Oakland Athletics pitcher Jharel Cotton works against the Texas Rangers in the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
By Morris Phillips
OAKLAND–Players Weekend was a resounding success for the Oakland A’s.
From the colorful uniforms and socks to the not always brilliantly inventive nicknames, and the familiar v-necks, the A’s made the three-day run their own with three, impressive wins over the Rangers, a team in the playoff hunt intent on using the Athletics as a stepping stone.
But it was the A’s that pitched and muscled their way through the weekend, and their youthful trade acquisitions and call-ups led the way.
The A’s are always looking for something to build on, and this was undoubtedly it. The team came in struggling through August, long presumed to become their team-record, tenth consecutive month with a losing record.
But with their first three-game win streak in almost a month, that losing record is no longer a certainty.
Jharel Cotton pitched six innings and struck out a career-best nine batters, and Matt Chapman had a career-best three hit game, a home run, and the game’s key play defensively as the A’s turned a close game into a 8-3 win.
Cotton’s second quality start in a row alone was good news for the A’s, who have been patient with their acquisition from the Dodgers in the Josh Riddick, Rich Hill trade through a season of ups and downs. That Cotton performed at the Coliseum was significant since his stats at home were among the worst among AL starters coming in.
“I’ve just been going game by game, trying to get better,” Cotton said. “I’ve found how to get better and better myself, and I’m doing that right now. It feels really good.”
Sporting the nickname “Squeaky,” a nod to Cotton’s overly noticeable bicycle of his youth, the 25-year old pitched hitters away on Sunday, a move born out of stubbornness aimed at reducing the numbers of home runs he’s allowed. But more importantly, according to manager Bob Melvin, Cotton expertly kept the difference between his heater and his changeup at or in excess of 10 mph, creating a conundrum for opposing hitters.
Oakland Athletics’ Boog Powell (3) greets Marcus Semien (10) at home plate as the pair scored on throwing errors against the Houston Astros in the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 20, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Richard Carson)
By Morris Phillips
Talk about a full day’s work. The A’s beat the AL West-leading Astros and had to confront a bunch of their demons in the process.
After dropping the first two games of the series, and 12 of 14 this season, and 35 of 52 over the last three seasons to the Astros, the A’s had seen enough. And that disgust showed in the A’s focused, determined effort on Sunday.
The two biggest issues–anemic offense and bullpen failures–against Houston got the most attention. The A’s got plenty of help with their offense by way of the Astros’ sloppy defensive play which contributed two runs in the first on a pair of throwing errors that allowed Marcus Semien to circle the bases with Boog Powell scoring ahead of him.
Emboldened by a 2-0 lead, starter Jharel Cotton posted his best outing since late June, pitching into the seventh inning, allowing just four hits and two runs. Only Marwin Gonzales’ solo shot in the seventh showed Cotton off his game, as he worked effectively primarily with his fastball and changeup.
All of the good fortune through seven innings gifted the A’s a 3-2 lead, which–from the Astros perspective–had the visitors right where they wanted them.
In the last three years, dating back to August 2014, the A’s have blown 15 saves in games against the Astros, far too much heartbreak for one team to inflict on another. No Oakland reliever has gone unscathed in that period, bringing us to Sunday, with Chris Hatcher and Blake Trienen getting their first significant roles versus the American League’s best team.
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.
Atlanta Braves’ Ender Inciarte, left, is tagged out by Oakland Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell in the second inning of a baseball game, Sunday, July 2, 2017, in Oakland, Calif. Inciarte attempted to score on a hit by Braves’ Brandon Phillips. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
By Morris Phillips
OAKLAND–That ever significant group of former A’s players floating around major league baseball always bares watching. Some leave Oakland just as their careers are ready to ascend, others resurface with All-Star size chips on their shoulders like Josh Donaldson.
Whatever the circumstances, the current A’s need to be aware of the formers, even when they’re familiar opponents like Kurt Suzuki.
