Category: Oakland Athletics

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A’s First Homestand, Promotions and Attendance

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Photo credit: @Athletics

By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

I believe the Oakland Athletics’ future is bright, especially since they brought Mr.Dave Kaval as their President. He has the energy, vision and leadership to guide this great franchise into their next great chapter. The first homestand of the season ended today. There’s more on that below.

If you owned a restaurant and nobody was walking in, you might want to go on the street and grab five homeless souls and bring them in to eat for free, right? It would be a charitable mission but not profitable.In that case God will bless your heart, but not your pocket. But baseball is totally different. Unlike a restaurant, baseball is a seasonal business, where you have six months and days to sell as many tickets as you can. Baseball and professional sports in general sells in advance, like for example to season ticket holders, which gives you a guarantee revenue stream. When your season tickets holders are not plentiful, then you move to Plan B. The team’s 50th Anniversary in Oakland is part of Plan B. With countless of special days and promotions already programmed prior to the season. Nothing wrong with that, this is a great franchise with a total of nine World Series titles, only the New York Yankees with 27 and St. Louis Cardinals with 11, have won more than the A’s, who have been playing at this Oakland Coliseum since 1968.

The Oakland Athletics are on their way to their first road trip of the 2018 season. They will first travel to Anaheim to face Othani and Trout for three games, then by bus up North on Highway 5, some 35 miles to Dodger Stadium for a two-game inter-league set against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and conclude their trip with three games at Safeco Field in Seattle, before returning to Oakland for the last home-stand in April, where they will face the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox.

As they leave for Orange County, the first home-stand of the season was not that great at the box office. This was the attendance for the first eight games of the season in Oakland. Against the Angels on Opening Day, Thursday 27,764, followed by 27,655 the next day, Saturday 17,012 and then 14,644 on Sunday. The Texas Rangers came in on Monday for four games, Monday 7,416, Tuesday 9,597, Wednesday 7,909 and then last game of the home stand on Thursday afternoon 10,132. The first homestand, and first eight games of the season ended with a 3-5 record.

The Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night games against the Rangers, brought me memories of the days when Charlie O Finley owned the team, and after he won the three consecutive World Series in 1972, 1973, 1974 when he didn’t wanted to retain those players because he just didn’t believe an owner should pay millions of dollars to baseball players. Catfish Hunter, Reggie Jackson, Campy Campaneris, among others, they all said Adios to Oakland, they wanted to get paid, and Finley would not paid them, as simple as that. Yes, those years after those three championships were really the dog days, I remember well because that is when I began in this business. The A’s average per-game attendance: 1976: 9,697, 1977: 6,157, 1978: 6,506.

After that, Finley sold the team to the Haas family and things changed for the better. There where pennants and World Series at the Oakland Coliseum. The Haas family revived this great franchise in Oakland, with Roy Eisenhardt, Andy Dolich, and a front office that went to work on marketing and reaching the community. But most importantly, they had the best promotion that all fans appreciate the most–winning. In 1988, the A’s were the first baseball team in the Bay Area to draw over two million fans, which at that time was considered very impressive for this market, and then they followed the trend by winning pennants and going to three World Series.

Celebrating their 50th Anniversary in Oakland has been fun already, with the reunion of 50 players in 50 years during that first home-stand, there is also the Tree House in left field, a new attraction for people to mingle, relax, drink, watch the game, inside or outside on the porch. There is a New Farm area in right field, which is very interesting. The A’s are also giving free tickets to the North Bay residents affected by the fires of 2017. On June 10, a Sunday vs the Kansas City Royals, and will include tributes to the first res-ponders and firefighters.

When the A’s return to Oakland Monday, April the 16 vs. Chicago White Sox, and the next day, April 17, everybody will be admitted free at the O.Co Coliseum.

A franchise in transition trying to build a new ball park in Oakland, with young promising players that could some day be All-Stars is moving ahead after a rough start at the box office. Yes, is has been cold, but there were other things happening, like the Warriors next door ending their regular season and limping on their way to the playoffs trying to repeat as champions.

