San Francisco Giants right fielder Hunter Pence (8) and Oakland catcher Ryan Lavarnway (30) in the seventh inning, during a MLB game between the Oakland Athletics and the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California. Valerie Shoaps/CSM (Cal Sport Media via AP Images)
By Jerry Feitelberg
SAN FRANCISCO–It’s been a very entertaining series the Monday night game between the Oakland A’s and San Francisco Giants both teams were in it and the A’s got a grand slam from Marcus Semien off Giants pitcher George Kontos and it put the A’s ahead of the Giants 6-3 and the eventually won that game Monday 8-5.
On Tuesday the Giants had five runs in the first it wasn’t much of a contest at the Coliseum it was 10-4. Then on Wednesday night it was the A’s turn to shine and they had Daniel Gossett pitching what can be termed as the best game of his career going seven innings and they just allowed one run in three hits and was dominate.
Gossett had been throwing up a lot of gopher balls earlier in the season he had given up 11 homers in 47 innings of work which isn’t too terrific but again the Giants just can’t hit home runs in AT&T Park. They did hit three on Tuesday at the Coliseum but they couldn’t hit any on Wednesday night.
The A’s will start Kendall Graveman and the Giants will start Ty Blach catch Jerry with the A’s game recap and Morris Phillips with the Giants recap tonight at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
Oakland Athletics second baseman Jed Lowrie (8) hitting a tick in the eighth inning, during a MLB game between the Oakland Athletics and the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California. Valerie Shoaps/CSM (Cal Sport Media via AP Images)
by Jerry Feitelberg
SAN FRANCISCO– The scene shifted to San Francisco for game three of the four-game series. Daniel Gossett started for Oakland, and the Giants countered with lefty Matt Moore. Moore was hoping to have a good outing as he entered the game with a record of 3-10 and has had a disappointing season so far this year. Gossett, on the other hand, also had a slow start in his first year with the A’s. He was hoping to improve on his record of 2-6. Gossett had allowed eleven homers in 47 innings of work. Gossett accomplished both goals as he was superb Wednesday night in San Francisco, Gossett went seven innings and allowed just three hits and one run. His effort had to please Bob Melvin as the A’s won 6-1.
The A’s scored twice in the second inning. Ryon Healy led off with a walk. Matt Moore walked Chad Pinder to put men on at first and second with no out. Matt Chapman followed with a booming double to deep center field that hit off the wall. Healy and Pinder held up as they weren’t sure that the ball would be caught. As a result, only Healy scored. Moore then walked Matt Joyce to load the bases. Ryan Lavarnway hit into a double play and Pinder scored on the play. Moore struck out Gossett to end the inning.
In the third inning, with two out, Moore walked Jed Lowrie. A’s first baseman, Ryon Healy, hit his 20th homer of the season into the seat in left field. There was no doubt about it when it left Healy’s bat. The A’s lead 4-0 midway through the third inning.
The Giants got on the board in the bottom of the fifth. Brandon Crawford started the rally by working Gossett for a free pass. Hunter Pence followed with a double down the left field line to advance Crawford to third. With one out, Gorkys Hernandez hit a sacrifice fly to right field to drive in Crawford with San Francisco’s first run of the game.
The A’s plated two more runs in the seventh inning, Marcus Semien led off with a single, and he scored on a Jed Lowrie double that went into the gap in left-center field. For Lowrie, it was his second double of the game and 32nd of the season. Lowrie advanced to third on a ground out and scored the A’s sixth run when Chad Pinder singled.
The A’s bullpen did the job to preserve the win for Oakland. The A’s used Ryan Dull and Daniel Coulombe in the eighth and Santiago Casilla, the former closer for the Giants, finished the job in the ninth. He retired the first two hitters but then issued a walk to Brandon Crawford. With the A’s fans chanting ” let’s go Oakland” and the remaining Giants’ fans in the stands chanting “let’s go Giants,” Santiago struck out his former teammate Hunter Pence to end the game. Final score 6-1 in favor of Oakland.
