthrough. Eleven at-bats with a runner in scoring position were squandered. The A’s only run came on Sean Murphy’s ground out with Jed Lowrie breaking to the plate from third.

The hosts could claim fatigue. In a once in a career type week with nine games in seven days, the A’s finished 5-4, but lost three of the last four to their Southern California rivals.

Last season–with Matt Olson and Matt Chapman leading their offense–the A’s won 15 of 19 against the Angels. This season the health of Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, along with the emergence of Taylor Ward have allowed the Angels to turn things around. They’re tied for first place with the Astros, and Sunday’s win moved them 11 games over .500 for the first time in nearly three years.

“Our goal is to win within our division,” Maddon said. “That’s a big goal of ours this year. We were horrible at it last year, and especially against Oakland. They beat up on us like a drum last year. We have to get better within our division. We’ve got to win series like this on the road.”

Ohtani capped his best series in Oakland with a loud, two-run shot off Montas in the first inning. On Saturday, Ohtani hit his 100th home run in the second game of the scheduled doubleheader.

“Not many people hit Montas but I don’t know, that was 97 mph elevated and he got all of it. When he’s starting to get to that, heads up.”

Anaheim nursed a 2-1 lead until the eighth when they came up with single runs in the eighth and ninth to put the game away.

On Monday, the A’s loaded stretch of games continues with the Twins visiting the Coliseum. Zach Logue will be recalled from AAA Las Vegas and make his third, big league start for the A’s in a match-up with the Twins’ Chris Archer.

Ohtani puts the clamps on A’s in 4-1 Halos win at Coliseum

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Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani gets around on a Oakland A’s starter Frankie Montas top of the first inning pitch for a home run at the Oakland Coliseum on Sun May 15, 2022

By Jerry Fetielberg

The Los Angeles Angels Shohei Ohtani connected for the second game in a row for a home run at the Oakland Coliseum to help pace the Angels past the Oakland A’s 4-1 on Sunday afternoon as the Angels took three out of four games in the series.

Ohtani who hit his 100th career homer on Saturday’s second game of a doubleheader becoming the third Japanese born player to accomplish such a record knocked out his eighth home run of the season a real rip 425 feet into the right field Coliseum stands.

Angels manager Joe Maddon was impressed by the length of the Ohtani blast and said not too many people can hit a ball off A’s starter Frankie Montas like that, “That had some great hang time to it,” Maddon said. “Not many people hit Montas but I don’t know, that was 97 mph elevated and he got all of it. When he’s starting to get to that, heads up.”

Angels starter Patrick Sandoval contributed big in his performance getting into the sixth inning with one out surrendering four hits and just one earned run. Sandoval in his last two outings got touched up but against the A’s line up on Sunday he had his control and helped the Angels go 11 games over the .500 mark in the AL West.

Sandoval also improved his ERA dropping it to 1.91 he walked four batters but was able to get out of some close calls leaving runs aboard after the first three innings. Sandoval cut it really close leaving runners in scoring position four different times.

Ohtani was walked intentionally to the sound of the Coliseum crowd booing many of who were wearing Angels red jerseys this coming after Montas had got two out and gave up a top of third inning lead off triple to leadoff hitter Taylor Ward.

The A’s were 0-11 while leaving men on second base, the A’s ended Sandoval’s shutout in the bottom of the third inning when A’s catcher Sean Murphy hit into a ground out RBI. Montas had his pitches working despite the loss going six innings giving up four hits and two earned runs, walking one and striking out 12 Angels batters.

The Minnesota Twins (20-15) are a team that have presence and they come to the Coliseum to open a three game series on Monday night the Twins will be starting right hander Chris Archer (0-1 ERA 4.43) going up against the A’s lefthander Zach Louge (2-1 ERA 1.35) a 6:40 pm PDT first pitch.

Barrera’s walk-off homer helps A’s earn doubleheader split with Angels; A’s win 4-3, lose 9-1

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The Oakland A’s Luis Barrera connects for a right field walk off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Angels in the front game of a doubleheader at the Oakland Coliseum on Sat May 14, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum
Saturday, May 14, 2022

Luis Barrera hit a dramatic walk-off home run for Oakland in game one, and Shohei Otani reached a unique milestone in game two for the Los Angeles Angels, as the AL West teams split a doubleheader Saturday at the Oakland Coliseum.

The Athletics won the first game 4-3, while the Angels took the nightcap 9-1. Oakland is in fourth place in the AL West at 15-21, while the Angels are in second place with a record of 23-13.

