Category: Oakland Athletics

Oakland A’s Friday game wrap up: A’s Walk-Off Winners, Graveman Superb

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

By Matthew T.F. Harrington

AP photo: The Oakland A’s Billy Burns gets mobbed by teammates after his walk off single vs. the Los Angeles Angels in the ninth at the Oakland Coliseum on Friday night

OAKLAND, Calif. – The Oakland Athletics had a whirlwind of a ninth inning Friday night at O.Co Coliseum, but luckily the low came first, followed by the high. After Ryan Madson blew a save in the top of the frame, Billy Burns singled home the winning run with two outs in the bottom half of the frame for a 3-2 Athletics win over the Los Angeles Angels.

Kendall Graveman pitched passed the sixth inning for the first time this season, stymying the Angels (29-38) to just one run over his seven innings of work. The 25-year-old scattered just three hits, one each in the game’s first three innings, while allowing the lone run on a solo home run to Kole Calhoun in the third inning to tie the game 1-1 at the time.

“That was the best we’ve seen him in a while,” said A’s manager Bob Melvin. “He found out he can throw his sinker in the zone no matter where it is as long as it’s down. He’ll get a lot of ground balls. That was vintage Kendall.”

Despite his start, Graveman had to settle for the no-decision after giving way to the bullpen. Sean Doolittle surrendered a double to lead off the inning against Andrelton Simmons, then saw the tying run move 90 feet from home on Kole Calhoun’s sacrifice bunt. Doolittle coaxed a shallow pop-up from Calhoun to third base and closer Ryan Madson finished off Mike Trout on a fly out for the third out of the frame to preserve Graveman’s efforts. Madson then allowed the tying run in the 9th inning after allowing a one-out single to Jefry Marte followed by what appeared to be a game-saving catch by substitution Jake Smolinski.

To the naked eye, it appeared Smolinski had robbed Redwood City native Daniel Nava on a basehit in the gap in right field, diving into the alley to steal a hit then double off pinch runner Todd Cunningham at first. After review, it was ruled that Smolinski had trapped the ball, putting Nava at first and Cunningham at third.

“Intitally I thought that I had caught the ball,” said Smolinski. “I went over to (Burns) and asked what it looked like to him.”

“He asked me directly ‘I caught it, right’?,” said Burns, smiling while recanting the ninth inning exchange. “I said ‘No’. I was covering my lips. I didn’t want anybody to read my lips, I thought maybe it was one of those calls they couldn’t over turn.”

Johnny Giavotello then lofted the game-tying sacrifice fly off Madson. Despite blowing the save, Madson (3-2, 2.67 ERA) wound up the winner thanks to Burns’ walk-off in the bottom of the ninth. The winning single came with two outs in the inning and runners on first and third base. Jed Lowrie and Yonder Alonso both failed to reach base for quick outs but Marcus Semien walked and Smolinski singled to advance him to third.

“In a game like that, we felt like we were in a pretty good position,” said Melvin. “Then all of the sudden we’re down. The guys were pretty spirited in the dugout going into that inning. Then we have two outs, nobody on. We get the walk then (Smolinski) has his second really good at bat of the night and it puts Billy in position to win the game. Not only can it swing emotionally to you negatively giving up a run, now we have two outs and nobody and guys continued to battle.”

Burns then shot a single just past the glove of Simmons at short to get the shaving cream pie and a W for the green and gold. Fernando Salas (3-3, 4.02) was tagged, with the loss.

“It felt great,” said Burns of his first career walk-off hit. “Especially when you don’t really get hits the hwole game and then come up and come through for the team, find a way to find a hole. But the real hero tonight was Kendall Graveman throwing seven solid innings. He was awesome tonight. I just happened to be the last hitter.”

Graveman’s lone mistake of an otherwise heroic start came on the homer to Calhoun, with the sinkerballer leaving an intended backdoor slider over the plate to the lefty hitter. Otherwise, Graveman’s sinker was sharp Friday, retiring 13 of 21 hitters by way of the ground out. He also picked up four strikeouts in his best start of the season, allowing one run in five-plus innings for just the third time this year and first outside the month of April.