Game notes- The A’s improved to 48-60 and the Giants dropped to 41-68. The Giants lost a golden opportunity to pick a game on the Dodgers as LA lost to Atlanta 5-3. The Giants remain 35 games behind LA.
Jed Lowrie and Ryon Healy were the hitting stars for the A’s. Healy had a single and a homer while Lowrie came through with two doubles. The Giants had four singles and a double in the loss.
On a more serious note, the Giants lost a member of their family yesterday when they announced the passing of longtime clubhouse assistant Daniel Lowenstein. Lowenstein was just 60 years old. He was a very popular figure in the clubhouse, and he will be missed.
The A’s and Giants conclude the four-game series Thursday night at AT&T park Thursday night. Game time is at 7:15 pm.
The A’s Kendall Graveman will start for Oakland. Graveman was on the 10-day DL and will be making his first start since May 19th. The Giants will counter with lefty Ty Blach.
Time of game was two hours and forty-one minutes and the two teams played the third game in a row before a big crowd. Attendance was 40,635.
FILE – In this Oct. 12, 2016, file photo, Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry follows his shot from the 14th fairway of the Silverado Resort North Course during the pro-am event of the Safeway Open PGA golf tournament, in Napa, Calif. Two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry is set to test his golf game against the pros. The Web.com Tour announced Wednesday, June 28, 2017, that Curry, who recently won his second NBA championship with the Golden State Warriors, will play in the Ellie Mae Classic. The event at TPC Stonebrae runs from Aug. 3-6.(AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
On That’s Amaury’s Podcast:
1 Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry is all the rage but this time on the golf course rather than the basketball court. Curry heads up the Ellie Mae Classic Web.com Tour in Hayward starting this Thursday through Sunday
2 Curry knows that playing in the Ellie Mae he will be swinging with some of the PGA’s best golfers in the world. Curry states that those players are just one step away from going to the next level on the PGA Tour
3 The Oakland A’s still have Yonder Alonso and Jed Lowrie it’s a question if they should keep their bags packed as it’s August which is an wavier month. The A’s have said that both players are vital towards the end of the season but in this business anyone could be traded
4 The injury to San Francisco Giants pitcher Johnny Cueto is a lot less serious than his injury that Cueto had when he pitched in Cincinnati two seasons back. Cueto this time is suffering from forearm tightness and is expected to be back in a week. He will miss this Saturday’s start against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish TV talent for the Angels, the Spanish radio talent for the A’s, and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
San Francisco Giants’ Hunter Pence, right, is greeted by Buster Posey after hitting a three-run home run off Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Michael Brady during the sixth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
by Jerry Feitelberg
OAKLAND- The San Francisco Giants snapped a four-game losing streak as the downed the A’s by a score of 10-4. The A’s starter, Sean Manaea, just didn’t have it as he gave up six runs and nine hits in just three innings of work. The A’s manager Bob Melvin removed Manaea after the third inning. Michael Brady pitched the last six innings of the game, and he was roughed up for four runs and five hits. The Giants’ Jeff Samardzija, a former Oakland Athletic, won his sixth game of the year. He pitched eight innings and four runs, one of which was unearned, and allowed just six hits. He walked two and struck out five. His record is now 6-11 for the year and Manaea’s drops to 8-6. The game summary follows below.
The Giants jumped all over Sean Manaea in the first inning. The Giants scored five runs ( only one was earned) on five hits and one big error by Yonder Alonso. Gorkys Hernandez led off with a double to left. Kelby Tomlinson followed with a soft single to right field that plated Hernandez. Brandon Belt hit a grounder to first that Alonso usually handles with ease. However, he committed the error, and that opened the floodgates. Buster Posey singled to drive in Tomlinson with the second run. Brandon Crawford hit into a 3-6 fielder’s choice, and Belt scored on the play. The next hitter, Nick Hundley homered with Crawford aboard to give the Giants a 5-0 advantage.
