Tag: marcus semien

Opinion: Three people who should leave the A’s right now

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By: Ana Kieu

OAKLAND, Calif. — The A’s appear to be working on their clock, and that’s probably not going to sit well with the Green and Gold fanbase. The A’s minority owner Billy Beane is arguably a baseball problem and not just a marketing mishap.

In the 2016 novel Beantown, author Frederik Backman wrote, “There are two things that are particularly good at reminding us how old we are: children and sports.”

That’s indeed a difficult statement for folks who are 50 years and older to dispute as their children and perhaps grandchildren have already established their own personalities in the workplace. Sports, however, is a bit of a tricky topic–its intriguing statistics and historical events have likely been engraved in our minds in our childhoods.

And, like any other baseball follower, I can recall box scores, no-hitters, and vice versa. That being said, there are some parts of MLB history that shouldn’t be continued for an extended period of time.

Without further ado, here are three people who should leave the A’s right now.

1. Billy Beanebilly beane

A’s minority owner Billy Beane has made some money-less trades in the past. The Moneyball tactics simply aren’t working. The A’s need to strength their rotation and pen their annual drafts, and Beane hasn’t been on top of things for quite a while. Also, Beane takes sure-fire chances on young guys with limited amounts of baseball experience. In addition, Oakland has had a high turnover rate with players in all positions, which isn’t going to contribute to their success on the field.

2. Bob Melvin as-manager-bob-melvin_1f7mvfmc7mlgf1o0mcalvibxhg

A’s manager Bob Melvin has been named “Manager of the Year” twice–once in 2007 and the other in 2012. But that doesn’t mean that Melvin deserves a spot in the A’s management team.

Melvin has been in Oakland for far too long. Melvin’s decisions on players have often been poor. For example, why call up Franklin Barreto if he wasn’t going to play him? Mark Canha and Dustin Fowler should’ve made the 2018 Opening Day roster instead of Barreto. Both Canha and Fowler are on the A’s roster now, but they had to be called up in order to be in Oakland.

Not only that, Melvin has mismanaged the bullpen this season. Melvin continues to put various pitchers on the mound who have shown us why they shouldn’t be out there to begin with.

3. Marcus Semien DCT160730034_Athletics_at_Indians

A’s shortstop Marcus Semien is supposed to be the lead-off hitter in Oakland, but he’s not. Semien puts up subpar numbers for a player who’s supposed to leading off. Semien has worsened the A’s defense with his countless amount of errors, so that should paint a mental picture of his incompetent defense.

There you have it. The three people who should leave the A’s right now. Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments section.

Bases covered: A’s, A’s fans makin’ plays all over the place in series-clinching 3-2 victory over the Royals

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Photo credit: sfexaminer.com

By Morris Phillips

OAKLAND–The A’s had everything covered on Sunday. Sean Manaea took care of the pitching mound. Blake Treinen provided Manaea’s much-needed assistance. Marcus Semien made the defense sing, and the Oakland gloves golden. Bill from Pittsburg held down Section 216–and a whole bunch of other sections for that matter–with his foul ball dramatics. And Matt Chapman provided the late inning pop, with the game-winning home run in the eighth.

With that type of synergy, it’s hard to believe the Royals had a chance, or that the game was still up for grabs in the eighth inning.

The A’s 3-2 win gave them best type of series victory: three out of four over Kansas City, when they nearly settled for a 2-2 split. And if A’s baseball is about youth being served, then Chapman served ’em with his blast off reliever Jason Adam. But we digress, enough of Chapman, this story starts with Semien, and ends with Treinen.

“Chapman made a great swing, but that swing doesn’t get us the win if Marcus doesn’t make that play,” Treinen recounted.

“That’s about as good a play I’ve seen him make since he’s been here,” manager Bob Melvin said of Semien’s bang-bang diving snag of a hard hit ground ball of the bat of Salvador Perez that he then turned into an out at the plate with a snap throw across the diamond that nipped Whit Merrifield as he attempted to give the Royals the lead.

“To dive like that, get up and have to throw it off balance on the money like that, no legs underneath him…”

A’s struggle on Saturday night losing 8-4 to the Rangers

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment

A's gossett teexas

by Charlie O. Mallonee

Daniel Gossett intended to pitch longer than 1.2-innings when he started the game for the Athletics in Texas on Saturday night but that was not to be the case. Gossett set the Rangers down in order in the first inning but would not survive the bottom of the second inning.