Note: Now, outfielder Trayce Thompson is with the A’s, so he can just walk next door and watch his brother Klay Thompson (guard) with the Warriors during the playoffs.

March Madness with Villanova winning the national championship along with many other events in this very complicated entertainment world might have been a factor on the A’s attendance. The Bay Area offers many attractions and the entertainment ticket for sports here is always challenged. We are just beginning April and there is a long season ahead.

Among the many optimist here below is one of my favorites, and remember, the world belongs to the optimist.

“Even the darkest night will end, and the sun will rise.”
–Victor Hugo, Les Misérables.

Amaury Pi-González is the Spanish Voice of the Oakland Athletics, and a pioneer in establishing Spanish baseball radio in the Bay Area. Inducted into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame in 2010. Games are on KIQI 1010AM/990AM radio in the Bay Area and Northern California. They can also be heard in Spanish on the SAP on NBC Sports California. Total of 74 games (71 home games plus three on the road) from AT&T Park in San Francisco.

Rangers beat A’s 6-3 to earn a split of four-game series

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Photo credit: @Athletics

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND — The Oakland A’s finished the four-game series with the Texas Rangers on a sour note Thursday afternoon as they were defeated by the Rangers 6-3 at the O.co Coliseum.

Daniel Mengden started for Oakland, and he went 5 1/3 innings. He had a rough second inning when the Rangers put together four hits to score four runs. He committed a throwing error and almost had to leave the game when he was hit on his leg. He pitched well after the second inning, but the damage was done.

Rangers’ starter, lefty Martin Perez, was making his first start of the year and he picked up the win. Perez went 5 2/3 innings. He was touched for 10 hits, but the A’s could only score three times. They had their chances, but could not capitalize.

Things went south for Daniel Mengden in the top of the second inning. The Rangers’ third baseman Adrian Beltre led off the inning with a double to left. Nomar Mazara singled to put men on at first and third with no out. Second baseman Rougned Odor lined a single off Mengden’s ankle to drive in Beltre. Mengden dropped to the ground in pain. A’s manager Bob Melvin, and the trainer ran out to see the extent of the injury. Fortunately, Mengden was able to continue pitching. On the next play, Ryan Rua hit a slow roller past the mound. Mengden fielded it, but his throw to first went down the right-field line. Mazara and Odor scored, and Rua landed on third. Drew Robinson followed with a single. The Rangers scored four times and lead 4-0.

The A’s got two back in the bottom of the third. Shortstop Marcus Semien got the rally going with a single. Chad Pinder singled to put men on at first and second with no out. Jed Lowrie, hitting from the right side, doubled to drive in Semien with the A’s first run. Pinder stopped at third. Pinder scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of DH Khris Davis. The A’s trail 4-2 after three innings of play.

The A’s added a run in the bottom of the seventh. Matt Chapman and Stephen Piscotty singled to put men on at first and third with one out. Matt Joyce, pinch-hitting for Jake Smolinski, drove in Chapman with a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 4-3.

The Rangers increased the lead to three in the top of the ninth when they scored twice with two men out. Juan Centeno singled, and that was followed by a home run to right-field by Shin-Soo-Choo that iced the win for Texas as the A’s failed to score in the bottom of the ninth. Texas wins 6-3.

Game Notes and Stats: A’s starter Daniel Mengden had a rough second inning when he was touched for four hits and four runs, three of which were earned. Mengden settled down and retired 11 in a row after the second-inning meltdown, but the damage was done. The A’s bullpen held the Rangers scoreless until Choo’s homer in the ninth. Mengden’s record drops to 0-2 and Texas starter Martin Perez recorded his first win of the year.

Jed Lowrie paced the A’s with three hits and an RBI. Matt Chapman had two singles to continue his hot start for Oakland. Stephen Piscotty also had two hits.

Rangers’ third baseman Adrian Beltre doubled in the second inning for his 3,054th hit in his illustrious career. Beltre passed Rod Carew for 25th all-time in hits and is now has the most hits of any Latin-born player in Major League history. He is a lock to make it to Baseball’s Hall of Fame.

Both teams are now 3-5 for 2018.

