Category: Oakland Athletics

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Don’t Mess with Texas as Colon gets most wins by a Dominican pitcher, tying Marichal

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: @BR_MLB

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry:

#1 Since pitching a no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox, Oakland A’s starter Sean Manaea has struggled. He had a 7.18 ERA in his last six starts and in the six starts before that, he had an 1.03 ERA.

#2 Manaea went 5.1 innings with four hits, two runs, four walks and two strikeouts, against Texas in Tuesday night’s 7-4 loss.

#3 The A’s faced the Texas Rangers on Wednesday and got crushed 8-2. The Rangers starter Bartolo Colon got his 243rd win, tying Juan Marichal’s record for wins the most by a Dominican pitcher.

#4 Colon went five innings, six hits, and gave up two runs. The Rangers’ bullpen held the A’s to no runs for the rest of the ball game and the A’s continued to struggle at the plate.

#5 The A’s are back home Thursday night against the Kansas City Royals to open a four-game series at the Oakland Coliseum after coming off Texas’ two-game sweep. The A’s are looking for their luck to change.

Jerry Feitelberg does the A’s podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Rangers crush A’s 8-2 to win series

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

Photo credit: @athletics_fanly

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Rangers hit four home runs to beat the A’s for the second night in a row at Glove lIfe Stadium on Wednesday night.

Rangers’ starter Bartolo “Big Sexy” Colon won his third game of the year. With the win, the 243rd of his 20-year career, he tied Juan Marichal for most wins by a pitcher born in the Dominican Republic. He went five innings and allowed six hits and two runs. The Rangers’ bullpen held the A’s scoreless the rest of the way and won 8-2.

The Rangers plated three runs in the bottom of the first to take an early 3-0 lead. With two out, Nomar Mazara doubled. Jurickson Profar slammed his fifth big fly of the season to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead. A’s starter Daniel Mengden then served up a gopher ball to Joey Gallo. Gallo sent his 17th of the year into the seats in the second deck in right field to make it 3-0.

Mengden continued to struggle as Profar hit his second dinger of the night to give Texas the advantage 4-0 in the bottom of the third. The Rangers’ onslaught continued as they tallied two more runs in the fourth. Rangers’ catcher Robinson Chirinos walked and scored when Ronald Guzman took Mengden deep for his seventh of the year. The A’s trail 6-0.

The A’s put two on the board in the top of the fifth. A’s leading hitter, Jed Lowrie, reached on a double. Designated Hitter Khris Davis hit his 15th dinger to drive in Lowrie, and the A’s trailed 6-2.

Texas scored two more in the seventh. With the bases loaded and one out, Jurickson Profar continued his big night when he singled to drive in two more runs. The Rangers were done scoring, and they won 8-2.

Game Notes: Jurickson Profar was the hitting star for the Rangers. He had his first multi-homer game and had a career-high five runs batted in.

Bartolo Colon won his 243rd game and needs just one more strikeout to reach 2500 for his career. Colon, who is 45 years old, evened his season’s record at 3-3.

A’s starter Daniel Mengden, who was so good in May, took the loss. Mengden is now 6-5 and his line for the night was four innings pitched, five hits, and six runs. Four of the five hits Mengden allowed were home runs.

The A’s announced that Matt Joyce was placed on the 10-day DL retroactive to June 3rd. They recalled outfielder Nick Martini from Nashville. Martini, if he gets into a game, will be making his Major League debut.

The A’s also announced that pitcher Paul Blackburn will be activated from the 60-day DL and will be making his season’s debut against the Kansas City Royals Friday night at the Coliseum.

The Royals will send Jason Hammel to the hill to handle the pitching chores. Hammel gave up seven hits and three runs in six innings of work against the A’s last Saturday in Kansas City. Hammel did not get a decision.

Sad News: Baseball lost one of its greatest players Wednesday. The St. Louis Cardinals announced that Albert “Red” Schoendienst passed away at the age of 95. Schoendienst had a great career as a second baseman and won championships with the Cardinals and Braves. Schoendienst was a member of Baseball’s Hall of Fame.

Up Next: The A’s will welcome the Royals for a four-game series starting Thursday night at 7:05 pm PDT.

Bombs away: Rangers top A’s 7-4

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

Photo credit: nbcbayarea.com

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Texas Rangers blasted five home runs to down the A’s 7-4 at Globe Life Park on Tuesday night.