“The one mistake I had was on a breaking ball,” said Graveman. “I thought the stuff was good. I thought the sinker and cutter really complimented each other well today. It helped me to get deep into the game today.”

Graveman entered play sporting a 5.28 ERA and was entering play amidst a string of uninspiring starts. He had allowed five runs over 4 1/3 innings against the Astros on June 4th, then gave up one run but only lasted four innings in Cincinnati Sunday afternoon. He managed to pull his ERA south of 5.00 with his stellar outing, and looks to go on another run like he had from May 19th to 30th when he allowed two runs or less over three straight starts.

“It’d be huge if he continue that for us,” said Melvin. “We’re down a couple of starters, we’re relying on some younger guys to pitch toward the top of our rotation.”

While Graveman was entering play on a low note, Angels starter Matt Shoemaker was coming in off his best performance of the season. The righty fired eight innings of three-hit ball with 11 punch-outs of the Cleveland Indians on Saturday evening. The A’s would scratch a run across in the second inning with an sacrifice fly from Yonder Alonso that scored Danny Valencia. They then took the lead for a second time two innings later when Khris Davis crushed Shoemakers 1-1 changeup to left centerfield for his 16th homer of the season.

While both teams weren’t sure what to expect of their Friday night starters, their Saturday starters are even more intriguing. Longtime mainstay on the other side of the Bay, Tim Lincecum will don the Angel road grays tomorrow in his debut with the club after signing a few backs. For the A’s, Andrew Triggs gets the call from Triple A Nashville. A long relief man in his earlier stint with the club, Triggs is expected to be capped at something less than 70 pitches tomorrow.

“We’re not too worried about what we get from him,” said Melvin. “We’ll have an extra pitcher here tomorrow regardless. We’ll have a deep bullpen tomorrow. We’ll mix and match tomorrow. He’s thrown up to 70 pitches, but we’re not really expecting him to do that.”

The Rangers’ Colby Lewis baffles the A’s as he tosses a two-hitter.

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

by Jerry Feitelberg

AP photo: The Texas Rangers outfielder Nomar Mazara tries chasing down a double hit by the A’s Max Muncy to break up a no hitter by Rangers pitcher Colby Lewis at the Oakland Coliseum on Thursday

OAKLAND–The Texas Rangers defeated the A’s Thursday afternoon at the Coliseum by a score of 5-1. The Rangers’ starter Colby Lewis had won the last four consecutive games he started against the A’s before the start of play Thursday. Lewis dominated the A’s as he was perfect for seven and two-thirds innings. He walked Yonder Alonso in the eighth but was still working on a no -hitter in the ninth. A’s right Fielder Max Muncy broke up the no-no with a double off the right field wall. Nomar Mazara made a valiant effort to catch the ball but he hit the wall, and the ball dropped safely to the ground. Coco Crisp ruined the shutout when he doubled to drive in Muncy with the A’s lone run.

The Rangers scored two in the seventh. Mengden had retired fifteen in a row before Ranger center fielder Ian Desmond hit an opposite field home run. The Rangers scored another run and Mengden was done for the day. He left the game trailing 2-0. He went six and two-thirds innings and allowed just two runs and four hits. The Rangers sent eight men to the plate in the seventh and in the eighth, they sent eight more men to the plate and scored three times to take a 5-0 lead.

Game Notes – The A’s have lost three straight games and ten of the last twelve. Their record drops to 27-39 and are twelve games under .500 and will continue to reside in last place in the AL West.

Daniel Mengden made his first career start at home and, although he pitched well, his record is 0-2. Skipper Bob Melvin said he should be 2-0. “It was unfortunate that he pitched that well and did not get a win. ”

Melvin commented that he was pleased with Aaron Dull’s performance as he came into the game and struck out two to end the Ranger threat. He has not allowed any of the twenty-eight inherited runners to score this season.

Melvin then commented this about Colby Lewis, ” Lewis always pitches well against us.” He is “tough to handle and that he is a serious thorn in our side.”