Up Next: The A’s go on the road for a four-game series with the Los Angeles Angels, two games with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and finish the road trip with three in Seattle against the Mariners before returning home to host the Chicago White Sox on April 16th.

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Triggs and Manaea get A’s off to a good pitching start in opening homestand

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On the A’s podcast with Jerry:

#1 Going into the season there was a lot of doubt about the starting pitching but as Jerry was saying the two starting pitchers who are doing well out of the gate Andrew Triggs and Sean Manaea

#2 Manaea gave up only one run, three hits in eight innings in a 6-2 win Wednesday night

#3 For Manaea he pitched in his second start and has gone into the later innings against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday he pitched 7 2/3 innings with a 1.15 ERA.

#4 The talk of the A’s attendance being down with crowds of 7,000 plus on Monday, 9,000 plus on Tuesday, 7,000 plus on Wednesday. A’s president David Kaval has done all he can do promote and make the Coliseum fan friendly with a new restaurant out in the left field bleachers and food trucks lining the concourse of the outside of the Coliseum.

#5 The A’s conclude this homestand with the Texas Rangers as starter Daniel Mengden gets the call against the Texas Rangers Martin Perez.

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

 

A’s hammer Rangers 6-2 behind Sean Manaea’s dominant pitching

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Photo credit: @Athletics

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND — The A’s sent out their big lefty Sean Manaea to face the Texas Rangers Wednesday night at the O.co Coliseum. Manaea pitched well in the A’s second game of the season, but took the loss. However, he was dominant against the Rangers. He mixed up his pitches, and he allowed the Rangers just three singles. The A’s gave Manaea some run support as they led 5-0 after four and he was on cruise control.

The A’s scored the first run of the night in the bottom of the second inning. With one out, Matt Chapman singled. Fister struck out Chad Pinder for the second out, but he could not get by Bruce Maxwell. Maxwell lined a double into the gap in left centerfield to drive in Chapman with the A’s first run.

The A’s sent eight men to the plate in the bottom of the fourth. The A’s scored four runs on two hits, and only one of the runs was earned. The A’s loaded the bases with no out. Chapman singled, Pinder was hit by a pitch, and Bruce Maxwell walked. Boog Powell hit a grounder to the first baseman, Joey Gallo. Gallo’s throw home appeared to nail Chapman, but catcher Robinson Chirinos could not handle the throw and the run scored, and the bases were still loaded. Marcus Semien hit a drive to centerfield that was caught at the base of the wall. Pinder scored, and Maxwell and Powell tagged up and advanced to third and second. Fister struck out Matt Joyce for the second out, but Jed Lowrie ended Fister’s night when he singled to drive two more runs. The A’s lead 5-0 after four complete innings.

The Rangers scored their first run of the game in the top of the fifth. Manaea gave up a single to Nomar Mazara and followed that by walking Chirinos. Jurickson Profar hit a long fly to the rightfield corner. Chad Pinder made a wonderful running catch for the first out, but Mazara was able to tag up and advance to third base. Ryan Rua then hit into a fielder’s choice to drive in Mazara. The A’s added a run in the bottom of the seventh when they loaded the bases with no out. Matt Olson singled to knock in the run, and the bases were still loaded, but they could do no more. The A’s lead 6-1 after seven innings.

Bob Melvin pulled his starter Sean Manaea after he finished the eighth inning. Yusmeiro Petit started the ninth for Oakland, and it did not go well as the Rangers’ DH hit a home run on the second pitch he saw from Petit. Petit settled down and retired the next three hitters to secure the win for Oakland.

Game Notes and Stats: Sean Manaea won his first game of the year as he went eight innings and allowed just one run and three hits. He dazzled the Texas hitters and kept them off balance all night. Manaea pitched well his last time out but did not get any run support and lost to the LA Angels.

The A’s offense came to life Wednesday night. The A’s did not hit any home runs, but they got key hits when they needed them. The hitting stars for Oakland were Jed Lowrie and Matt Chapman. They each knocked in two runs to pace the A’s attack.

Manaea went eight innings and allowed just one and three hits. He threw 94 pitches. He probably wanted to finish the game, but A’s manager Bob Melvin saw things differently. Manaea is 1-1 and Texas starter, Doug Fister, lost his first of the year and is also 1-1.