Suzuki smashed 59 home runs as an Athletic from 2007-2013, but in the ensuing seasons, the catcher had not returned the favor as a member of the Twins or the Nationals. His power numbers have decreased, as has his playing time, now as a backup for the Braves.
But Suzuki was back at the Coliseum on Sunday, in the lineup and making plays. And it wasn’t long before the 33-year old Suzuki looked like the 25-year old Suzuki of 2009 as an Athletic.
Suzuki clubbed a pair of home runs, the second breaking a 3-3 tie in the 12th inning, as the Braves went on to a 4-3 win and a sweep of the three-game series. The streaky A’s have now dropped seven in a row at home.
“I know the coaching staff over there. I’ve played for those guys,” Suzuki said. “It’s a good adrenalin feel coming around the bases.”
Suzuki didn’t reserve his impact on the game to just the two, lengthy home runs he hit. Behind the plate, Suzuki was critical, blocking a near wild pitch in the 11th that would have undoubtedly allowed the A’s to score the winning run from third base.
Also, Suzuki wasn’t bad calling and framing pitches, as starter Julio Teheran and seven relievers combined to strike out 17 A’s. Rajai Davis was punched out on a questionable pitch to end the 11th with the potential winning run at third base.
“Couldn’t happen to a better guy,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said of Suzuki’s various contributions. “It’s nice to see when good things happen to the good guys.”
The A’s couldn’t extend a streak of streakiness with a win. Oakland came into Sunday’s series finale having gone 8-8 in their previous 16 games, winning four, losing four, winning four then losing four again. But they dropped their fifth straight game despite coming up with game-tying runs in the seventh and 11th innings.
Oakland Athletics’ Khris Davis (2) is congratulated by Chad Pinder (18) after hitting a two-run home run against the New York Yankees during the third inning of a baseball game on Sunday, June 18, 2017, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
By Morris Phillips
OAKLAND-On one of the hottest days on record at the Coliseum, it didn’t matter that Khris Davis had been swinging a cold bat.
The A’s home run leader took an 0 for 5 collar with four strikeouts on Saturday, dropping his batting average to .236 and boosting his strikeout total to an alarming 90 just 68 games into the season. Any big-league hitter knows that struggles to that degree can be mentally taxing.
But obviously not as taxing as facing an inexperienced pitcher who’s on the ropes is invigorating. With the Yankees’ early lead suddenly wiped out and starter Luis Cessa offering a 2-1 pitch with a runner aboard, Davis had his slump busting scenario in place.
Cessa’s mid-90’s fastball up in the zone made the Yankees’ rookie making only his second big-league appearance look as if he hadn’t consulted the scouting report on Davis. The mighty mite slugger who uses his quick hands as much as his lower-body base to drive baseballs out of the park jumped on Cessa’s offering and deposited it beyond the centerfield wall just like that.
Davis’ team-leading 18th home run traveled an estimated 445 feet, and came just two batters after Chad Pinder erased the Yankees’ two-run lead with a double into the gap. Pinder taxed Cessa by fouling off four, consecutive pitches before finding one to his liking. The A’s entered the third with no hits. They exited with four hits, and a 4-2 lead.
“The first two innings, (Cessa) was down in the zone,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “He got some balls up and it led to some balls in the gap and the home run, and that was the difference.”
Jharel Cotton pitched into the seventh inning, and Sean Doolittle gained the save as the A’s held on for a 4-3 win, and a four-game sweep of the AL East-leading Yankees. The A’s entered the series off a disappointing road trip, but won three of the games against New York by one run. One key was their season-long bugaboo of committing costly errors disappeared. The A’s had just two errors in the series, the second coming in the ninth inning on Sunday.
“That’s a great team on the other side, they’ve got a lot of power guys, and we just battled and battled,” outfielder Matt Joyce said. “It showed how relentless we can be.”