GAME 1
Athletics 4, Angels 3In the bottom of the ninth, Raisel Iglesias (1-1) was called upon by Los Angeles to preserve the Angels’ 3-1 lead, and promptly retired pinch hitter Seth Brown and Sean Murphy on outfield flyouts.

Ramon Laureano doubled to right-center, followed by a walk issued to Christian Bethancourt. Barrera homered 373 feet to right field, ending the game and atoning for a throwing error in the eighth that allowed the Angels’ third run.

The Angels scored two runs in the top of the eighth to break a 1-1 tie. Anthony Redon hit a run-scoring single to left, and Andrew Velazquez also hit an RBI single to left. Mike Trout, who was intentionally walked, scored on the play after Barrera’s throwing error.

Oakland tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh on Jed Lawrie’s RBI single to center, scoring Laureano, who opened the inning with a double.

Barrera’s heroics made Lou Trivino (1-2) the winning pitcher. Trivino worked the final 1/3 of the ninth inning, logging one strikeout. A’s starter Paul Blackburn went 6 2/3 innings, giving up one earned run on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

Angels starter Jhonathan Diaz worked 4 2/3 innings, giving one hit and four walks with four strikeouts. Reliever Aaron Loup was charged with a blown save.

Laureano had two of Oakland’s five hits. Brandon Marsh was 3-for-4 for Los Angeles.

GAME 2
Angels 9, Athletics 1

Shohei Ohtani hit his 100th career home run in the top of the fifth inning off A’s starter Adam Oller (0-3). By hitting his seventh home run of the season, Ohtani became the second MLB player to hit 100 home runs as a hitter and strike out 250 hitters, joining only Babe Ruth.

Ohtani also became the third Japanese-born MLB player to hit 100 home runs, joining Hideki Matsui and Ichiro Suzuki.

Oller was rung up for eight earned runs on six hits and three walks, while striking out three. Justin Grimm and Adam Kolarek also pitched in relief for the A’s.

Michael Lorenzen (4-2) held the A’s to one earned run on five hits and one walk, with three strikeouts. Angels leadoff hitter Taylor Ward was 3-for-3 with a double and his eighth home run of the season, along with five runs batted in.

The two teams wrap up their weekend series on Sunday afternoon. Patrick Sandoval (1-1, 2.03) starts for the Angels, while the A’s counter with Frankie Montas (2-3, 3.77). First pitch is set for 1:07 p.m. PDT.

Angels Silseth and bullpen 2 hit shutout A’s 2-0 to open four game series at Coliseum

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Los Angeles Angels’ Chase Silseth deals against the Oakland Athletics during the bottom of the sixth inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Fri May 13, 2022 (AP News photo)

Los Angeles (AL)). 2. 6. 0

Oakland. 0. 2 0

Friday May 13, 2022

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–My childhood friend the late Joseph Nigota used to live across the street from Madison Square Garden. Each year he eagerly awaited the day when the circus train would arrive in the Hudson Yards and make the circus parade past his home while he watched it through the apartment windows.

Today the circus came to Oakland, featuring Shoehei Ohtani and his accompanying trapeze artists, the High Flying Los Angeles Angels, at game time record well above .500 at 21-12, just a half a game behind the Yankees for first place in the AL West.

The boys and girls of the press peered through the windows of their apartment while a scattering of paying customers, announced as numbering 13,992, which qualifies as a crowd these days at the Coliseum watched from the stands as the A’s fell to the Angels 2-0.

Shohei Ohtani did not pitch for the visitors this evening, instead batting third as the designated hitter. He went 0-4 with a strikeout. Pitching duties for the Halos fell to Chase Silseth, making his major league debut. Indeed, last year’s 11th round draft pick hadn’t even thrown a ball at the AAA level.

He made three appearances for the Rocket City Pandas in ’21 and had gone 2-0 ERA 1.69 for the same team in the AA Southern League this year when he was called to the show this morning. He would get the win after an outstanding six innings of masterful hurling.

Oakland’s starter was a more known quality and quantity. Although he, too, technically is a rookie, Daulton Jefferies went 1-0 ERA 3.60 in five appearances for the green and gold in 2021 and 1-5 ERA 5.22 for them last season.

He held Philadelphia scoreless on two hits and two walks in his five inning stint against the Phillies back on April 10 but between then and his first pitch of Friday evening he had 0-5 record in the bigs. He took the loss. For this year Jefferies drops his record to 1-6 ERA 4.84.