The Giants batted around as they sent ten men to the plate in the inning. The A’s responded by getting on the board in their half of the first. Matt Joyce doubled to right leading off. Joyce, much to the dismay of A’s fans, made a base running blunder. With Marcus Semien at bat, the ball bounced in the dirt and appeared to get by Buster Posey. Posey spotted Joyce on the move and nailed him at third for the first out. Semien singled, and Khris Davis walked to put men on at first and second. Alonso singled to drive in Semien with the A’s first run. The A’s trail 5-1.
The Giants tacked on another run in the second on doubles by Belt and Posey. The A’s got the run back when Samardzija walked Bruce Maxwell. Maxwell went to third when Samardzija made a throwing error on a ball hit by Jaycob Brugman. Joyce hit a sacrifice fly to left. The Giants lead 6-2 after two.
The Giants increased the lead in the fourth. Michael Brady replaced Sean Manaea on the hill for Oakland. The first batter he faced, Brandon Belt, greeted him with a blast into the seats in right field. The A’s, to their credit, tallied two in the bottom of the fifth. Jaycob Brugman led off with a single and scored when Matt Joyce hit his 14th homer of the year. The A’s trail 7-4 heading into the sixth.
The Giants appear to have broken open the game. In the sixth, Kelby Tomlinson led off with a triple to right field. Brady retired Belt for the first out. The A’s gave walked Posey intentionally, but the strategy backfired as Hunter Pence slammed his eighth home run of the season to give the Giants a commanding 10-4 advantage.
Jeff Samardzija did not allow another run, and he left after the eighth inning. Josh Osich pitched the ninth for the Giants. Giants win 10-4.
Game Notes- The Giants’ Kelby Tomlinson, Gorkys Hernandez, Buster Posey, Brandon Belt, Hunter Pence, and Nick Hundley all had key hits in the game. The A’s one bright spot was a two-run dinger off the bat of Matt Joyce. Belt, Hundley, and Pence all homered for the Giants, and it was the first time since June 22nd at Atlanta when the Giants had three homers in a game.
The A’s are finished the five-game homestand with a record of 3-2. The scene shifts to AT&T Park for the next two games between the Bay Area Rivals
There was another big crowd on hand to watch the game. Attendance was announced at 38,891.
The pitchers for Wednesday’s game will be between the A’s Daniel Gossett (2-6, 5.74 ERA) and Matt Moore (3-10, 5.74 ERA). Both pitchers are struggling and should be interesting to see if one or both can have a good game. The game in San Francisco will start at 7:15 pm and since it will be in a National League park there will be no designated hitter.
AP photo: New York Yankees starter Sonny Gray met with the media on Tuesday and said he was happy to be on baseball’s biggest stage. Gray is schedule to make his first start for the Yankees on Thursday.
On the A’s podcast with Charlie O:
1 Adam Rosales expected to provide some depth and hitting for the Arizona Diamondbacks and he should break out anytime as the Diamondbacks chase for a spot in post season play. The A’s get right hand pitcher Jefferson Meija and it’s the A’s hopes that Meija can help the pitching staff out.
2 The New York Yankees Sonny Gray says he’s happy to be on the big stage and that he hopes to contribute to the Yankees and their post season hopes. Gray has the stuff to be a 20 game winner. Like almost everyone says if you get too good on the Oakland A’s chances are your not going to stay long.
3 With the A’s dealing Gray, Rosales, also Ryan Madson and Sean Doolittle the two veterans who could go during the waiver deadline is Jed Lowrie and Yonder Alsono
4 Outside the A’s story is baseball’s biggest story Pete Rose who has recently been accused of having a young girl back in 1973 at the age of 14 to be trafficked to his Cincinnati home. The woman now identified as Jane Doe said Rose had sex with her and has retained John Dowd a Washington lawyer who also led a previous investigation against Rose in his gambling on baseball. The statute of limitations for rape and sexual battery cases is 25 years. For DNA evidence an additional five years. In this case the statute of limitations has run out.