It was another sparse crowd again. There were 7,908 fans in the seats on a fairly chilly night.

The good news was the time of the game. They played the game in two hours and 23 minutes and everyone gets to go home early.

Up Next: Game four of the four-game series will be Thursday afternoon at 12:30 pm. Daniel Mengden (0-1) will go for Oakland, and the Rangers will counter with lefty Martin Perez (0-0).

Cole Hamels leads Rangers to 4-1 win over A’s

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by Jerry Feitelberg

Oakland- The Texas Rangers beat the A’s Tuesday night 4-1 behind the strong pitching by their ace, Cole Hamels. The veteran left recorded 11 strikeouts in five innings of work and held the A’s offense to just one run. The A’s starter Kendall Graveman ran into trouble in the second inning, and he struggled for the second game in a row. The Rangers scored two in the second, one in the third and one in the fourth to send the A’s down to defeat.

The Rangers got to Kendall Graveman in the second inning. He gave up 2 runs on four hits.  Adrian Beltre started the rally with a sharp single to center field. For Beltre, it was the 3,053rd hit of his illustrious career. The hit tied him with Rod Carew for most hits by a Latin player, and he ranks 25th all-time in that department. The next hitter Nomar Mazara doubled to right-center. Beltre stopped at third.  Robinson Chirinos grounded out to drive in Beltre with the Rangers’ first run. Second baseman Rougned Odor singled to drive in Mazara with the second run of the inning. A’s catcher Jonathan Lucroy nailed Odor as he tried to steal second. Ryan Rua Singled and advanced to third when Graveman issued a walk to Drew Robinson. Rua attempted to steal third, but Lucroy gunned him down.

With one out in the top of the third, Rangers’ first baseman Joey Gallo took Graveman deep for his second dinger of the year and put the Rangers ahead 3-0. The A’s cut the deficit to two when Chad Pinder, playing in left, hit his first home run of the year. The A’s trail 3-1 after three complete.

Graveman could not shut down the Rangers in the top of the fourth. Nomar Mazara singled to start the frame. Graveman didn’t help his cause when he uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Mazara to advance into scoring position. Graveman got Robinson Chirinos to ground out, and Mazara was held at second. Rougned Odor then singled to drive in Mazara with the Rangers’ fourth run.

There was no more scoring the rest of the way. Both bullpens did their jobs after the starting pitchers exited the contest. The Rangers win 4-1 to even the series at one apiece.

Game Notes- Rangers starter Cole Hamels went five innings and allowed one run and just four hits while walking three and striking out eleven A’s hitters. Hamels threw 94 pitches in his five innings of work, and his record stands at 1-1. The A’s starter Kendall Graveman did not pitch well for the second game in a row, Graveman’s also went five innings, but he gave up four runs and 8 hits. He issued one free pass and struck out just one hitter.  He gave up a home run to Joey Gallo in the third inning. Graveman’s record is now 0-1.

A’s catcher Jonathan Lucroy had an outstanding evening on defense. Lucroy threw out three men attempting to steal and tagged a runner out at home after he tried to score from first on a double to left. The A’s offense could not get anything going. They scored just one run, and they did not have an inning in which they had more than one hit. They had eight hits in the game, one in each inning except the sixth. Chad Pinder was the only A’s player that did anything against Hamels as he had a double and a home run.

The Rangers and A’s have an identical won-loss record as they both are now 2-4 for 2018. The Series is tied at one apiece. Game three Wednesday night will feature left Sean Manaea going for Oakland, and the veteran righty Doug Fister will hurl for Texas. Game time will be at 7:05 pm.

Time of game was two hours and fifty minutes. There were 9,157 fans at the ballpark Tuesday night. It was the second-lowest attendance since May 3rd, 2010. The lowest since that time was last night.