The Los Angeles Angels will play the A’s three times over the weekend. Kendall Graveman will pitch for Oakland, and he will be opposed by Matt Shoemaker. Game time is at 6:30 PM and there will be a fireworks show after the game.

Time of game was two hours and thirty-five minutes, and 14,236 watched the terrific pitching duel between Lewis and Mengden.

The following is a Media Release from the A’s.

OAKLAND ATHLETICS

Media Release

Oakland Athletics Baseball Company  7000 Coliseum Way  Oakland, CA 94621 510-638-4900  http://www.athletics.com  A’s PR on Twitter @AsMediaAlerts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 15, 2016, A’s Agree to Terms with Four from First-Year Player Draft

OAKLAND, Calif. – The Oakland A’s agreed to terms with four players from the 2016 First-Year Player Draft today, including their third round selection, catcher Sean Murphy from Wright State. The A’s also agreed to terms with third baseman JaVon Shelby (5th, Kentucky), center fielder Tyler Ramirez (7th, North Carolina) and right-handed pitcher Nolan Blackwood (14th, Memphis).

Murphy hit .287 with six home runs, 34 RBI and 38 runs scored in 39 games with Wright State this year to earn Second Team All-Horizon League honors. He also walked 25 times for a .408 on-base percentage. Wright earned first-team All-League honors in 2015 and was named to the All-Freshman Team in 2014.

Shelby hit .212 with 12 home runs and 35 RBI in 54 games for Kentucky and finished third in the SEC in home runs. He was a First-Team All-SEC selection in 2015 and was named to 2014 All-SEC Freshman team in 2014. Shelby is the son of John Shelby, who played 1036 games in 11 seasons in the majors with Baltimore (1981-87), the Dodgers (1987-90) and Detroit (1990-91).

Ramirez hit .333 with eight home runs and 47 RBI in 54 games with North Carolina. He led the Tar Heels in home runs, walked (50), slugging percentage (.540) and on-base percentage (.482) and was a second-team All-ACC selection.

Blackwood was 3-4 with seven saves and a 3.76 ERA in 27 relief appearances for Memphis. He set Memphis career records for saves (24) and games pitched (83), while compiling a 2.32 ERA.

The A’s have now signed or agreed to terms with 28 of their 41 selections from the draft, including 12 of the first 15.

 

Oakland A’s Wednesday game wrap: The Rangers Rally to subdue the A’s again.

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

by Jerry Feitelberg

SB Nation/Getty photo: Texas Rangers Robinson Chirinos is congraulated after going deep in the seventh off A’s pitcher John Axford on Wednesday night at the Oakland Coliseum

OAKLAND–The Texas Rangers, in first place in the AL West, overcame a five-run deficit Wednesday night to defeat the A’s 7-5. The A’s Sonny Gray was the Sonny Gray of old for the first five innings of the game.He had excellent velocity on his fastball, and his location was outstanding as he kept the Rangers scoreless and allowed them just five hits. The A’s, in the meantime, scored three in the third and two in the fourth to give Sonny some run support. However, in the fateful sixth, The Rangers pounced on Sonny as they scored five times to tie the game. The Rangers scored solo runs in the seventh and eighth, and their bullpen was successful in closing out the game. The game summary follows below.

The A’s scored three times in the third inning. Marcus Semien led off with a single. Jake Smolinski, playing right field, hit his third home run of the season to get the A’s going.  With one out, Billy Burns doubled and advanced to third on an errant pickoff attempt by Ranger pitcher Derek Holland. With the infield drawn in, Danny Valencia singled past a diving Elvis Andrus to drive in the third run of the frame.

The A’s added two more runs in the fourth inning. Ranger starter Derek Holland walked Josh Phegley and Jake Smolinski to put men on at first and second. Holland retired two batters; he had thrown ninety-two pitches. Jeff Banister decided that it was time for a change and brought in Nick Martinez to pitch. Martinez, just up from Triple-A, was greeted by a double off the bat of Billy Burns. Phegley scored, and when the ball was misplayed by Ian Desmond in center field, Smolinski was able to score from first. Holland went just three and two-thirds innings and allowed five runs, four earned, and just four hits. A’s lead 5-0 after four.