Gossett gave up four runs (all earned) off five hits including one home run in that fateful second inning. Joey Gallo hit his 40th home run of the season off Gossett with Nomar Mazara on base to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead. Gossett would never recover and would be replaced by Simon Castro.

Gossett would be tagged with the loss and will finish the season with a 4-11 record.

A’s bullpen could not post “Goose Eggs”

The Athletics needed their bullpen to put up “Goose Eggs” in the runs column but that did not happen. Six A’s relievers gave up four runs on eight hits. They walked four and struck out five.

Some nights the bullpen just cannot stop the momentum of the other team.

Texas feasted on A’s pitching

a's download (1)

Every Rangers starting player recorded at least one hit. Texas scored eight runs on 13 hits while leaving seven men on base. They went 4-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

Joey Gallo went 2-for-2 at the plate with both hits being home runs. He has now hit 41 round-trippers in 2017. Gallo scored three runs and recorded three RBI to up his season total to 80.

Rougned Odor had a 3-for-4 day with the bat. He hit his 21st double and posted his 75th RBI. Odor also recorded his 15th stolen base of the year.

Rangers on the hill

Andrew Cashner evened his record at 11-11 after being awarded the win on Saturday over the Athletics. He pitched 6.0-innings allowing two runs (both earned) off five hits. Cashner walked two and struck out two.

The Texas bullpen worked the final three innings and tried to let the Athletics back into the game. Matt Bush gave up a run in the eighth inning including a home run to Matt Joyce. Paolo Espino allowed a run in the ninth inning when Marcus Semien hit his ninth home run of the season.

Despite the late show of power, the Athletics came up four runs short on Saturday night.

Oakland in the batter’s box

a's vs rangers

The A’s scored four runs on eight hits while leaving seven runners on base. They went just 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

Marcus Semien went 2-for-5 in the game. He hit his ninth home run and recorded his 40th RBI.

Matt Joyce had a 2-for-4 night at the plate including two runs scored and one RBI. He hit his 25th home run and posted his 68th RBI.

Khris Davis hit as the DH on Saturday night and went 2-for-3. He hit his 23rd double while adding his 109th RBI of the season.

Western Division Standings

Texas is now 78-83 for 2017 and is tied with Seattle for third in the west. The A’s record stands at 74-87 and they are alone in last place.

Starters for game 162

RHP Daniel Mengden (2-2, 3.75) will start for the A’s on Sunday in the season finale. He lost his last start to Seattle on Tuesday, September 26th 6-3.

The Rangers will counter with LHP Cole Hamels (11-5, 4.10). Hamels 4.10 ERA is his highest since the 2009 season.

The final game of the season gets underway at 12:05 p.m. PDT.

Athletics down Tigers 3-2 Wednesday to sweep the 3-game series on the road

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DET Mengden

by Charlie O. Mallonee

Detroit — The Oakland Athletics have been the worst road team in all of baseball several times this season. They have been strong defenders of their home field, but the road has been their nemesis. Since a major league team plays 81 of their 162 games on the road, learning to win in the other guy’s park is mandatory.

The Athletics embarked on this nine-game road trip to Boston, Philadelphia and Detroit needing to prove to themselves that they could win on the road, and that is exactly what they did.

Wednesday in Detroit was a crowing effort for the A’s

The A’s had won the first two games of the series in Detroit. They had compiled a 5-3 record on the road. With Wednesday being a day/get-away game to head back to the Bay Area, it would have been very easy to have a mental let down and just go through the motions to get out of town in order to get home.

The Athletics did not do that. They played tough. They played solid defense behind their starting pitcher Daniel Mengden. The Athletics worked to get runs when they could and they won the game.

They also swept the three-game series at Comerica Park and finished the nine-game road trip with a record of 6-3.

Manager Bob Melvin was a happy man after the win on Wednesday

Pitching dictated the ultimate outcome of the game

Athletics starter Daniel Mengden threw seven shutout innings and extended his scoreless inning streak to 16-innings which is the longest for any A’s pitcher this season. He gave up no runs on seven hits. One of the big keys to his win was the fact that he did not issue a walk. Mengden struck out four Tigers. His record is now 2-1 with an ERA of 3.30.

Ryan Dull came to relieve Mengden in the eighth inning and set the Tigers down in order. It looked like the final inning would be uneventful.

Dull came out for the ninth because Melvin was hoping to rest his overworked bullpen. Dull walked the first batter he faced — Efren Navarro. Mikie Mahtook then hit a 1-1 pitch from Dull for a double that moved Navarro up to third. Pitching coach Scott Emerson came out for a visit before Dull went back to work.