That’s Amaury’s Podcast, News and Commentary: A’s fire the first volley at Rangers to open series

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from oaklandathletics.com photo file: Oakland A’s pitcher Kendall Graveman (left) throws for the A’s tonight and owes a lot of his learning curves from his early days to former A’s pitcher Jessie Chavez (right) Chavez is now a reliever for the Texas Rangers

On That’s Amaury’s podcast:

#1 The A’s got that first victory to pen the series with the Rangers

#2 After dropping three of four with the Angels in the opening series of the season the A’s who won on opening day last Thursday and then opened the series with the Rangers with a 3-1 win on Monday night.

#3 A look at the DL with pitchers Jharel Cotton, John Blackburn, and AJ Puk. Amaury talks about concerns in the starting rotation. Despite the loss the A’s have some pitchers who might be able to turn it up a notch and get some good performances out of pitchers like Kendall Graveman, Andrew Triggs, Sean Manaea, and Daniel Mengden.

#4 The got great pitching on Monday from starter Triggs, releivers Ryan Butcher, Chris Hatcher, and closer Blake Treinen

#5 A’s and Rangers go at it again tonight at the Coliseum, Graveman gets the start. It’s Graveman’s first appearance since last Thursday’s win on opening day at the Coliseum where Graveman went five innings, seven hits, five earned runs, and a strike out.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio voice for the Oakland A’s, the Vice President for the Major League Baseball Heritage Museum, and News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s come out on top with 3-1 win over Rangers in nail-biter

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Photo credit: @Athletics

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND — The Oakland A’s met the Texas Rangers for the first time this season Monday night at the Oakland Coliseum. Both teams entered the game with a record of 1-3. The A’s sent Andrew Triggs to the mound to handle the pitching chores. Triggs, now in his second year, pitched very well as he went five innings and allowed just one run and four hits. He did not get a decision, but the A’s rallied in the eighth to score two runs and win 3-1.

The Rangers sent Bartolo Colon out to pitch, and Colon also pitched extremely well. The 44-year-old master went six innings and was touched for just one run while giving up seven hits, He escaped jams in the fifth and sixth innings and he, too, did not get a decision.

The A’s started the scoring in the bottom of the third when third baseman Matt Chapman led off the inning with a home run over the right-center field wall. Bartolo Colon settled down and retired the next three hitters. The A’s lead 1-0 after three complete.

The Rangers threatened in the top of the fourth. With one out, Rangers’ catcher, Robinson Chirinos reached third when A’s right fielder Stephen Piscotty failed to catch the ball as he bounced off the wall. Triggs got Rougned Odor to pop out to Jed Lowrie for the second out. Ryan Rua, who had singled in the second inning, hit a line drive to center. A’s center fielder Boog Powell made a sensational diving catch to rob Rua of a hit and end the Ranger threat.

The Rangers tied the game in the top of the fifth. Triggs walked Drew Robinson to start the inning. Robinson stole second when Shin-Soo Chin struck out swinging. Rangers’ first baseman, Joey Gallo, followed with a single to drive in Robinson. The A’s, in their half of the fifth, had three solid singles but could not score. The key play in the inning came when A’s catcher Jonathan Lucroy tried to score from second on a Marcus Semien single to center. The throw home was on the mark, and while there was a collision between Lucroy and Chirinos, Chirinos was able to hold onto the ball for the out.

The A’s broke through in the seventh to plate two runs and take a 3-1 lead. The A’s had chances in the fifth and sixth, but could not get the key hit they needed to get the go-ahead run. Their fortunes changed in the seventh. With one out, Lucroy doubled to left-center. The new Ranger pitcher, Kevin Jepsen, retired Boog Powell for the second out and Lucroy advanced to third on the play. The next hitter, Marcus Semien walked. Ranger manager Jeff Banister brought in lefty Jake Diekman to pitch to Jed Lowrie. Banister wanted Lowrie hitting from the right side, but the strategy did not work as Lowrie doubled to drive in both Lucroy and Semien.

The A’s bullpen did its job as Ryan Buchter, Chris Hatcher, and Blake Treinen gave up just two hits and no runs in four innings of work. The A’s win 3-1.

Game Notes: With the win, the A’s improve to 2-3 while Texas falls to 1-4. The hitting stars for Oakland were Matt Chapman who hit his second homer of the season and Jed Lowrie who had a clutch two-out double in the eighth to drive in the winning runs.