A’s ace Sean Manaea, who was 1- 4 with a 7.18 ERA in his six starts in May, went 5 1/3 innings and allowed four hits and two runs. Rangers’ starter Matt Moore, who has struggled all season, pitched six innings and he allowed eight hits and three runs. Neither starter figured in the decision.

The A’s took an early lead in the top of the first. With two out, Jed Lowrie started the rally with a double to left field. A’s DH Khris Davis doubled to deep left field to drive in Lowrie. Matt Olson singled to drive in Davis with the A’s second run of the night.

Rangers’ catcher Robinson Chirinos homered in the bottom of the fourth to cut the deficit to one. The A’s lead 2-1.

Khris Davis hit a solo blast in the top of the fifth to make it 3-1. Rangers’ Jurickson Profar sent a Manaea pitch out of the park in the sixth to make it a one-run game as they trail the A’s 3-2.

In the top of the seventh, Chad Pinder doubled to deep center field. Pinder tagged up and moved to third when Lowrie flew out. The Rangers issued a free pass to Davis, but Olson thwarted the strategy when he singled to drive in Pinder.

A’s manager Bob Melvin brought in Yusmeiro Petit to face the Rangers in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Delino DeShields reached on a bunt single. Shin-Soo Choo homered to tie the game at four apiece.

The Rangers’ setup reliever retired the A’s in order in the top of the eighth. The Rangers took the lead for good in their half of the inning. Rookie reliever Lou Trivino was rocketed by the veteran Adrian Beltre’s second home run of the season. Beltre has missed 28 games so far this year due to an injury, but the future Hall of Fame player showed that he can still play. Jurickson Profar walked and then scored on big Joey Gallo’s blast that propelled the Rangers to a 7-4 advantage. Closer Keone Kela, struck out Lowrie, Davis, and Olson to earn his 14th save of the year. The Rangers win 7-4.

Game Notes: The Rangers evened the season’s series at four apiece.

The A’s fall to 31-30 and the Rangers improved to 26-37.

Chris Martin was the winning pitcher, and Lo Trivino took the loss.

The A’s announced that they placed Daniel Gossett on the 10-day DL with a strained right elbow. They also sent pitcher Josh Lucas back to Triple-A Nashville.

A’s relief pitcher Liam Hendriks was activated off the 10-day DL, and as a result, they recalled catcher Josh Phegley from Nashville.

Up Next: Game 2 of the two-game series will be played at 5:05 pm PDT. Daniel Mengden will go for Oakland, and the ageless Bartolo Colon will be on the hill for Texas.

Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O: Murray most likely to pass up A’s offer to quarterback at Oklahoma

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

@OU Baseball photo: Oklahoma Sooner centerfielder Kyler Murray who can do it all will turn down the Oakland A’s offer to be their number one draft pick to quarterback the Sooners in football next fall

Let’s talk the A’s MLB Draft with Charlie O!

1) Charlie, you told me you’re not to happy about the Athletics’ first-round pick Kyler Murray. What’s your objection?

2) You pointed out an interesting pattern in the first 10 draft picks.

3) Charlie, it took the A’s a while before the grabbed a pitcher in the draft. Does that surprise you?

4) What happens next with the draft?

5) How’s the big club doing and what’s coming up for Oakland?

Charlie O does the Oakland A’s podcast each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Olson provides the big blow in A’s 5-1 win over the Royals

Published on by moepeaLeave a comment

By Morris Phillips

The Royals had a guy who normally settles for singles, hit a long home run. The A’s had a guy who needs to prove that he can navigate big league hitters without allowing home runs, give up that long home run.

But late in the ballgame with the outcome in the balance, the A’s had another guy who’s being groomed to hit big home runs, hit one, and off they went to a 5-1 win on getaway day in Kansas City.

Matt Olson’s three-run shot highlighted an eighth inning rally and stood as the difference maker as the A’s captured a series on the road, after dropping their previous series against the Rays at home.

“3-0 any chance you get is one of the best fastball counts nowadays. He threw one over the plate and I was ready for it,” Olson said of reliever Burch Smith’s offering which traveled an estimated 454 feet off the A’s first baseman’s bat.