Dull struck out the next batter he faced — pinch-hitter Tyler Collins — for the first out of the inning. Andrew Romine then stepped into the box and hit a single to right that drove Navarro and Mahtook home to make it a 3-2 game.

That was all for Dull as Bob Melvin brought Liam Hendriks in from the pen. There was also an injury delay as catcher Bruce Maxwell had to come out of the game after taking a ball off the mask. He was replaced by Phegley.

Hendricks was able to get Jose Iglesias to ground into a force out that erased Romine and left Iglesias at first on the fielder’s choice. With Alex Presley batting, Iglesias moved up to second on a wild pitch. Presley struck out swinging to end the game.

Hendricks was credited with a save but more importantly he put up a “Goose Egg” meaning he did not allow a run to score.

Detroit pitching

Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez pitched six-innings and allowed just one run (earned) on three hits. He walked three A’s and struck out eight. Sanchez threw an incredible 115 pitches (68 strikes). He was also tagged with the loss, so his record falls to 3-5.

The big problem for Detroit was their bullpen failed in its effort to throw “Goose Eggs”. Daniel Stumpf took over Sanchez in the seventh inning and gave up the two-run home to Marcus Semien that was the ultimate difference maker in the game.

Joe Jimenez and Zac Reininger each worked an inning of relief for Detroit and both posted “Goose Eggs” in the run column.

A’s batters

Marcus Semien was the man for Oakland in the big win on Wednesday. He not only hit the game deciding two-run home run in the seventh inning, but Semien posted all three of the Athletics RBI. In the series, he went 4-for-10 and scored four runs.

Catcher Bruce Maxwell went 2-for-4 in the game with a double and two runs scored. He is now hitting .315 in day game versus .205 under the lights. Guess who is catching the day games? Also, the initial reports are that Maxwell does not appear to have a concussion from the foul tip that caused him to leave the game in the ninth inning.

The Athletics scored three runs on six hits and left seven men on base. Their record improved to 69-83.

Detroit hitting

Nicholas Castellanos hit a single in the sixth inning which extended his hitting streak to a career-high 17 games. He hit .346 against the A’s in 2017.

Efren Navarro hit a single in the second inning that upped his hitting streak to five games. He now batting .400 — 6-for-15 — with a double and triple during the streak.

The Tigers posted two runs off nine hits and left eight runners on base. They also committed two errors. Detroit’s record now stands at 62-90.

Up next

The Athletics left for the Bay Area right after the game and will have Thursday off. The A’s begin a three-game series in Oakland with the Rangers on Friday night. RHP Kendall Graveman (5-4, 4.39) is scheduled to start for the Athletics. Texas has not named their starter.

The Tigers continue their homestand on Thursday as they begin a four-game series with the Twins.

Cotton, Trienen pitch the A’s past the mistake-prone Astros

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AP17232679970015
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.

 

Athletics scratch out a 4-3 win over Mariners Saturday night in Seattle

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by Charlie O. Mallonee

Oakland puts it together in the top of the ninth inning

ms healy double
Healy hits game winning RBI-double

In the top of the ninth inning on Saturday night, the game between the A’s and Mariners was tied 3-3. Seattle replaced Nick Vincent with Edwin Diaz on the mound.

Rajai Davis led the inning off by legging out an infield single on a ball hit to third baseman Kyle Seager. That brought a visit from the Mariners’ pitching coach but Diaz remained in the game.

Matt Joyce went down on strikes but Davis moved up by stealing second base on the strike three pitch. Marcus Semien then flied out to left field for the second out of the inning.

Seattle then decided they did not want to pitch to All-Star first baseman Yonder Alonso who had hit his 20th home run of the year earlier in the game so they intentionally walked him.

That brought A’s DH Ryon Healy to the plate. With a count of 0-2, Healy hit a line drive into right-center field that bounced into the stands for a ground-rule double. Davis scored but Alonso — who would have scored easily — by rule had to hold at third.

Jed Lowrie grounded out to first to end the inning and the A’s took a 4-3 into the bottom of the ninth.

The Athletics called in Santiago Casilla from the bullpen

Casilla induced Kyle Seager to fly out to left field for the first out and then struck out former Athletic Danny Valencia for second out of the inning.

Just when it looked like it would be an easy close for Casilla, Mitch Haniger hit a double to center field and the M’s had the tying run just 180-feet away from home plate.