OAKLAND–How bad does things have to get for either the last place Oakland A’s and San Francisco Giants who played at the Oakland Coliseum last night not the kind of publicity either team would want. It was in the upper deck at the Coliseum that things got out of control Monday night between a security guard and a fan. The incident was video taped by five different fans as the guard was pulling the hair of the fan before the other guards came in and restrained the guard. The video showed once the punch was thrown by the woman guard and other security guards and fans started mixing it up with punches and exchanging words.
In watching the video tape the guard was throwing down and the other fans and guards were intervening as it would appear on the video. The third party contract security company which remained unnamed their guards in the brawl will be part of an investigation by the Oakland A’s. The A’s have promoted a environment condusive to a family atmosphere and with both the San Francisco Giants in Oakland playing their cross bay rival the A’s. There could have been some bad blood between fans in that respect.
The Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers during past pre season football games had some serious altercations with fans fighting in the stands which led to neither team facing each other in pre season in recent years. The A’s president David Kaval wanted to promote the ultimate family fun experience at the Coliseum which includes taking the tarp off the third deck where the brawl took place last night. The tarp had been up on the third deck for several years and it was taken off for this season. Seats sell for $15 in the third deck.
Knowing Kaval he and the A’s do not want this kind of bad publicity after the A’s have worked hard to bring and enhance the fan experience at the Coliseum. After the first mix up the security guards left that section of the third deck only to come back a second time and exchange words with the fans again. The guards left again and came back a third time according to witnesses and the police had been called to the area by that time and then words were exchanged again and a fan threw a beer at the security guard who initiated the punching of the fan earlier.
That guard reportedly according to other fans had to be restrained again. As far as if police were making an assessment was concerned that is still in the works as the A’s and the A’s security try to sift out what happened. The video might tell all or part of the story. The Giants and A’s meet again at the Coliseum for game two of the series Tuesday night what security arrangements that are being made for that section of the Coliseum has not been decided.
Jerry Feitelberg and Morris Phillips are covering the A’s and Giants at the Oakland Coliseum during this home at home series at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
Oakland- There was a huge crowd on hand at the Oakland Coliseum Monday night to watch the A’s play the San Francisco Giants in the first of the home and home four-game series. The A’s and the Giants played a very entertaining game as the A’s found a way to send the Giants down to defeat as Oakland won by a score of 8-5.
The A’s sent righty Paul Blackburn to the mound Monday night. Sonny Gray was supposed to start, but he was traded to the Yankees just before the trade deadline expired. Blackburn pitched into the seventh inning. He went six and 1/3rd innings and allowed five runs and eight hits. The A’s bullpen did the job and was able to preserve the win for Blackburn. The Giants’ Matt Cain pitched just five innings, and he allowed six and just two runs. Giants’ manager Bruce Bochy removed after the fifth inning as he was very close to the 100-pitch limit.
The Giants drew first blood in the top of the first inning. With two out, Brandon Belt doubled to right field. Buster Posey singled to drive him in with the first run of the game. The lead didn’t last long as the A’s scored twice in their half of the inning. Cain walked Matt Joyce who was leading off for Oakland. Semien singled to put men on at first and second with no out. Jed Lowrie followed with a single to drive in Joyce with the tying run. Semien moved to third on the play. Semien scored when Khris Davis lined out to deep left field. The A’s lead 2-1 after the first inning.
The Giants regained the lead in the fourth. With one out, the Giants hitters came through with four consecutive singles to tally two runs and lead 3-2. The attack featured singles by Posey, Crawford, Jae-Gyun Hwang, and Carlos Moncrief. For Moncrief, it was his first hit in the big leagues and his first RBI. Blackburn retired Hundley and Hernandez to end the threat.