The Rangers rallied to score five runs in the top of the sixth. Sonny Gray had been very effective for the first five innings of the game. He had allowed no runs and the Rangers managed just three hits. The sixth was a different story as the Rangers offense erupted to score five times and Gray was touched for five hits. Robinson Chirinos hit a solo homer. Back-to back-doubles produced another run. Prince Fielder drove in the third run with a sac fly. Jurickson Profar singled, and he trotted home when Rougned Odor blasted an opposite-field homer to tie the game.Gray finished the inning, but he was done for the night as John Axford was brought in to start the seventh. Gray will not receive a decision and his line for the night was six innings pitched, and he allowed five runs on eight hits including two home runs and two doubles.

In the top of the seventh, with one out and John Axford on the mound, the noted Oakland A’s slayer, Robinson Chirinos put the Rangers in the lead with his second solo homer of the game.Chirinos has hit three dingers in the series and has a total of four for the season.Bob Melvin brought in Sean Doolittle to pitch to the left-handed hitter, Nomar Mazara and Doolittle did his job striking him out to end the inning, but the A’s now trail Texas 6-5. The Rangers’ Rougned Odor hit a solo homer in the eighth off Sean Doolittle to give the Rangers a two-run cushion as the game heads into the A’s half of the eighth. The Rangers bullpen shut down the A’s in the eighth and ninth to secure the win for Texas.

Game Notes- The A’s have scored twenty-five runs so far in the series but have just one win and two losses to show for their effort. The A’s are 27-38 for the season and are in last place in the division and own the second-worst record in the  American League. The Rangers are 41-25 and have won four of five, 10 of 13 and 16 of their last 21 games.

After the game , A’s manager Bob Melvin said that he was “pretty shocked” when things went south in the sixth. Melvin added that he “saw (Gray) pitch shutouts with the stuff he had tonight.” He said Sonny had “great stuff, great movement in the first five innings.” He said that Gray was “incrementally better since coming off the DL and it was a little bit startling that he lost it. Melvin said that he had to give Texas credit as they took good swings against our best guys. The Rangers tagged Gray, Axford, and Doolittle for four home runs in the contest.

The A’s finish the four-game series with the Rangers Thursday afternoon at 12:35 pm. Rookie pitcher Daniel Mengden will make his second start of the season, and he will be opposed by the veteran righty Colby Lewis.

Time of game was three hours and eight minutes, and 10,115 faithful watched the A’s go down to defeat.

 

The Rangers even the series at one, send the A’s down to defeat.

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

by Jerry Feitelberg

The Texas Rangers turned the tables on the A’s Tuesday evening at the Oakland Coliseum. They beat the A’s  10-6 to even the series at one game apiece. A’s starter Eric Surkamp continued to struggle in his latest effort after being recalled from Nashville. Surkamp was starting his seventh game of the year for Oakland, and he failed again. So far, Surkamp has not yet pitched a full six innings.  On Tuesday, he lasted just two and a third innings and allowed seven runs on seven hits. The A’s bullpen pitched well and, at one point, they retired twelve Texas hitters in a row before Elvis Andrus homered for the Rangers in the eighth. Ranger lefty Martin Perez won his sixth of the season while Surkamp’s record dropped to 0-4. The A’s are hoping that Surkamp can be more effective as “there are only so many guys” that can be used due to the injuries in the starting rotation. The scoring summary follows below.

The Rangers put one on the board in the very first inning. A’s starter Eric Surkamp walked Ranger left fielder Shin-soo Choo to start the game. Ian Desmond followed with a single to put men on at first and second with no out. Nomar Mazara hit into a fielder’s choice advancing Choo to third and he scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Ryan Rua. The A’s tied the game in the bottom of the first. Billy Burns led off with a single. Jed Lowrie singled sending Burns to third. Khris Davis doubled to right driving in Burns. Lowrie, attempting to score from first, was thrown out at home.