Olson’s home run was his fourth in the last four games, and proof that the A’s patience in the young slugger is paying off. Olson hit 24 home runs in an abbreviated 2017, and now he’s hit 12 this season, which ranks him behind only Khris Davis on the A’s. Despite a rough 20-game stretch beginning in April, and finishing in May, Olson is settling into his roles as a slugger and an everyday first baseman.

“You look at his numbers right now, he’s on a pretty good pace even though he might’ve got off to a little bit of a slower start than maybe he would’ve imagined,” manager Bob Melvin said of Olson.

While Jed Lowrie was credited with knocking in the game-winning run with his RBI single ahead of Olson’s blast, the first baseman drew all the attention. Like the team, Olson’s heating up.

The A’s scored 24 runs in three games in Kansas City, after they scored just 15 runs in the first nine games of the just completed home stand. Attribute the better play on the road to warmer weather, bigger crowds, increased focus, or none of the above, the A’s have won six of seven away from the Coliseum.

A’s starter Daniel Gossett went five innings, allowing two hits and a run. But after he exhibited some discomfort on the mound in the fifth, the decision was made to lift the right-handed due to elbow tightness. Gossett threw just 63 pitches, but that’s still an impressive outing for a guy who was 4-11 in 2017, and 0-3 this season.

The rail-thin Gossett allowed three, consecutive home runs in his previous start at the Coliseum against Tampa Bay. In his big league career now spanning 115 innings, he’s allowed 26 round-trippers while striking out just 84. So while Gossett can rush the ball to the plate at 92 mph on the average, he needs to prove that he can thrive in today’s MLB heavily weighted on limiting home runs and piling up strikeouts.

So how did Gossett do in that regard on Sunday?

Despite allowing just two hits, Kansas City’s John Jay took Gossett yard, the blast traveling 414 feet in the third to tie the game, 1-1. With that homer, Jay snapped a streak of 442 at-bats without a home run, the lengthiest such streak among all major leaguers who aren’t pitchers.

Not quite a good sign for Gossett. Or Jay. The former Cardinal leads the struggling Royals with a .305 batting average, and his 58 singles ranks second among major leaguers this season. But while Jay put up player-of the-month numbers in May, hitting .368 with 43 hits, the power was missing, and the Royals went 12-15.

So in regards to the newfangled, power game, Sunday was thumbs up for Olson, and thumbs down for Jay and Gossett. Funny how that works.

On Tuesday, the A’s resume their trip in Texas with Sean Manaea (1-4 in his last five starts) facing former Giant Matt Moore (1-5 in 10 appearances).

 

 

MLB The Show podcast with Daniel Dullum: Farquhar throws out first pitch recovering from aneurysm; Seahawks’ Russell wants to help move team to Portland; plus more

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

photo from the nytimes.com: Chicago White Sox pitcher Danny Farquhar (43) tosses out the first pitch Friday June 1st at Cellular One Field before their meeting with the Milwaukee Brewers

MLB The Show podcast with Daniel Dullum:

1 White Sox reliever Danny Farquhar throws out first pitch six weeks after suffering brain aneurysm

2 Seahawks quarterback and wife want to bring MLB to Portland, Ore.

3 Giants win third in a row, beat Phillies with three-hitter.

4 Royals bounce back to beat A’s Saturday after Friday’s 16-0 pounding by Oakland.

5 RIP Bruce Kison age 68 – winning pitcher in first nighttime World Series game in 1971.

Daniel Dullum on the MLB The Show podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Royals take game two from the Athletics 5-4 on Saturday

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment
KC Jorge Soler Home Run
Royals Jorge Soler hits game winning home run Photo @Royals

by Charlie O. Mallonee

After a team destroys their opponents 16-0 the night before, there can be a tendency for a club to come out in the next game and be incapable of putting any runs up on the board. After the Kansas City Royals scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning on Saturday afternoon to take a 2-0 lead, it looked like game two of this three-game series might be one of those games.

The situation became grimmer in the bottom of the second inning when the Royals added to their lead. With two out in the inning, Ryan Goins laid down a bunt in front of the plate. Catcher Bruce Maxwell fielder the ball cleanly and make a quick throw to first for a “bang-bang” out. Well, wait just a minute. The Royals decided to challenge the call. Video replay in New York overturned the call on the field and Goins was called safe at first.