The A’s entered the series buried in the American League basement, and even after the sweep, are still in possession of the AL’s worst record. But at 31-38, and still 15 games behind division-leading Houston, you get a sense the young-and-getting-younger A’s are building on something.
Manager Bob Melvin brushed off comparisons to the 2012 A’s, who also swept the Yankees on their way to earning a division title on the season’s final day. But he was quick to point out that for the team’s newest members–and likely their future core–this was an eye-opener and confidence builder.
“If you’re a Matt Chapman, a Chad Pinder, a Jaycob Brugman, guys that are just getting here, to know you can have a series like this gives you a lot of confidence, not only in yourself but as a team,” Melvin said.
NOTES: The first pitch temperature at the Coliseum was 90 degrees, the hottest such reading since 2008.
The A’s improved to 22-13 at home, giving them MLB’s biggest disparity between home and road results. The A’s are only 9-25 on the road with a three-game series in Chicago against the White Sox starting Friday night as their next opportunity to improve their road numbers.
Reliever Santiago Casilla was hit by a batted ball in the shoulder during Saturday warmups, and despite declaring himself as unscathed and healthy, Melvin reiterated after the game that he had no plans to use Casilla in Sunday’s game.
Matt Holliday’s home run ruined Jharel Cotton’s day Photo Brad Penner USA Today Sports
The Oakland Athletics reached out to their Triple-A affiliate for a starting pitcher to face the New York Yankees on Saturday. Jharel Cotton – who was sent down to Nashville after starting seven games (3-4) for the A’s – was back in a big league uniform for game two of the three game series in New York.
The Athletics M.A.S.H. unit is back in action as injuries are taking their toll on the major league roster. Kendall Graveman was unable to make his scheduled start on Friday night due to shoulder soreness. The projection is that he will be going to the disabled list.
Pitcher Jesse Hahn was moved to the 10-day disabled list after a triceps injury that occurred during his start last Tuesday. A MRI has ruled out any physical damage, but the team wants Hahn to rest his arm because he has dealt with this problem before in his career. The Hahn move made room for Cotton on the 25-man roster.
Cotton got off to a shaky start
Cotton issued a one-out walk to Gary Sanchez in the bottom of the first inning. He then hit Matt Holliday with a pitch. With Starlin Castro at bat, Cotton threw a wild pitch that allowed Sanchez to go to third and Holliday to second base. Castro hit a sacrifice fly to right field on the 2-1 pitch that brought Sanchez home and moved Holliday up to third.
Cotton induced Aaron Judge to fly out to center field for the third out of the inning, but the Yankees held a 1-0 lead after one inning of play.
Cotton put the first inning behind him and took control
Lowrie puts the tag on Gardner for the out Photo Brad Penner USA Today Sports
Cotton set the side down in order in the second inning. In the third inning, the right-hander walked Brett Gardner. With Gary Sanchez batting, Gardner attempted to steal second, A’ catcher Josh Phegley delivered a nice throw on the first base side to Jed Lowrie who put the tag down on headfirst sliding Gardner’s backside six inches before his hand could touch second base. Sanchez went down on strikes to end the inning.
Cotton set the Yankees down 1-2-3 in the fourth and fifth innings.
The sixth inning was no “Holliday” for Cotton
After getting the first two batters to fly out, Cotton walked Gary Sanchez. That brought former Oakland Athletic Matt Holliday to the plate. Holliday hit the 1-0 pitch over the left center field wall for a “no doubt about it” two-run home run to give the Yankees a 3-1 lead.
Cotton remained in the game to face Starlin Castro. Castro hit a single and that was all for Cotton. Frankie Montas came in and struck out Aaron Judge to end the inning.
Cotton worked 5.2 innings giving up three runs (all earned) on just two hits. He struck out five Yankees and walked three. Cotton threw 107 pitches (61 strikes). He was charged with the loss, so his record drops to 3-5 for the season.