The Rangers scored three more runs in the second. With one out, Surkamp walked Rougned Odor. Elvis Andrus singled to put two men on. The Rangers’ catcher Robinson Chirinos, hitting just .190, put a Surkamp pitch on the walkway in left field. Rangers lead 4-1. The Rangers scored three more runs in the third as they now own a 7-1 lead. Ryan Rua, playing first base, led off the inning with a solo dinger. Surkamp gave up singles to Prince Fielder and Rougned Odor. A’s manager Bob Melvin decided to End Surkamp’s misery and brought in Marc Rzepczynski to pitch. Elvis Andrus singled to drive in Fielder and Odor scored when Danny Valencia failed to catch Khris Davis’ throw from left field.

The A’s scored three runs on four hits in the bottom of the sixth. Jed Lowrie started the rally with a single. Danny Valencia followed with a single. Khris Davis drove in his second run of the night with another single. Valencia advanced to third on the play and scored on a sac fly. Josh Phegley then doubled to drive in Davis all the way from first. Marcus Semien ground out to end the inning. The A’s trail 7-4 after six.

Texas added a run in the eighth on an Elvis Andrus solo home run and two more on four hits in the ninth to make it a 10-4 game heading into the bottom of the ninth. The A’s rallied to score two in the bottom of the ninth, but they just couldn’t pull it out.

Game Notes-Billy Burns had two hits in the contest as did Khris Davis. Davis knocked in two more to give him forty-four RBIs for the year.

The Texas Rangers have won thirteen of their last eighteen and own the best record in the AL at 40-25. Ryan Rua was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and is hitting .370 with five homers and twelve ribbies in his last eighteen games.

Sean Manaea was placed on the fifteen-day DL after an injury to his forearm. The MRI showed no structural damage but there may be underlying problems.

The A’s celebrated Gay Pride Tuesday night and had  moment of silence for the victims of the shootings in Orlando over the weekend.

Game three of the series will be played Wednesday night at 7:05 pm. Sonny Gray will pitch for Oakland, and the Rangers will send their third lefty starter, Derek Holland, to the hill.

Time of game was three hours and eight minutes, and 13,101 hardy souls watched the Rangers snap the A’s modest two-game winning streak.

Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O: A’s pitchers well used Melvin leaning heavily on pitching staff

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

examiner.com file photo: Oakland A’s starting pitcher Kendall Graveman

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O you look at this eight game road trip that the A’s were on the first seven games they were on a down hill slide if it was a roller coaster it would be the greatest roller coaster in America coming down hill. They lost the first seven games of the road trip and it looked like it was going to be a total disaster. The went into the game last Sunday in Cincinnati the Reds had come to play pretty well although they have not played all that well overall this season.

The Reds have played pretty well at home and it looked like the A’s were going to go 0-8 on this road trip and they managed to salvage the trip Sunday by winning the game 6-1 out of nowhere this team produces 15 hits they have to win by pitching by committee. A’s pitcher Kendall Graveman starts the game, reliever Fernando Rodriguez comes in and pitches a couple of innings of great relief and gets the win.

Charlie O has much more on the A’s podcast click below to listen and right here and every week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s Monday game wrap:The A’s rout the Rangers to take Game One

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

by Jerry Feitelberg

AP photo: Oakland A’s Josh Phegley (19) is congratulated by Billy Butler (16) after hitting a three run homer off Texas Rangers pitcher Tom Wilhelmsen in the fourth inning Monday at the Oakland Coliseum

OAKLAND–The A’s battered Texas Ranger pitching Monday night as they won a laugher by a score of 14-5. The A’s had seventeen hits and scored four in the third, five in the fourth and four more in the fifth to put the game in the win column. Rangers starter Cesar Ramos lasted just 3.2 inning sand gave up eight runs on eight hits. Reliever Tom Wilhelmsen fared worse. Wilhelmsen lasted just one inning, and the A’s were able to hit him as if he was a batting practice pitcher. He gave up six runs and nine hits in his one inning of work.