After a coaching visit, Casilla was able to get Jarrod Dyson to fly out to left field for the final out of the game.

For Casilla, it was save number 15 of the season.

Chris Smith made his first MLB start for the A’s (BTW he is 36-years old)

ms smith

The A’s pitching staff is literally the walking wounded. Pitchers have moved on and off the disabled list on a regular basis. On Saturday night, the A’s had to turn to a 36-year old pitcher who had made 63 appearances in the major leagues but had never started a game.

Chris Smith made the start and even though he did not figure into the decision, Smith did the job he was asked to do by the Athletics. He worked 6.0-innings giving up three runs (all earned) on three hits. Smith struck out four Mariners and walked just one. He did allow one home run while throwing 97 pitches (55 strikes).

The A’s bullpen gave Smith the support he needed. Ryan Madson, Sean Doolittle and Santiago Casilla worked one-inning apiece and allowed no runs on one hit combined over those three innings. Doolittle picked up the win as he was pitcher of record in the top of the ninth when the A’s took the lead.

Top performers for the Athletics

  • Ryon Healy — had a 2-for-4 game including what proved to be the game-winning RBI-double in the top of the ninth inning. It was his 19th double of the year and his 52nd RBI. Healy also scored a run in the game.
  • Yonder Alonso — the All-Star first baseman hit his 20th home run of the season in the third inning off Seattle starter Andrew Moore. Alonso also lifted his RBI total to 43.
  • Marcus Semien — continued to show he is ready to be back on the field and be productive for the A’s. Semien hit his first home run of the season in the fifth inning off Moore. He 3-for-13 in the series with three RBI.

The A’s can win the series on Sunday and move up in the Wild Card Standings

Oakland (39-49) has won two of the three games in series in Seattle with the victory on Saturday night. A win of Sunday would give a series victory to Oakland and give them their 40th win of the season. That would be a very nice way to into the All-Star Break.

The A’s are currently just 6.5 games out of a Wild Card spot in the American League. In fact, no team in the AL in more than 6.5 games out of Wild Card contention. That should serve as motivation to this young A’s team.

Mariners stars at the plate

  • OF Jarrod Dyson — did everything he could to give his team a victory on Saturday night. He went 2-for-3 at the plate including a home run (5) in the fifth inning off Smith. Dyson also hit a double and upped his RBI total to 22.
  • Jean Segura — continued to be hot in the leadoff spot. He went 2-for-4 with a double, RBI and a run scored. His batting average stands at .355 after the game on Saturday.

Seattle on the hill

  • Andrew Moore — struggled over his 6.0 innings on the mound. He gave up three runs (all earned) on six hits while walking two and striking out two. Moore also issued two home runs which really was his undoing.
  • James Pazos — made his 35th appearance of the season working one inning of perfect baseball from the mound striking out one Oakland hitter.
  • Nick Vincent — worked the eighth inning for the M’s giving up one hit, one walk and striking out two.
  • Edwin Diaz — worked the disastrous ninth for Seattle and was hung with the loss.

Up next

The final game of the series and the final game before the All-Star Break will played on Sunday at 1:10 p.m. PDT.

The A’s will send rookie Daniel Gossett to mound to face the Mariners. He has a record of 1-3 with a 6.23 ERA in his five starts this season. The home run has been a problem for Gossett who has given up seven round-trippers in 26 innings.

Seattle will counter by sending the willey veteran King Felix Hernandez out to make the 368th start of his career. The King is 3-3 this season with a 5.04 ERA in nine starts. He had a no-decision in his last start versus the Royals when gave up five earned runs in five innings.

Astros vs Athletics Sunday finale postponed due to rain – looking ahead to the Rangers

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment

By Charlie O. Mallonee

rainout

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

A's elephant logoAstros primary logo

 

 

 

 

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

pinder
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.

November is coming and things will be heating up for the A’s

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment

 

hot-stove

by Charlie O. Mallonee

With the World Series almost over, that means the “Hot Stove League” is warming up. Let’s see what might be cooking for the Oakland Athletics.

