By Morris Phillips
OAKLAND–The A’s came to the park loosey goosey, ready to swing the bats, then bear down to get some critical outs.
The contending Mariners admittedly were tight, overthinking things and probably burdened by the longest post-season drought any of us have ever seen.
The unlikely result? The youthful and hopeful A’s built on the momentum they gained Saturday night, and booted the Mariners in a 6-5 win on Sunday that captured the series, and highlighted the team’s promise and hopeful approach.
JP Sears outpitched Seattle’s higher-profile in-season acquisition, Luis Castillo, and the A’s built a 4-1 lead after five innings. The Mariners drew closer with two runs in the seventh, but were stymied in the eighth with runners in scoring position. Shea Langeliers tripled home an insurance run in the bottom of that inning and the A’s held on.
Afterwards, the Mariners expressed frustration with their play, and blowing an opportunity to boost their standing in the AL Wild Card hunt by not taking advantage of the league’s worst team.
“We know how important these games are and what they mean,” said Ty France, who hit into a third inning double play that spoiled a potential, big inning for Seattle. “I think sometimes we are trying too hard and trying to make things happen instead of just playing our style of baseball. We are trying to force things when he don’t have to. Usually, when we go out there and play our game, we are in a good spot.”
Conversely, the A’s clearly enjoyed their 4-3 extra-inning walk-off win Saturday night (on a FOX Network national broadcast as well) and walked into their clubhouse Sunday morning with improved posture. Their aggressive approach at the plate was noticeable in Sean Murphy’s first inning RBI double, Langeliers’ double in the left field gap that initiated a rally in the second inning and Nick Allen’s RBI single that put the A’s up 3-0.
“Luis has been awesome for us since we acquired him,” manager Scott Servais said. “Maybe left a few balls in the middle of the plate, but they were super aggressive. They were hunting they fastballs and didn’t miss them.”
Sears had just one hiccup, a home run allowed to Mitch Haniger in the third. He went five innings and scattered six hits with one walk issued. He worked seamlessly with Langeliers behind the plate, showing chemistry that was built off one outing the pair had earlier this month at Triple-A Las Vegas.
“He’s one of the most poised young catchers I’ve ever seen,” Sears said of Langeliers.
Six A’s relievers followed with Sam Moll and Domingo Acevedo the only two entrusted to get as many as three outs. Moll came up the biggest by retiring J.P. Crawford and Dylan Moore with runners at the corners in the seventh.
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