Oakland kept the game close
Healy drives in Khris Davis with the first of his two doubles Photo Brad Penner USA Today Sports
Khris Davis worked Yankees starter C.C. Sabathia for a two-out walk in the top of the sixth inning. Ryan Healy then hit his 10th double of the season on an 0-2 count to left field that brought Davis home for A’s first run of the game. Healy moved to third on the throw home but was left stranded there when the inning ended.
In the top of the seventh inning, Josh Phegley made it a one-run game after he hit his second home run of the year over the left center field wall. Adam Rosales followed Phegley and hit a double to center field. That chased Sabathia from the game. Adam Warren took over on the mound. Rosales was left stranded at third when the inning was over.
Oakland threatens in the eighth frame
With Tyler Clippard on the hill, Khris Davis worked the pitcher for another walk. Ryan Healy then followed by hitting hit 11th double of the campaign to left field, but this time Davis had to hold up at third base.
That sent Clippard to the showers and New York brought in the 6-foot-8 right hander – Dellin Betances. Betances struck out Trevor Plouffe and Chad Pinder to end the inning with the potential tying and go ahead runs left on base.
Not that guy again
Betances came back out the top of the ninth for the Yankees and set the A’s down in order to end the game and earn his fifth save of the year. Betances’ ERA now stands at 0.52. He worked 1.2-innings and threw 24 pitches (14 strikes). He allowed no runs, no hits, no walks and struck out three Oakland hitters.
Sabathia was amazing as well
C.C. Sabathia struck out nine on his way to the win Photo Brad Penner USA Today Sports
Vallejo’s favorite son is still looking very strong on the mound. He worked 6.1-innings on Saturday giving up two runs (earned) on six hits (one HR). He walked three. Sabathia struck nine Oakland A’s. Not long ago some were talking about Sabathia as being a “has been” as a major league pitcher.
Don’t call a low strike on Jed Lowrie
Jed Lowrie led off the top of the eighth inning for the A’s. He worked the count to 2-2 versus Tyler Clippard. Clippard’s 2-2 pitch was a fastball that dropped low in the zone and home plate umpire Will Little called it strike three.
Lowrie began to immediately give Little his opinion of the call in language I do not think he learned to speak at Stanford. Little tossed Lowrie looking at him and explaining you called me a name. Really? You called me a name. Now, if you call my mother a name – then it’s on but you called me a name?
But seriously, Major League Baseball has to establish a strike zone that is consistent and realistic. It must also be hitter friendly. The majority of fans come to the park to see home runs … not strike outs.
Rubber game of the match on Sunday
Both teams have the opportunity to win the series on Sunday. The Athletics will send RHP Andrew Triggs (5-3, 2.77) to the hill Sunday. Triggs has been the man the A’s have been able to depend on this season. What he needs from his team is run support.
The Yankees will counter with RHP Michael Pineda (5-2, 3.35). Pineda has gone at least six innings in each of his last four starts.
The first pitch is scheduled for 10:05 a.m. PDT on Sunday.
A’s starter Jharel Cotton labored but picked up the win on Saturday Photo Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports
The Oakland Athletics now have the longest winning streak in the American League with five consecutive wins. They have also taken the first three games of the four-game series with the Seattle Mariners by recording 4-3 win on Saturday in Oakland.
The A’s fell behind quickly in the game when Robinson Cano hit his third home run of the season off of A’s starter Jharel Cotton with two outs and the bases empty in the top of the first inning. It looked like Seattle was ready to put up a fight in game three of the series.
The Athletics did not allow the M’s to hold the lead for long as Adam Rosales did his best Ricky Henderson imitation by hitting a leadoff home run over the center field wall to tie the game at 1-1 off Seattle starter Ariel Miranda.
The A’s were not done scoring in the bottom of the first. After Jed Lowrie singled, Ryan Healy took Miranda deep for two-run homer (3) over the left field wall. Oakland staked their starter Cotton to a 3-1 lead after the first inning.
