Henry Bolte #33 of the Athletics standing on second base reacts after hitting a double against the Detroit Tigers in the bottom of the fourth inning at Sutter Health Park on August 01, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory photo credit: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
By Jeremiah Salmonson
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The A’s came into Saturday’s action against the Detroit Tigers in desperate need of a win. After losing three of four to the Red Sox and dropping game one to the Tigers, the A’s tried to get back on track against Detroit as the MLB trade deadline loomed and news broke during the game that Tarik Skubal had been traded to the Dodgers.
On Saturday, the A’s fell to the Tigers 8-6 and dropped another home series.
The A’s turned to Jack Perkins for the start on Saturday in hopes of winning game two and evening the series with the Tigers. Perkins, who was making his 27th appearance and ninth start for the club this season, was coming off a solid start against Boston last week in which he went five and two-thirds innings while giving up only two runs. On Saturday, Perkins struggled in his outing against the Tigers as they roughed him up for six runs on nine hits while he walked one and struck out nine. Although Perkins didn’t pitch as well as he would have liked, he did manage to get the A’s through five-plus innings, which was much needed.
“I think this is another outing that he can build on,” Mark Kotsay said of Perkins after the game. “… The positive is that he did have a nice night punching guys out with only one walk.”
The A’s bullpen has been heavily used over the last week during their homestand in Sacramento. On Saturday, the bullpen had to cover three and two-thirds innings.
First out of the bullpen and relieving Jack Perkins with one out in the sixth inning was Jose Suarez. Suarez got the last two outs of the sixth inning and recorded the first two outs of the seventh. In his one and one-third innings of work, Suarez gave up one run on no hits while walking one and striking out one.
To close out the seventh inning, the A’s turned to Scott Blewett. Blewett recorded the final out of the seventh and also pitched the eighth inning for the A’s. Blewett got hit around a decent amount but limited the damage as he gave up one run on four hits while walking none across his inning and one-third of work.
In the ninth inning, Mark Kotsay turned to Luis Medina for the final three outs. It wasn’t a clean inning for Medina. However, he did manage to allow no runs while scattering two hits across his inning of work and striking out one.
On the offensive side of the ball, the A’s had plenty of opportunities against the Tigers’ pitching staff, but they weren’t able to capitalize the way they needed to generate runs, at least until later in the game. The A’s finished with an impressive 15 hits and three walks, but they were only able to score six runs when it was all said and done.
The A’s first run came in the third inning when Lawrence Butler drove home Jacob Wilson on an RBI single to left field. It was Butler’s 29th RBI of the season as he continues to heat up a bit for the A’s after struggling for most of the season.
In the fourth inning, the A’s got their second run of the game when Jacob Wilson grounded out and scored Henry Bolte from third base to give Wilson his 34th RBI of the season and tie the game at 2-2.
The A’s next runs wouldn’t come until the eighth inning when they trailed the Tigers 8-2. In the eighth, the A’s scored three runs thanks to a Henry Bolte three-run home run over the wall in right-center field that scored Tommy White and Lawrence Butler. The home run, which traveled 411 feet and left the bat at 105.3 mph, was Bolte’s fourth of the season as he recorded RBIs 19, 20, and 21.
The A’s final run of the game came in the bottom of the ninth inning when Jeff McNeil laid down a textbook RBI bunt single to the left side of the diamond that scored Tyler Soderstrom from third base. It got the A’s to within two, making it an 8-6 game.
That was all the A’s offense could muster as they attempted the comeback but ultimately fell to the Tigers, 8-6.
With the loss, the A’s fell to 45-66 on the season.
Things got a bit chippy at the end of the game after the final out was recorded. The A’s and Tigers’ benches cleared, along with both bullpens, as a scrum formed along the third-base line. I couldn’t make out the cause, and after the game Mark Kotsay’s only comment was, “It was a little dispute over a play in the game.”
The A’s will take on the Tigers in the final game of the series and the homestand on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. PDT. The A’s will send Gage Jump (4-6, 4.00 ERA) to the mound, while the Tigers will counter with Keider Montero (7-6, 3.34 ERA).
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