In the bottom half of the sixth inning, the A’s regained the lead. Lefty Josh Osich was now pitching for the Giants. He walked A’s catcher Bruce Maxwell to start the inning. Rajai Davis, pinch hitting for Jaycob Brugman, doubled to left to put men on at second and third. Osich walked Matt Joyce to load the bases. Bochy decided to replace Osich with righty George Kontos. It turned out to be a fateful decision as Semien sent a Kontos fastball over the fence in left-center field for a grand slam. It was Semien’s fourth homer of the year and the second grand slam of his career, and it propelled the A’s into a 6-3 lead.
The Giants rallied in the seventh to drive Blackburn out of the game. The Giants put together four hits and plated two more runs. Carlos Moncrief led off the inning with a double. He then made a blunder on the base paths as he took off for third on a ground ball that went directly to Blackburn. Blackburn threw to Semien, and they tagged Moncrief out after a short rundown. Nick Hundley reached on the fielder’s choice. Gorkys Hernandez and Denard Span singled to drive in Hundley. Brandon Belt Singled to drive in Span. Liam Hendriks was now pitching for the A’s, and he had to face the Giants’ best hitter, Buster Posey. Hendriks won the battle as he was able to strike Posey out.
The A’s score two more in the bottom of the eighth to give them a three-run cushion heading into the ninth inning. A’s manager Bob Melvin called on Blake Treinen to close out the game, and after giving up a single to Hundley, he was able to retire the next three Giants to preserve the win for Blackburn and earn his first save as a member of the Oakland Athletics. The A’s win 8-5.
Game Notes- First of all, as mentioned earlier, the A’s traded pitcher Sonny Gray for three prospects. The A’s obtained outfielder Dustin Fowler, pitcher James Kaprielian, and shortstop/outfielder Jorge Mateo. Fowler is recovering from a knee injury, and Kaprielian had Tommy John Surgery and won’t be available to next year. Mateo is playing in Double-A ball and is tearing up the league. The A’s also announced that they traded super sub, Adam Rosales, to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The A’s activated Chad Pinder from the 10-day DL. Pinder had been out since June, 23rd due to a strained left hamstring. Pinder was inserted into right field in the ninth inning, and he made a tremendous running catch to help the A’s win. Kendall Graveman will pitch for Oakland Thursday night. Graveman has missed a substantial amount of time due to a shoulder injury.
Oakland hit three doubles, the fourth consecutive game in which the A’s have hit at least three. It was the second time this year that they have hit three doubles in four consecutive games.
The A’s improved to 48-59 while the Giants drop to 40-67. Blackburn was the winning pitcher, and he is 2-1. Josh Osich took the loss, and he is 3-2.
Time of game was three hours and 26 minutes. The A’s had the second largest crowd of the season as 38,391 watched the Green and Gold beat the Orange and Black.
Game Two of the series will be at the Oakland Coliseum Tuesday night at 7:05 pm. Sean Manaea ( 8-5, 3.82 ERA ) will pitch for Oakland, and the Giants will have former Athletic Jeff Samardzija ( 5-11, 4.85 ERA ) will handle the pitching chores for San Francisco.
Minnesota Twins pitcher Bartolo Colon works against the Oakland Athletics in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 30, 2017, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
By Morris Phillips
OAKLAND–Somewhere near the three-hour mark of Sunday’s series finale between the Twins and the A’s, the stalemates appeared pretty much entrenched.
No movement on the scoreboard, and no movement on the trade front. Sonny Gray, scratched from his scheduled start with speculation high that the A’s young ace would be dealt prior to Monday’s deadline, was still sitting in the Oakland dugout quietly pulling for the only big league club he’s known to summon some extra-inning dramatics.
A weird scene? Indeed, but at the three-hour mark this one had already qualified as strange ballgame.
Luckily, for the A’s, Yonder Alonso would provide a straightforward and satisfying ending–after four hours and six minutes of baseball.