The A’s meet the Rangers again Tuesday night for game two of the four-game series. Kendal Graveman will be on the hill for Oakland, and the Rangers’ will counter with the ace, lefty Cole Hamels.

Time of game was three hours and 10 minutes.  A sparse crowd of 7,416 was on hand to watch the heroes win and were able to go home with smiles on their faces.

Up Next: The A’s and Rangers meet again Tuesday night at 7:05 pm PT.

Ohtani throws gas in MLB pitching debut; A’s fall to the Angels again

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Photo courtesy of Kelley L. Cox/USA Today

By Morris Phillips

OAKLAND–For a minute, it appeared as if the A’s had a handle on Shohei Ohtani in his major league pitching debut.

For a minute.

In the opening weekend series finale, Ohtani became the first big leaguer to have a starting offensive assignment and pitch as a starter within 10 games of his debut since Babe Ruth. But Ohtani made sure that history was just a jumping off point as he threw high 90’s gas throughout and struck out three the first four batters he faced swinging.

Then Ohtani struggled to execute breaking pitches–an issue for the Japanese import in spring training–and Matt Chapman seized the opening with a three-run homer that gave the A’s a brief 3-2 lead in the second inning.

Did we mention high 90’s gas? After allowing Chapman’s home run, Ohtani leaned heavily on his fastball-splitter combo, retiring 14 of the final 15 batters he faced.

Add 13 hits to Ohtani’s mini-gem and the Angels 7-4 win felt more lopsided and assured than it was.

“You can see how he can get hitters out, not just the velocity but all his pitches,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “He used everything. Outside of one stretch of three hitters in the second inning, that’s about as well as you can pitch.”

Cozart comfortable all over the diamond as the Angels cruise past the A’s

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Photo of Angels’ Zack Cozart courtesy of mlb.com

By Morris Phillips

OAKLAND–Zack Cozart has some history at the Coliseum, just none as eventful as his first 72 hours as a member of the Angels.

After seven seasons as a shortstop with the Reds, Cozart opted to sign a three-year deal with the Angels and all the uncertainty that comes with it. So far, the uncertainty of what position he’ll play, and where he’ll hit has been quite motivational for Cozart.

On Saturday, as Anaheim’s second baseman hitting leadoff, Cozart led the Angels past the A’s 8-3, with a pair of hits and two runs batted in. Cozart filled in at third base for Ian Kinsler, who landed on the disabled list before the game.

A’s starter Daniel Mengden allowed runs in four of the six plus innings he worked, and trailed 7-0 at one point. But Mengden wasn’t solely culpable as the A’s defense behind him committed an error and several misplays. While Mengden wasn’t as sharp as he was to finish 2017, he wasn’t far off, according to manager Bob Melvin.

“Hopefully we put that one away, because obviously the defense got a lot better as the game went along, but Mengden didn’t deserve the fate that he got,” Melvin said.

Khris Davis got the start in left field, and Rene Rivera’s line drive in the third eluded his glove for two-base error. Two other defensive lapses would follow and the A’s fell into a 3-0 hole early.

In the sixth, Cozart doubled, scoring Rivera and Jefry Marte. Mike Trout–who had three hits–followed with a well-placed single, scoring Cozart, and the Angels led 6-0.

Cozart’s double and triple gave him a cycle through the first three games of the season and an early .357 batting average. He hit leadoff on Opening Day and had three hits, including a home run. He hit fifth on Friday, moving from third to second during the game. All of the activity dwarfed Cozart’s previous appearance at the Coliseum, a pair of hitless interleague games for the Reds in 2013.

“Usually I just show up to the park and I know I’m playing shortstop,” Cozart said. “Now it’s different, but I kind of knew what my role was going to be: starting third baseman, but just in case, second base, shortstop, whatever. It’s just unfortunate that Kins got a little banged up and now I’m playing second for a little bit.”

Matt Shoemaker held the A’s offense in check for five innings before a three-run sixth made things competitive. Shoemaker was mostly good, and some bad, starting 17 batters with a strike, but walking four. Manager Mike Scioscia opted to remove his starter after Stephen Piscotty singled home a pair of runs in the sixth. But Cam Bedrosian came on to limit the damage, striking out Boog Powell to end the inning.