Both teams scored again in the third inning of the contest. The Mariners added a run when Nelson Cruz hit a sacrifice fly that allowed Mitch Haniger to score. The A’s posted a run when Ryan Healy doubled to left driving Jed Lowrie home from third base. After four innings, Oakland held a 4-2 lead.
The Mariners gave the A’s a scare in the top of the eighth inning. Cano led off with a single. After a pitching change, Nelson Cruz drew a walk off of Oakland reliever Liam Hendriks. Taylor Motter grounded into a double play but Cano moved up to third on the play. Kyle Seager was brought in as a pinch-hitter and hit a towering fly ball to center field that grazed the wall and fell in for a triple. Cano came home from third to score the third and final run for the M’s.
Ryan Madson picked up the save for the A’s on Saturday Photo Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports
The Athletics tapped Ryan Madson to come out of the bullpen to closeout the eighth inning which he did by getting Guillermo Heredia to ground out four to three.
Madson returned in the top of the ninth to close the came game out for Oakland and preserve the 4-3 win.
On the hill
Athletics
Starter Jharel Cotton (2-2, 4.76) picked up the win going 6.0-innings giving up two runs (both earned) on six hits. Cotton struck out two and walked two. He still had a tough day. After the game, A’s manager Bob Melvin said that Cotton was not able to get into his regular rhythm. Melvin said it was a growth opportunity for Cotton who pushed through the difficulties.
Ryan Madson earned his first save of the season going 1.1-innings allowing just no runs on one hit. He struck out three and walked none.
Daniel Coulombe and Liam Hendriks also appeared in relief for Oakland.
Seattle
Ariel Miranda started the game for M’s and took the loss. His record is now 1-2 on the season. Miranda went just 3.0-innings giving up four runs (all earned) on seven hits. He struck out three and walked none, but Miranda gave up two home runs.
Chase De Jong worked four innings of relief allowing no runs on just one hit. He struck out two and walked two.
Edwin Diaz closed out the game for the M’s tossing one inning of scoreless baseball
In the Batter’s Box
A’s
Ryan Healy hits a two-run home run Photo Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports
Ryan Healy was the man with the bat for the Athletics on Saturday. He went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored. Healy hit his third home run, his fifth double and upped his RBI total to nine.
Jed Lowrie also had a big day for the A’s. He went 3-for-4 at the plate and scored two runs on Saturday.
Adam Rosales hit his second home run of the young season.
M’s
Robinson Cano led the offense for Seattle with a 3-for-4 day at the plate scoring two of the M’s three runs.
Jarrod Dyson had a two for five day in the batter’s box. Dyson had one stolen base and one caught stealing.
Looking ahead to Sunday
Seattle (7-12) and Oakland (10-8) will meet in the fourth and final game of the four-game series on Sunday at 1:05 PM. RHP Yovani Gallardo (0-2, 6.19) will take the hill for the Mariners. The man who has become the “Ace of the Staff” – Andrew Triggs – will start for the Athletics. Triggs is 3-0 with an 0.00 ERA in 17.2 innings for the A’s this year.
OAKLAND–The third and final game of the series between the Houston Astros and the Oakland Athletics that was scheduled to begin at 1:05 pm on Sunday has been postponed due inclement weather. A quick check of the records appear to make this the first postponement in Oakland since April 4, 2014 when a Mariners – A’s game had to be canceled due to a wet infield. The tarp was not put on the infield the night before and a rainstorm drenched the field.
In some ways, this may be a relief for the Athletics. The Astros mastery of the A’s continued on Saturday as they overcame a strong pitching performance by Sean Manaea that included 5-plus no-hit innings to comeback and win the game 10-6.
Houston is now 2-0 versus the Athletics in 2017 and have won nine consecutive games from the A’s dating back to last season.