The A’s drew first blood in the bottom of the first. Coco Crisp led off with a single. Marcus Semien and Danny Valencia followed with singles to load the bases. Khris Davis reached first on a fielder’s choice; Crisp scored on the play. A’s lead 1-0.

The A’s scored four runs in the third to take a 5-0 lead. Only two of the runs were earned. Coco led off with a walk. After Semien struck out, Valencia hit a rocket that Rangers’ could not handle. Andrus was charged with an error. Khris Davis slammed his fifteenth dinger of the year to put the A’s up by four. Davis now has forty RBIs for the year. The A’s weren’t finished as they loaded the bases with two out. The fourth run scored on a sac fly by Yonder Alonso. The inning ended on a base running blunder by Jake Smolinski. Smolinski attempted to tag up and advance to second on the play, but the alert Ranger defense caught him in between first and second and they tagged him out.

The Rangers got on the board in the fourth. With two out, Rangers’ left fielder Ryan Rua hit a wicked shot down the third base line. Valencia made the stop, but his throw sailed over Alonso’s head. Rua wound up on second. Manaea hit Prince Fielder with a pitch to put two men on base. Andrus singled to drive in Rua with the run. Manaea struck out Mitch Moreland to end the inning.

The A’s batted around in the bottom of the fourth. They scored five runs on five hits to take a commanding 10-1. lead. The big blow was an “Earl Weaver” special, a three-run tater off the bat of A’s catcher Josh Phegley. It was the first homer of the year for Josh. All the runs came after two were out in the frame.

The Rangers added a run in their half of the fifth. With one out, Shin-soo Choo hit his first home run of the year to close the gap to 10-2. A’s manager Bob Melvin had to take Manaea out of the game due to a possible injury. Daniel Coulombe was given extra time to warm up, and he retired the next two hitters he faced.The A’s batted around again in the fifth. They scored four more runs and had six hits to own a 14-2 lead.

The Rangers’ Ryan Rua hit a two-run homer in the sixth, but the Rangers still trail by ten 14-4. Mitch Moreland homered in the ninth for Texas. Too little, too late. A’s win a laugher 14-5.

Game Notes- The A’s won their second game in a row and have now defeated Texas in all four games played. The A’s starter Sean Manaea left the game in the fifth inning with a left pronator muscle strain. There in no information at this time if he will have to go on the DL. Reliever Daniel Coulombe received credit for his first Major League victory.

The A’s face the Rangers Tuesday in game two of the four-game series. Lefty Eric Surkamp will pitch for Oakland and will be opposed by the Rangers’ lefty Martin Perez(5-4, 3.22)

Time of game was three hours and six minutes, and there were 13,453 people on hand to watch the A’s pound the Rangers.

 

 

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg; A’s losing ground fast need to have a strong homestand now 12.5 back in AL West

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

file photo Dallas Morning News: The Texas Rangers Adrian Beltre will not be in the line up Monday against the Oakland A’s due to a hamstring pull Rangers manager Jeff Banister says that Beltre could be back by Thursday

On the A’s podcast with Jerry, the Oakland A’s had a disastrous road trip before coming back to Oakland on Monday night to host the Texas Rangers at the Oakland Coliseum. The A’s have lost seven in a row to go 11 games under .500 and the A’s were able to salvage one yesterday with a win over the Cincinnati Reds. With that win the A’s are now ten games under .500 as they host the Rangers in this four game series.

Adrian Beltre’ (out with hamstring pull), Mitch Mooreland, Roughned Odor, Jurickson Profar, lead the Rangers into Oakland for the four game series. For the A’s and Rangers the pitching matches on Monday the Rangers will start Cesar Ramos 1-2 ERA 3.58 for the Oakland A’s Sean Manaea 2-4 ERA; On Tuesday the Rangers will start Martin Perez 5-4 ERA 3.22 for the A’s Erik Surkamp (0-3); and for Wednesday the Rangers are going with Derek Holland 5-5 ERA 4.87 for the A’s Sonny Gray 3-6.