The recently reinstated Ramón Laurano saved Jefferies’ bacon twice in the top of the third. Playing in right field, he made an exciting diving catch of Chad Wallach’s sinking liner to right center that opened the inning. Next, his rifle-armed throw to second on Tyler Wade’s hard single to right held the Angels’ second sacker to a single.

Jefferies struck out Andrew Velásquez on an 87.9 mph change up and then yielded an infield single to Taylor Ward but wiggled out of the threat by getting the dangerous Mike Trout to ground out to Elvis Andrus at short.

Andrus giveth and Andrus taketh away. His lead off single to center in the third was Oakland´s first hit. He reached second on Pache sacrifice to third and then made the mistake of trying to advance on Lowrie’s fly to left.

Brandon Marsh’s accurate throw cut him down easily to end the inning. Sheldon Neuse, the only Athletic with a respectable batting average (unless you count Pinder’s .253) was on deck.

The Angels didn’t give away their chance to score in the top of the fourth. Anthony Rendón smacked a one out double to left that left his bat at 107 mph. An out later, he scampered home Marsh´s single up the middle to center.

The team from SoCal doubled its lead in their half of the fifth. Number nine hitter Andrew Velásquez hit his first roundtripper of the season, a 372 foot blast to right that earned him his fifth RBI and made the score 2-0 in favor of the Angels. Mike Trout made the third out of the frame, striking out swinging. One never knows, do one?

Kirby Snead relieved Jefferies after six innings of play, in which the A’s starter allowed two runs, both earned, five hits, one of them a four bagger, and no walks while striking out four. He threw 88 pitches, 55 for strikes. A credible performance and an encouraging one.

Silseth also was removed after six innings of work. The 19 year old’s line was exceptional. He shut the Athletics out on just one hit and two walks. He K’d five A’s and threw 81 pitches, 52 of them considered strikes.

Aaron Loup replaced him on the mound, throwing a perfect seventh, followed by Ryan Teper for Oakland’s penultimate turn at bat. He allowed the A’s second hit, a single by Andrus, who was the only Athletic to hit safely all night.

Snead retired the Angels in order in his assigned frame, yielding to Lou Trivino in the eighth, who looked sharp as he set the Halos down 1-2-3 in his inning of work. Sam Moll took over for him. in the top of the final frame and allowed nothing more harmful than a single to Rendón.

Raisel Iglesias came in in the ninth to get the save, his eighth in eight opportunities. He did, putting Oakland down in order.

The teams will play a day-night doubleheader for Saturday. Games scheduled to start at 1:07 and 6:40. We can expect to see the Angels Jhonathan Díaz (1-0 ERA 0.00) against the A’s Paul Blackburn (4-0 ERA1.74) in the front game and in the night cap the Angels will start Patrick Sandoval (1-1 ERA 2.03) going against the A’s Frankie Montás (2-3 ERA 3.77).

Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: A’s coming off four out of five wins in Detroit as Ohtani and Angels open in Oakland tonight

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Los Angeles Angels pitcher Shohei Ohtani delivers against the Tampa Bay Rays line up in the top of the third inning at the Big A in Anaheim on Wed May 11, 2022. Ohtani and the Angels come to the Coliseum to open a series against the Oakland A’s Fri May 13, 2022 (AP News photo)

A’s podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 After snapping a nine game losing streak the Oakland A’s (14-19) climbed out of the basement in the AL West with four out of five wins over the Detroit Tigers (9-23) and in some of those wins the A’s did it with authority.

# 2 On Thursday the A’s got home run help from Seth Brown who hit a two run shot to give the A’s the go ahead runs and eventual 5-3 win over the Bengals.

#3 Brown said that he had his hand leaking out on the bat and tightened up on the grip and was able to correct his swing after going 0-3 with a strikeout before hitting the eighth inning home run.

#4 A’s manager Mark Kotsay said that before coming to Detroit the team had been frustrated and needed to find a breakout series which they got from their offense on the pitching side AJ Puk threw two innings of shutout ball against the Tigers and picked up the win.

#5 Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Angels prepare to open a four game series at the Oakland Coliseum Friday night. The Angels will start Chase Silseth (0-0 ERA 0.00) going up against A’s starter Daulton Jefferies (1-5 ERA 5.22) a 6:45 pm PDT first pitch.

Join Jeremiah for the A’s podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com