Alonso sent Tyler Duffy’s first offering in the 12th inning over the right field wall to win it, and complete the A’s methodical climb from a 5-0, fourth inning deficit. The 6-5 win enhanced the A’s reputation for late ballgame dramatics despite their being positioned 22 1/2 games out of first place in the AL West.
Sort of like a tantrum-engulfed toddler wailing loudly in a crowded room, the swinging A’s are capable of demanding your attention.
“Once you get a few of them (walk off wins), I don’t want to say you expect it, but you have a good feeling about it happening again once we get to the dugout and have a chance to win,” manager Bob Melvin said.
The A’s won for the ninth time–and second day in a row–on their final at-bat of the day.
The momentum swings in this one ran the range from subtle to stark starting with the Twins’ two-homer, first inning off Jharel Cotton. Thrust into the starting role when Gray was scratched, and fresh from the disabled list, Cotton continued two, disturbing trends by allowing the two bombs, and walking five. The walks were distributed across Cotton’s brief, 78-pitch outing, and visibly frustrated the young pitcher, but Melvin still saw positives.
“He just got a little bit out of sync. He threw some really good changeups at times, good pitches, but he just couldn’t get into a rhythm,” Melvin said. “I thought his stuff was pretty good, it just didn’t translate into outs.”
In contrast, Cotton’s adversary on the mound, Bartolo Colon was Old Steady, making his 516th big league start which lasted into the seventh inning. Colon has hinted at an imminent retirement, but the decision wasn’t in connection with Sunday’s outing. Colon allowed eight hits and a walk, and departed with a 5-3 lead.
Home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi complicated things for Colon, Cotton and both lineups with his inconsistent ball and strike calls. The Twins Brian Dozier got the worst of it. After his first inning home run, he struck out five times, and fussed with Cuzzo throughout. Dozier was around for the finish, but Miguel Sano was not. After fanning for the third time in the 11th, Sano paused, then exploded, throwing his bat down, prompting Cuzzi to issue his ejection.
While Cotton and six Oakland relievers compiled 15 strikeouts, they also issued eight walks, helping make the latter innings hectic with the Twins threatening to push across the go-ahead run. But that’s where the A’s defense kicked in with Khris Davis making a pair of high-difficulty catches, and Matt Chapman’s heads up tag play at third that prevented Max Kepler from reaching the base with one out in the ninth.
The beleaguered A’s bullpen was dialed in, throwing 8 1/3 scoreless innings after Cotton allowed all five Minnesota runs.
Gray’s status remains undetermined at press time, but if he’s moved to the Yankees, it will follow weeks of intense negotiating with the Yankees protecting their high-level prospects and the A’s insisting that one or two be included in any deal. If nothing else, stubborn negotiations, and a relatively small number of deals consummated to date by all of the clubs leave room for the possibility that Gray won’t be moved at all.
If 4pm Monday passes without a trade of Gray, he’s expected to make his rescheduled start against the Giants in the Bay Bridge Series opener. Matt Cain, looking to avoid a 10th loss on the season, will pitch for the Giants.
The Most Import Oakland Athletics Story of Saturday, July 29, 2017:
Bill King receives the Ford C. Frick Award from the Baseball Hall of Fame
Thank you Mr. King. Holy Toledo! You made it to the Hall of Fame!
Second Most Important Athletics Story of Saturday, July 29, 2017:
Sonny Gray reportedly has been scratched as the starter for the game on Sunday
Photo: Bruce Kluckhorn USA TODAY Sports
Multiple sources from USA Today Sports to Bleacher Report and more are reporting that Oakland pitcher Sonny Gray has been scratched as the starter in final game of the series with the Minnesota Twins on Sunday afternoon. With the Major League trade deadline set for Monday, July 31 at 1 p.m. PDT, the anticipation is that a deal involving Gray is in the final stages and his potential new club would want to have him ready to start as soon as possible.
Many of those same sources are pointing to the Yankees as being the final destination for Gray which really comes as no surprise. New York needs a starter to replace Michael Pineda and have been on the hunt since he went to the disabled list. The hang-up seems to be the price the Athletics want for Gray.