Now with two out and a runner at first, shortstop Alcides Escobar stepped into the batter’s box to face A’s starter Trevor Cahill. Escobar hit the first pitch to him off the fence in right field for an RBI-triple as Goins was able to come home and score easily from first base.

That brought leadoff man Jon Jay back to bat. Jay led the game off with a single and eventually scored the first run of the game. Jay – the Royals DH – hit the 1-1 pitch through the hole on the left side of the infield for a double. Escobar was able to trot home to score the fourth run of the game for Kansas City. When the second inning was over, the Royals led the Athletics 4-0.

KC Semien
Marcus Semien is making making his presence know to the Royals Photo @Athletics

The Athletics bounced back in the top of the third when Marcus Semien hit a one-out double to left-center field. After Matt Joyce struck out, Jed Lowrie singled to right field driving Semien home for the A’s first run of the contest cutting the Royals lead to 4-1.

The A’s went right back to work in the fourth inning. With one out and Fowler at first, Piscottty doubled to left field. Fowler blew through third base coach Matt Williams stop sign and was thrown out at home. Maxwell singled to left-center field drivng Piscotty home for the A’s second run of the game.

Bruce Maxwell led off the top of the seventh inning by hitting a 3-1 Jason Hammel pitch over the center field wall for his first home run of the season. The Athletics had cut the Kansas City lead to 4-3.

In the top of the eighth inning, the A’s received some bad news when Matt Joyce had to exit the game due to an injured back. Matt Olson led off the inning by hitting a single to left-center field. Olson advanced to second when Chapman grounded out. Chad Pinder entered the game as a pinch-hitter for Fowler. Pinder singled up the middle sending Olson home to tie the game at 4-4.

With one out in the home-half of the eighth inning, Jorge Soler hit his ninth home run of the season over left field wall to give the Royals a 5-4 lead. It would prove to be the game winning hit.

On the Hill

Oakland (30-29)

KC Pegan
Pagan faced only one batter on Saturday Photo @Athletics
  • Trevor Cahill was charged with a season-high four runs (all earned) on a season-high seven hits in a season-low 4.2 innings. Not a combination of stats that a starting pitcher would like to post. Cahill is winless in his last 13 road starts with a 6.46 ERA. His last road win was on August 20, 2016 in Colorado. He did strike out six Royals and walked two.
  • Emilio Pagan pitched 0.1 of an inning.
  • Danny Coulombe pitched 1.0 inning of relief allowing no hits while striking out two and walking one.
  • Yusmeiro Petit closed out the game for Oakland pitching 2.0 innings giving up one run (earned) on one hit – the home run to Soler. Petit was charged with the loss and is now 2-2 on the season.

Kansas City (21-37)

  • Jason Hammel – the Royals starter – remains winless in his last six starts. He exited the game with a 4-3 lead but Oakland tied the game and Hammel no longer could figure into the decision. Hammel gave up three runs (all earned) on seven hits (one HR) in 6.0 innings of work. He struck out three and walked two.
  • Kevin McCarthy – worked the seventh inning giving up no hits and walking one.
  • Tim Hill – had a very intersting game. He was charged with a blown save (BS, 1) he gave up the tying run in the top the eighth inning. However, Hill was the pitcher of record when Soler hit the game winning home run, so he received the win to up his record to 1-1 for the year.
  • Kelvin Herrera – entered the came in the top of the ninth to go for the save. Herrera – who has an 0.79 ERA – worked a perfect inning striking out one and earning 13th save of the season in 14 opportunities.

In the Batter’s Box

Athletics (4th-place AL West 6.5 GB)

  • Bruce Maxwell – the A’s catcher was really the man with the bat today in Kansas City. Maxwell went 2-for-3 in the game scoring a run and posting two RBI. One of Maxwell’s hits was his first home run of the season.
  • Jed Lowrie – appears to be benefiting from having Khris Davis back in the lineup for protection. Lowrie went 2-for-5 with an RBI.
  • Chad Pinder – recorded his 13th RBI of the season.
  • The A’s went 3-for-6 with Runners In Scoring Position
  • Oakland had nine hits (four strike outs) and left six runners on base

Royals (5th-place AL Central 9.5 GB)

  • Jon Jay – the Royals leadoff/DH went 2-for-4 on Saturday. His leadoff single in the bottom of the first inning was his 14th of the season. He is now hitting .305 for the year. Jay also collected his 16th RBI of season in the game.
  • Jorge Soler – hit his ninth home run of the season and it was the fifth time one of his home runs has given the Royals the lead. It was also his fourth home run in eight games.
  • The Royals went 2-for-7 with Runners In Scoring Position
  • Kansas City collected eight hits and struck out 10 times. They left nine men on base.