The make up date has not been announced. The Astros next visit to Oakland is June 19-22 for a four-game series. It is highly unlikely that it would be turned into a five-game series due to pitching rotations. That would make the three-game series scheduled for September 8-10 the best candidate for a day-night doubleheader. Oakland has an off day on September 7 and a travel day on the 11th.
The A’s and Astros in the standings
The Athletics started the day in third place in the American League West with a record of 5-7. They are three games back of the Astros. Oakland is 4-6 in their last 10 games and have lost three games in a row.
The Astros currently lead the AL West with eight wins and four losses. That is the best record in the American League. Houston is 6-4 in their last 10 games and have won four consecutive games.
Up next
The Athletics are scheduled to begin a three-game series with the Texas Rangers on Monday night in Oakland. The A’s are 1-2 versus the Rangers so far this season.
A’s manager Bob Melvin has announced that the plan is to push the pitching rotation back a game so the probables will be as follows:
Mon 4/17 vs TEX RHP Jharel Cotton (1-1, 3.97) vs. RHP A.J. Griffin (1-0, 6.75) 7:05
Tue 4/18 vs TEX RHP Andrew Triggs (2-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Yu Darvish (1-1, 2.33) 7:05
Wed 4/19 vs TEX RHP Jesse Hahn (0-1, 3.75) vs. LHP Martin Perez (1-1, 2.20) 12:35
Roster moves for the Athletics
Chad Pinder
Shortstop Marcus Semien has been placed on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to Saturday due to a right wrist contusion. Semien is scheduled to have more testing on the wrist performed on Monday.
Infielder Chad Pinder has been recalled by the A’s from Triple-A Nashville to take Semien’s place on the roster.
Pinder was batting .324 for the Sounds with one RBI in nine games. He had played six games at second base and three games at shortstop for Nashville. Pinder made his Major League debut with the A’s last season batting .235 with four RBI in 22 games.
In need of some good news, the A’s got some from rookie pitcher Jharel Cotton.
Cotton allowed three hits and a run over seven innings as the A’s broke their eight-game losing streak at home with a 7-1 win over the Rangers. The rookie pitcher acquired from the Dodgers in the Josh Reddick deal, impressed again, working quickly and efficiently with his fastball and dynamic changeup.
“He’s got a special changeup, something we had not seen,” Rangers’ manager Jeff Bannister said. “When he’s got that working for him it does present a challenge when it’s the first time these guys have seen him.”
The A’s scored seven times in the second to help Cotton cruise. The seven runs were one less than the team had scored during the first five games of the home stand, just more adversity for the lowest scoring American League team when playing at home.
But things looked quite different in a hurry on Sunday. After Bruce Maxwell and Brett Eibner drove in runs, the A’s loaded the bases against Colby Lewis. Stephen Vogt followed with a bases clearing double, followed by Ryon Healy’s two-run shot that chased Lewis.
The Texas pitcher had won in each of last four appearances at the Coliseum, and was looking to impress Bannister enough to claim a post-season starting spot behind aces Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish. But the A’s need to erase the burden of a winless home stand, and put an end to their offensive blackout trumped anything Lewis was trying to accomplish.
Maxwell and Healy led the A’s 13-hit attack with three knocks each. Healy’s breakout afternoon ended a 1 for 16 slide for the rookie third baseman. Marcus Semien had a pair of hits, a nice change for him as well. Semien came in hitting just .177 in September.
Cotton needed just 70 pitches to complete seven innings, and the humble pitcher sensed the AL West champions were more concerned about their travel itinerary than the game.
“I feel like it as a Sunday game and they wanted to get away,” Cotton said with a distinct nod to Southwest Airlines. “I was on the mound like, ‘Thank you. Just keep swinging.’”
Cotton’s first four big league starts have all lasted at least five innings with the right hander allowing a run or less. That’s the first time that feat been accomplished by an A’s rookie in more than 100 years.