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

 

 

The losing streak is over, A’s beat Reds 6-1

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment
MLB: Oakland Athletics at Cincinnati Reds
Marcus Semien hits a two-run home run Photo Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

By Charlie O. Mallonee

The Oakland Athletics went into the game on Sunday against the Cincinnati Reds needing a win in the worst way. Losers of seven consecutive games, the A’s were in danger of going 0-8 on an eight game road trip. The psychological damage to the team by going winless on the road trip could have devastating effects for the rest of the season.

Not only did the A’s have to battle a losing streak, they had to battle the weather. The Midwestern summer has come early and it was 89-degrees with 55-percent humidity at game time. That made it feel like the temperature was 96-degrees. The Athletics are not used to playing in those conditions.

The A’s found their power and used the long ball with men on base to take an early lead that they never relinquished but only added to as the game progressed. Oakland had to pitch by committee due to the weather and because they were playing an Inter-league game in a National League park where the pitchers had to bat. They played the game like a team that knew they had to win the game.

In the batter’s box

Marcus Semien started off the scoring for the A’s in the top of the second inning when he hit a 3-1 pitch from John Lamb over the left field wall with Billy Butler on base to give Oakland a 2-0 lead. It was Semien’s 12th home run of the season. He finished the day going 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored.

The A’s scored two more runs in the second inning when Jake Smolinski hit his second home run of the year off Lamb with Josh Phegley on base. Smolinski’s home run gave the A’s a 4-0 lead at the time.

Danny Valencia joined the home run derby when he hit a solo shot into the left field seats in the top of the eighth inning off reliever A.J. Morris to give the A’s a 5-1 lead.

The A’s manufactured a run in the top of the ninth when Khris Davis hit a line drive single to center that allowed Coco Crisp to score the sixth run from second base.

Khris Davis had a 2-for-5 game with the insurance RBI.

Billy Butler continued to be productive at the plate going 3-for-3 with a run scored. The A’s have been waiting all season for Butler to catch fire.

Jed Lowrie stayed hot with the bat going 3-for-5 in the game. Lowrie’s average now stands at .303.

The A’s scored six runs on 15 hits with eight runners left on base.

The Reds only run came in the bottom of the second inning when outfielder Steve Selsky scored off catcher Ramon Cabrera’s double to left field. Kendall Graveman was on the mound for the A’s.

The Reds scored one run on seven hits and left six men on base despite the A’s having to use five different pitchers in the game.

On the Mound

Kendall Graveman started the game for Oakland on Sunday. Graveman entered the game with a 2-6 record and had really been struggling in last several starts. Graveman pitched well but succumbed to the weather very quickly. Graveman pitched to one batter in the fifth inning but had to come out of the game. He worked 4.0 innings giving up one run (earned) on seven hits while striking out five and walking two batters. Because Graveman did not work five innings it was up to the official scorer to assign the win and Graveman was given a no decision for his 4-plus innings of work.

Fernando Rodriguez came on in the top of the fifth for Graveman and pitched two perfect innings of baseball in relief. For his efforts, Rodriguez was credited with his second win of the season.

John Axford, Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson each worked a perfect inning of relief for Oakland on Sunday. Axford and Doolittle were impressive as they were throwing pitches in the high 90’s. For Madson, it was his first work on the mound since his appearance in Houston seven days ago.

John Lamb (1-4, 5.14) took the loss for the Reds even though he only pitched four innings. Cincinnati used four pitchers in their losing effort.

Defense

The key on defense for the Oakland Athletics was the fact they did not commit an error in the game. Not only did they play errorless baseball, the A’s turned three double plays that all killed potential scoring opportunities for the Reds.

The Reds did not commit an error in the game.

Up next

The A’s will have no time to rest and celebrate their victory. Oakland heads back into action on Monday night as they open a four-game home series with the Western Division leading Texas Rangers. The Rangers are 8-2 in their last 10 games and have won two games in a row.

LHP Sean Manaea (2-4, 6.20) will take the mound for Oakland. The Rangers have yet to officially name their starter although speculation centers on LHP Cesar Ramos who is a long reliever and spot starter.