Up next

On Sunday, it will be the “rubber game” of the three-game series. The Athletics will send RHP Daniel Gossett (0-3, 6.05 ERA). He is 0-2 since rejoining the A’s from Triple-A on May 23rd. The Royals are going to start RHP Jakob Junis (5-4, 3.61 ERA).

Montas’ Masterpiece: A’s Blowout Royals 16-0

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

Photo credit: @athletics_fanly

By Matthew Harrington

In the one full season the Oakland A’s have had Frankie Montas on the roster after a 2016 trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers, he had exclusively pitched from the bullpen. His days of relief look to be long over if his 2018 campaign is an indication of the type of player the A’s acquired after shipping Rich Hill and Josh Reddick to LA at the deadline.

Montas (2-0, 0.64 ERA) fired eight innings of shutout ball, picking up his second win in as many starts Friday night in Kansas City on a night when he didn’t have to be perfect. Overshadowing Montas’ seven-hit gem is the offensive outburst of 16 runs by the Green and Gold, good for an easy 16-0 win.

Matt Olson and Dustin Fowler each hit two home runs and plated nine RBIs. Stephen Piscotty knocked in two runs on a bases-loaded double and Khris Davis scored two on an RBI single. Chad Pinder and Jonathan Lucroy were the only A’s starters to not knock in a run, but Lucroy did go 3-for-5 on the night.

Olson took Royals starter Ian Kennedy (1-6, 6.08 ERA) deep twice, blasting homers 10 and 11 of the year off the struggling starter. In total, Kennedy went three innings, allowing eight earned runs. Most of the damage off Kennedy came in the third after the A’s entered the inning up 1-0 then knocked him around for seven in the frame.

Scott Barlow stopped the bleeding, allowing just one run in his three innings of work, but relievers Brian Flynn (four runs) and Jason Adam (three runs) coughed up the Royals second seven-run inning of the game in the top of the ninth.

Reliever Emilio Pagan came in for Montas in the bottom of the ninth, yielding a hit but pucnhing out two to close out the game and hand Montas the official win assumed likely six innings ago. For Montas, it’s a second-straight win in as many starts after returning to the club after a sprained UCL kept him out of play since spring training. His first start was an absolute game, going six innings against the Diamondbacks, allowing three hits and a lone earned run while punching out seven.

His stuff wasn’t as hard to hit today, K’ing only two Royals. But what he lacked in electric stuff, he made up for in efficency. He needed just 99 pitches, 67 for strikes, to get through eight innings. If not for the recent shoulder injury, its likely manager Bob Melvin would have thrown him out for the recent shoulder injury. Not bad for a guy the A’s were using solely in long relief last season. Out of the pen, Montas went 1-1 with a 7.03 ERA.

Trevor Cahill takes the mound Saturday for the A’s facing his former team. Cahill played for the Royals last season after coming over in a July trade. He’ll be opposed by another pitcher facing his former team, with Jason Hammel taking the bump for Kansas City. Hammel pitched for Oakland in 2014 after coming over in the July 4th trade that also netted the A’s Jeff Samardzija.

A’s bats come alive to beat the Rays 7-3; Mengden wins sixth game of the year

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

@Athletics photo: A’s starter Daniel Mengden, who pitched for eight innings gets the win on Thursday afternoon over the Tampa Bay Rays to avoid a sweep at the Oakland Coliseum

By Jerry Feitelberg

Oakland- Tha A’s salvaged the finale of the four-game series as they hit three home runs to help Daniel Mengden win his sixth game of the year. Mengden was brilliant for eight innings as he allowed no runs and just three hits. He stumbled a bit in the ninth, but the A’s bullpen quelled the Rays rally to win 7-3. The Rays’ Ryne Stanek, who, usually pitches out of the bullpen, was selected to continue Kevin Cash’s program of using relievers to start.