As the late, great broadcaster Red Barber used say the A’s know “they are in the catbird’s seat!” They have what the Yankees need plus Sonny Gray comes with two additional years of team control. That is going to come at a price and Oakland wants young, very talented prospects.
The Yankees have one of the most talented minor league organizations in the major leagues. Naturally, they want to give up as little as they have to in order to acquire Gray. It’s like buying a car, everybody has to keep going back to the sales manager to see if they can get it for that price.
If you are an A’s fan, the sad news is by August 1 Sonny Gray will be wearing a different uniform. The good news is you will have some great young talent for team when the new stadium opens in 2021 or so.
Third Most Important Athletics Story of Saturday, July 29, 2017:
Athletics break five-game losing streak and give Melvin win 1000
Athletics celebrate walk-off victory
The Oakland Athletics ended a five-game losing streak in dramatic fashion on Saturday night when Rajai Davis hit a 1-0 pitch from the Twins Taylor Rogers over the left-center field wall with Adam Rosales on at first to give the A’s a 5-4 walk-off victory. The big crowd of 27,047 on fireworks night exploded with excitement as their team celebrated the win at home plate.
The win was also significant for Athletics manager Bob Melvin as it was the 1000th of his major league career. After the game, he was quick to downplay the milestone but it is one to be celebrated and honored as only 64 other managers have accomplished that feat.
Oakland Manager Bob Melvin Photo: Sporting News
The A’s jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first-inning thanks to an RBI-double by Ryon Healy that drove Rajai Davis home from second base. The Twins came back and scored two runs on three hits and left the bases loaded in the second inning. A’s starter Chris Smith almost did not make it out of that inning.
Minnesota scored two more runs in the top of the fifth inning when Miguel Sano hit his 24th home run of the season — a two-run shot — down the right field line. That gave the Twins a commanding 4-1 lead.
Ryon Healy hit his second double of the game to lead off the A’s half of the fifth inning. With two out, Yonder Alonso drove Healy home on a single to left-center field. The Twins held a 4-2 after five.
Rookie Matt Chapman breathed hope into the fans when hit a 2-0 pitch from LHP Buddy Boshers deep into the stands in left field for his sixth home run of the season. The round-tripper chased Boshers from the game and closed the gap to a one-run lead for the Twins at 4-3.
After Daniel Coulombe held the Twins scoreless in the top of the ninth, the A’s put Adam Rosales in the game to pinch-hit for Jaycob Brugman. Rosales drew a walk off Taylor Rogers. That brought Davis to bat who ended the game with his fourth home run of the year.
In the batter’s box
Rajai Davis went 4-for-5 on the night including the home run, two runs scored and two RBI. This was the second walk-off home run of his career.
Ryon Healy had a 2-for-4 game with both hits being doubles. He now has 21 two-baggers on the season. Healy also had an RBI (58) and scored a run.
Matt Chapman went 1-for-4 against the Twins but his one hit was his sixth home run of the year which created his 10th RBI as well.
Jed Lowrie broke out of an 0-for-14 hitless streak with a single in the third inning.
Minnesota’s Miguel Sano’ had a 1-for-5 game hitting his 24th home run of the year. It was his first home run in a road game since July 1 in Kansas City.
Zack Granite went 2-for-4 for the Twins and posted two RBI. That extended his hitting streak to nine games.
On the hill
Chad Smith had a rough start for the A’s versus the Twins and really had to work very hard to hang in there for 5.0-innings. He gave up four runs (all earned) on seven hits. He walked three and struck out four. Smith allowed one home run and did not figure into the final decision.
The A’s used four relievers in the game: Dull, Casilla, Josh Smith and Coulombe. Each pitched one inning. Each gave up one hit. None gave up a run which was the key to Oakland hanging in for a chance to win the game.