“We’re one swing away from tying it,” manager Bob Melvin recounted. “So it was good that we battled back-sitting at a 7-0 deficit and we continued to fight back, the attributes you want to see–but we dug ourselves too big of a hole.”

The A’s conclude the opening series on Sunday at 1:05pm with Daniel Gossett facing international sensation Shohei Ohtani, in his first major league pitching assignment.

 

A’s battle to the end, but lose to Angels 2-1

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By Charlie O Mallonee

Oakland — On the night the Oakland Athletics introduced their 50th Anniversary Team, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the A’s gave the 27,665 fans a real show on the diamond. Unlike the the run-fest on Opening Day, it was an old fashioned pitchers duel on Friday as the Angels downed the Athletics 2-1.

Angels stater–LHP Tyler Skaggs–was in midseason form as kept the A’s hitters off-balance by mixing up his pitches and changing speeds. Skaggs worked 6.1-innings of shutout baseball while giving up just three hits to Oakland batters. Skaggs struck out five and walked none.

When Skaggs left the game in top of the seventh inning, he took a 1-0 lead with him to the clubhouse, thanks to Mike Trout’s first home run of the season that he hit out of the park in the top of the first.

Blake Wood worked the final two outs of the seventh and Kenyan Middleton kept the A’s from scoring in the eighth inning.

After the Angels added an insurance run in the top of the ninth, Mike Sciosia handed the ball to Blake Parker to close out the game and that is when it got interesting.

Khris Davis was A’s lead off hitter in bottom of the ninth. Davis walked. Matt Olson then hit a single through the right side of the infield moving Davis up to second. Parker struck out Stephen Piscotty and Matt Chapman.

Oakland catcher Jonathan Lucroy kept hope alive when he hit a solid single to right-center field that drove Davis home and moved Olson up to third. Parker induced Matt Joyce to ground out third to first to end the game.

Skaggs got the win and the save (just barely) went to Parker. The antacid went to Mike Sciosia.

The A’s Sean Manaea took the loss but he pitched well enough to win. Manaea pitched 7.2-innings giving up just one run off four hits. He walked none and struck out seven LAA hitters. The lefty threw 95 pitches–65 strikes. Oakland manager Bob Melvin told reporters after the game that Manaea did not want to come out of the contest when he was lifted in the top of the eighth inning.

The one blemish on the scoresheet for Manaea was the first inning home run he gave up to Mike Trout. As Melvin mentioned, after going 0-6 on Thursday Trout was overdue. Trout has now hit 14 home runs at the Coliseum in his career.

The A’s scattered seven hits divided between seven different batters. They had only one extra base hit in the game. Oakland went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base.

The A’s did not hit poorly on Friday night. They were stopped by a very outstanding performance by a starting pitcher and excellent support from two of his three relievers.

Oakland A’s 50th Anniversary Moment
The A’s played on March 30th for the first time in their history.

Opening Day Trivia
Khris Davis hit his third home run on an Opening Day as a member of the Oakland Athletics on Thursday which ties him with Dave Henderson and Terry Steinbach for the A’s record.

Matt Olson became just the fourth player in MLB history dating back to 1908 to hit an Opening Day home run on his birthday (Jeff Mathis (2011) Ian Stewart (2010) Scott Rolen (2000)).

Up Next
On Saturday the “second-coming” of Rollie Fingers, RHP Daniel Mengden will make his first start of the season for the Athletics. Mengden posted a record of 3-2 in seven starts last season with an ERA of 3.14. The Angels will counter RHP Matt Shoemaker who made 14 starts for the Halos in 2017 and finished with a 6-3 record while recording a 4.52 ERA. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 P.M. The game can be seen on NBC-California, heard on the A’s Radio Network and en Espanol on 1010 AM and 990 AM.

The Big Reveal
The MLB debut that everyone has been waiting for will happening in Oakland on Sunday when the highly touted, two-way Japanese player Shohei Ohtani will make the start for the Angels. Game time is 1:05 P.M.