 

Mengden distinctive in his big league-debut, but the A’s ordinary in their seven straight loss

Published on by moepeaLeave a comment

Mengden gives it up

By Morris Phillips

The A’s ninth consecutive loss on the road didn’t look much different from their eighth. Staked to an early, 1-0 lead, the Oakland starting pitcher needed to be perfect, but wasn’t, losing 2-1 to the Reds on Friday night and again on Saturday afternoon.

But there was one significant difference between the ballgames: Houston native Daniel Mengden, making his first major league appearance as the A’s starting pitcher, looked resplendent with his Rollie Fingers-like, handlebar mustache.

So much for the ever-present battle of style over substance. The A’s haven’t displayed much substance lately, losing their last seven ballgames while scoring just 15 runs total. That’s two runs or fewer in five of those seven contests.

Only five big-league clubs have faced a right-handed starting pitcher more frequently than the A’s (48 times) and there’s a reason. The A’s just don’t matchup against righties, ranking second-worst in the AL by a Bill James-created stat that quantifies a team’s offensive value. Less complicated is the fact that Oakland lost for the 30th time when facing a right-handed starter on Saturday, only the Twins have lost more (34 times) in that situation.

What’s worse, Saturday’s right-handed starter, the Reds’ Dan Straily, is a familiar face, having made 41 starts for Oakland from 2012-2014. Since then, Straily has bounced around, making 15 starts for the Reds, Cubs and Astros, but winning just four times. Of course that fourth win came against the A’s, as Straily was efficient on Saturday, going seven innings, allowing five hits and a run.

After Danny Valencia knocked in Coco Crisp to give the A’s the early 1-0 lead, Straily retired nine straight batters (with five strikeouts) before the A’s mounted a rally in the fourth. But with the bases loaded and two outs, center fielder Tyler Holt made a diving catch on a ball in front of him, to retire Billy Burns and end the inning.

Like Straily, Mengden made the fast track to the big leagues, having not pitched above AA before his major league-debut on Saturday. The Texas A&M product was distinctive not just for his mustache, but his exaggerated windup with the leg kick and his arms above his ahead before the release. All the newfangled stuff appeared to work, but Mengden fell in trouble in the third, walking Joey Votto ahead of Jay Bruce’s long two-run shot.

It was Bruce’s 14th homer of the year, but his sixth in the last two weeks.

The A’s look to avoid the sweep on Sunday with Kendall Graveman facing the Reds’ John Lamb at 10:10 PST.

 

Oakland A’s Friday game wrap up: Reds Say No to Gray’s No-no

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

By Matthew T.F. Harrington

AP photo: The Cincinnati Reds Adam Duvall 40 scores on a wild pitch by the Oakland A’s Sonny Gray Tyler Holt 23 congratulates Duvall at the plate in the seventh inning at Great American Ball Park on Friday night

Sonny Gray carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning but wound up the 2-1 hardluck loser in Cincinnati Friday night. Gray struck out four while walking only one Reds batter and Stephen Vogt hit a solo home run but neither could save the A’s (25-35) from a sixth-straight loss.

The Reds (23-38) rallied in the seventh inning to come from behind and sour Gray’s second start since coming off the disabled list. Gray sandwiched a pair of outs around a Brandon Phillips single, but Adam Duvall’s two-out double tied the game.

Eugenio Suarez singled to advance Duvall, then Gray’s wild pitch brought him home. Gray (3-6, 5.34 ERA) would finish the seventh inning and retire two batters in the eighth. Sean Doolittle retired the final Cincinnati hitter.

While Gray was tagged with the loss, Reds started Anthony DeSclafani managed to swing a no-decision. He yielded a solo home to Vogt, the catcher’s fifth of the season, with two outs in the third. He exited after six, but reliever Blake Wood (5-1, 3.73) vulutred the win in relief. Tony Cingrani picked up his sixth save of the year.

Oakland turns to Daniel Mengden in his major league debit Saturday. Cincinnati counters with former Athletic Dan Straily on the hill.