The victory went to Daniel Coulombe (2-1) who was the pitcher of record in the ninth inning.
Casilla was used to pitch the seventh inning which was a bit of surprise. This does not mean that he has been demoted from the closer’s role.
Taylor Rogers takes the loss for the Twins. His record falls to 5-3 and he also records his third blown save of the season.
Minnesota used four pitchers in the game.
Up next
The same two teams meet on Sunday in Oakland at 1:05 p.m. RHP — “the ageless one” — Bartolo Colon (2-9, 8.00) is scheduled to go for the Twins, and if the reports are true, TBA will be on the mound for the Oakland Athletics in place of Sonny Gray.
Two notes from disabled list
Chad Pinder went 1-for-3 in a rehab start for Triple-A Nashville Saturday. He has played eight games for the Sounds and has gone 5-for-27 including one home run.
Kendall Graveman made a rehab start for the Sounds on Saturday. He pitched 4.2-innings allowing four hits, one run (earned) while walking two and striking out five.
Oakland Athletics pitching coach Scott Emerson, left, meets with Daniel Gossett, right, and Ryan Lavarnway (30) during the fourth inning of the team’s baseball game against the Minnesota Twins on Friday, July 28, 2017, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
By Matthew Harrington
OAKLAND–When the Oakland Athletics beat the New York Mets 3-2 Sunday in the Big Apple for manager Bob Melvin’s 999th career managerial win, few would have thought the story line for 1,000 would last more than a few days. And yet, Melvin still remains on the door step of one of the round numbers baseball pundits so adore heading into the weekend.
The latest bit of bad luck the Green and Gold have endured in a now-5-game losing streak came Friday night at the Coliseum with the A’s falling to the free-falling Minnesota Twins 6-3 after Daniel Gossett (2-6) gave up 5 runs in 3 2/3 innings of work. Jaime Garcia (5-7), making his debut with the Twins after coming over in a July 24th trade, gave up three runs but struck out seven in his 6 2/3 innings.
It was evident for the first inning that Gossett’s control was off, allowing a two-out double to Max Kepler before escaping unscathed. The first three batters of the second inning reached base, but a relay throw from Rajai Davis to Adam Rosales to catcher Ryan Lavarnway cut the runner down at home plate. The next batter, Ehire Adrianza would single home a run for a 1-0 Minnesota lead.
The fourth inning would be Gossett’s worst, and last, inning of the night. The rookie making his ninth career start got Robbie Grossman out to open the inning, but then gave up back-to-back singles to Zack Granite and Adrianza. Jason Castro plated Granite with a double to left, and Brian Dozier followed it up with a single to score Adrianza for a 3-0 Twins lead.
The disparaging blows came with the pitcher-catcher battery at the center. First, Gossett uncorked a wild pitch that scored Castro and moved Dozier over to second, then Miguel Sano hit an infield single to short that Dozier appeared too greedy on after Sano drew the throw at first. The power-hitting second sacker turned around third base heading for the plate, with Ryon Healy sending a throw well ahead of the runner to home plate. Catcher Ryan Lavarnway couldn’t hold on to the ball, with Dozier tagging the plate with the loose ball closer to his possession that the A’s backstop for a 5-0 lead.
Lavarnway atoned in the bottom of the inning after coming to the plate with Khris Davis (Double) and Jed Lowrie (walk) on base and no outs. Lavarnway doubled to the gap in right field, knocking in two runs.
The A’s and reliever Frankie Montas couldn’t deliver on a shutdown inning though after Castro picked up a second RBI double. Khris Davis knocked in a run on an RBI single in the bottom of the inning, but the Twins bullpen would hold the lead for the win.
Melvin sends Chris Smith, the 36-year-old reliever turned starter without a win since 2008 to push the skipper into the quadruple-digit win club. Smith will be making his fourth start of his career Saturday after making 62 appearances as a reliever, with all but 49 coming before or during the 2010 season. Minnesota counters with Adalberto Mejia.