The Rays were hoping to sweep the A’s as their pitching had held the A’s to just three runs in the last three games. The A’s hitters were scuffling, but today, they snapped out of the hitting funk. The A’s Khris Davis, who was on the 10-day DL, was cleared to play and he helped get the team going when he doubled in his first at-bat. The A’s also hit three home runs to aid Mengden’s cause. The A’s had hit just 19 at home so far this year as compared to 47 on the road. The changed the numbers when the three Matts, Olson, Chapman, and Joyce all homered.

In the bottom of the second, the A’s exploded to score three times.  The A’s had scored just three runs in the 4-game series with the Rays had to be ecstatic as the bats came alive. Khris Davis, in his first at-bat after being on the 10-day DL, doubled to right-centerfield. Chad Pinder walked to give the A’s runners at first and second with one out. Bruce Maxwell struck out for the second out. Stephen Piscotty, who has been scuffling, doubled to the left-field corner to drive in Davis and Pinder. Mark Canha followed with a single to give the A’s the lead 2-0 after two complete.

The A’s scored two runs on two hits in the bottom of the seventh to take a 5-0 lead. With one out, Matt Olson hit a solo home run to right. Two batters later, Matt Chapman sent a Ryan Yarbrough pitch into outer space for his ninth of the season.

Matt Joyce joined the homer parade in the eighth. Stephen Piscotty walked to put a man on first with one out. The Rays recorded the second out of the inning when Mark Canha popped out to the Rays’ first baseman Brad Miller in foul territory. Joyce then blasted his seventh big fly to put the A’s in the driver’s seat 7-0.

A’s manager let Mengden start the ninth. Mengden gave up a single to C.J.Cron and Joey Wendle to put men on first and second with no out. Rays’ catcher Wilson Ramos doubled to drive in Cron and Wendle. A’s manager Bob Melvin brought in Josh Lucas to pitch. Mengden received a standing ovation from the 12, 070 fans in attendance. Lucas struck out Daniel Robertson for the first out. He then walked Brad Miller. Lucas struck out Rob Refsnyder for the second out. He needed one more out to get the save, but he couldn’t retire Christian Arroyo. Aroyo slammed a double into left field to drive in Ramos. Miller stopped at third base. Melvin brought in closer Blake Treinen to end the game. Rays’ right fielder Josh Field hit a blooper that looked as if it was going to fall in for a hit. Chad Pinder made a sensational over-the-shoulder catch to end the game. It was not easy as the ball bounced off Pinder’s glove, but he somehow was able to grab the ball with his bare hand as he fell to the ground.  The A’s win 7-3

Game Notes: Mengden had his scoreless streak end at a career-high 25 innings. It was the longest streak by an A’s pitcher since Sean Doolittle in 2014 (26.1) and the longest by an A’s starter since Corey Lidle in 2002 (32.0). Mengden also pitched 16 consecutive innings without issuing a walk. He has won four consecutive games for the first time in his career. Blake Treinen recorded his 13th save of the year, and it was his 10th save in May tying him with Dennis Eckersley for the most saves in May in Oakland history.

The A’s seven runs ended a 14-game consecutive streak of 4 runs or less. They finished the month with a record of 15-14 which was the first winning record in May since 2014.

The line score for Oakland was 7 runs, 7 hits, and no errors. The Rays’ line was 3 runs, 7 hits, and 2 errors. The A’s improve to 29-28 while the Rays fall to 28-27.

Up Next: The A’s start a three-game series with the Kansas City Royals Friday night in Kansas City. They are off on Monday before going to Texas for two more with the Rangers. Frankie Montas, who pitched well in his last start, will handle the pitching chores for the Green and Gold and the Royal will start the veteran righty, Ian Kennedy. Kennedy is 1-5 and has an ERA of 5.15. Game time is at 5:15 pm PST.

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Oakland 3-5 on current homestand so far; looking to have breakout offense against Rays

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: @RaysBaseball

On the A’s podcast with Jerry:

First of all let’s talk about Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Nathan Eovaldi who was coming off his second Tommy John surgery and hadn’t pitched since August 10, 2016. Eovaldi pitched six innings reached his 70 pitch count and was throwing a no hitter and left the game for reliever Wilmer Font who was an A’s pitcher once upon a time until the A’s designated him for assignment and the Rays picked him up.

Font gave up the only hit in the ball game for the A’s when the A’s Jed Lowrie got a single that broke it up. If the Rays succeeded with the no hitter it would be the first time since 1991 that the A’s would have been no hit.

Jerry does the A’s podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com