Adrian Beltre gave Cotton his only blemish, a seventh inning solo shot. Beltre’s 32nd home run of the season and 445th of his career also was his 2,937 hit, moving him past Barry Bonds on the all-time hit list.
The A’s conclude their season with road games in Anaheim and Seattle. Sean Manaea gets the start Monday against the Angels with Jered Weaver on the mound for the home team.
NOTES: Sonny Gray will come off the disabled list and start Wednesday’s game. The A’s ace hasn’t pitched in two months due to a forearm strain.
OAKLAND–Whatever got into the A’s last week on the road didn’t follow them back to Oakland.
Marwin Gonzales knocked in a pair of runs in the ninth, breaking a 2-2 tie, and the Astros went on to beat the A’s at the Coliseum, 4-2 on Monday night. After scoring 65 runs on their just completed 6-1 road trip, the A’s metaphorically lost their luggage, offense in tow, managing just three hits in dropping their third straight at home.
The dramatic drop in offense at the Coliseum—the A’s are scoring a full run less at home than they are on the road—falls squarely in the team’s under-utilized tool box, a function of a young team trying to find their identity, optimally as closely aligned to the tenets of Moneyball as possible, but currently not aligned at all. These young A’s don’t draw walks, don’t hit particularly well deep in counts, and they don’t excite their home crowd with the necessary offense to win games.
Nonetheless, they’re showing signs. Rookies Ryon Healy and Bruce Maxwell both homered on Monday with Maxwell’s his first as big leaguer. Healy’s seemingly gotten all his firsts out of the way, hitting .381 after his home run Monday, the highest batting average of any American Leaguer in the month of September to date. Second baseman Joey Wendle hit .375 on the just completed road trip. And Khris Davis, no true youngster at 28 and completing his third full season at the big league level, has hit 40 home runs for the first time in his career.
But Davis needs work: improved defense, and a need to figure out what those Houston scouting reports say about him. Of his 40 homers, only one has come against the Astros, and he’s hitting just .129 against the division rival after his 0 for 4 on Monday.
On the mound, rookie Jharel Cotton provided more hope for the A’s future on Monday. Cotton’s third big league start was much like the first two: eye-opening and impressive. With manager Bob Melvin closely monitoring his workload, Cotton went six innings, allowing two hits and a walk. The 24-year old acquired in the Josh Reddick trade had the Astros flailing and frustrated due to his trademark cutter and 12-6 curveball.
“He’s locating all his pitches, his changeup in any count, and his curveball was probably better today than we’ve seen it,” Melvin said. “He pitched great.”
But Cotton wasn’t around when the game was decided, Ryan Madson was, and the reliever found out how difficult it is to navigate Houston’s two most dynamic hitters—Jose Altuve and Carlos Correia—with the game in the balance.
After tying the game in the eighth, the Astros struck again in the ninth with Altuve punching a Madson offering racing towards his hands into right field for a leadoff single. Then Correia displayed his considerable experience hitting behind the AL’s top hitter, a guy who’s seemingly always on base, by punching a ball through an exaggerated hole created partially by Wendle breaking to second base as Altuve looked to steal.
That set up the Astros with runners on first and third, no outs. Then Evan Gattis was walked to set up a force at home, according to Melvin, again a measure to combat Altuve and his speed. Then Gonzales delivered the game-winner on the first pitch from Madson, which he sent straight up the middle against the A’s drawn-in infield.
Former Athletic Luke Gregerson picked up the win by working out his own jam in the eighth. Gregerson, working deliberately as always, induced a ground ball out from Danny Valencia stranding pinch-runner Arismendy Alcantara at third.
Houston’s win kept them alive in a crowded AL Wild Card picture where they trail Baltimore and Toronto by three games, with the equally desperate Tigers and Yankees in between the Astros and one of the two spots held by the Orioles and Jays.
The A’s look to make a better statement in their final week at home of the season on Tuesday. Sean Manaea will attempt to pick up his seventh win in a matchup with Houston’s Joe Musgrove.
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