Arbitration-Eligible Players

k-davis
Khris Davis swings away
  • Danny Valencia IF/OF is ARB 3 and will get a projected $5.3-million in arbitration if the A’s go there. The question is do they need Valencia at this point? The answer is probably not. They have Healy at third base and Valencia is not a great outfielder. Look for Valencia to be a free agent.
  • Yonder Alonso IF/DH is also at the ARB 3 level and is projected get a contract worth $4.1-million. With Billy Butler gone, the A’s will be using a platoon system at the DH spot. Alonso can supply some power at the plate and plays a decent first base. Look for the A’s to pony up the bucks to keep him around.
  • Khris Davis OF/DH is eligible for arbitration for the first time in his career. Coming off a 42 home run – 102 RBI season Davis is looking forward to the process which will probably get him a $5-million contract.
  • Sonny Gray RHP is also eligible for arbitration for the first time. Unfortunately for Gray, he is coming off an injury-riddled season that will keep his numbers down. The projection is that he will receive a $3.7-million deal.
  • Stephen Vogt C will also experience the arbitration process for the first time in his career. Coming off back-to-back All-Star seasons cannot hurt his negotiations. Look for him to get around $3.7 million.
  • Liam Hendriks RHP – the Aussie reliever – made 53 appearances for the A’s the in 2016. The Athletics have to decide if that production is worth a $1-million contract which is what he’s projected to get in arbitration.

Players file for arbitration in January and the teams then respond with contract offers or inform the player an offer will not be tendered. If a contract cannot be negotiated, an arbitration hearing will take place in early February.

Arbitration salary projections are from RosterResource.com that has a track record of being very accurate with their projections

Players for whom Arbitration is only a dream

dreamer

  • Marcus Semien SS arbitration eligible in 2018
  • Kendall Graveman RHP first arb year in 2018
  • Ryan Dull RHP the young reliever will not see arbitration until 2019
  • Sean Manaea LHP  will join Dull at the arbitration table in ’19
  • Ryon Healy IF/DH the young phenom will not see arbitration until 2020

Given the cost of MLB players in today’s market, you can see why the cost conscious Athletics like find talented young players that they can control through the pre-arbitration process and then trade during the arbitration years for … younger players.

Free Agent Moves

Lambo had his 2016 season cut short when it was discovered that he had testicular cancer. He had to undergo surgery but has recovered and is ready to get back to playing the game. Lambo batted .255 in 56 games a Triple-A Nashville.

Cubs in the World Series nets the A’s a pitcher

The A’s claimed LHP Giovanni Soto off waivers from the Chicago Cubs. He was designated for assignment to make room on the Cubs 40-man roster for Kyle Schwarber who went to the Arizona Fall League and is now on the Chicago World Series roster.

Soto made his Major League debut in September 2015 with the Cleveland Indians. Cleveland traded Soto to the Cubs in April 2016 for cash. He spent the season at Triple-A Iowa where he went 1-3 with 5.14 ERA in 33 relief appearances.

 

Royal pain: A’s pound the Royals again 14-5 and sweep the four game series

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by Jerry Feitelberg

AP photo: Oakland A’s third baseman Ryon Healy (48) celebrates the four game sweep of the Kansas City Royals with Matt Olson (back) Thursday night at Kaufman Stadium

Kansas City, Mo – The Amazin’ A’s swept the four-game series with the Kansas City Royals as they pounded them again 14-5. The A’s, without question, played the spoiler role as they just about ended any hope that the Royals may have had about making the playoffs this year. The Royals, defending World Series Champs, did not look like the team that won the AL Pennant in 2014 and the World Series crown last year. The A’s manhandled their pitching as they outscored the Royals 43-12 in the series. The A’s starter, Daniel Mengden, pitched effectively Thursday night, and he recorded his second win of the season. Mengden went seven innings and allowed no runs and just three hits. He struck out six and did not walk a single batter. J.B. Wendelken pitched a scoreless eighth inning and lefty Dillon Overton was roughed up for five runs in the bottom of the ninth. Bob Melvin had someone warming up just in case, but Overton was able to get the final out of the game.

The A’s scored the first run of the game in the top of the second to start the ball rolling. With two out, Ryon Healy and Marcus Semien hit back to back doubles for the score. The A’s continued to attack the offerings of Edinson Volquez as they plated five more runs in the third. Joey Wendle singled. Volquez walked Danny Valencia to put men on at first and second with no out. Stephen Vogt doubled down the right field line to drive in both runners. After a walk to Yonder Alonzo, Ryon Healy hit a mammoth home run to put the A’s in the lead 6-0. Healy’s ball traveled an estimated 480 feet.

The A’s scored three more times in the fourth. Vogt drove in a run when he walked with the bases loaded. Khris Davis doubled to drive in two more and Royals’ manager Ned Yost removed Volquez from the game trailing 9-0. The A’s continued the onslaught. They added two more in the sixth when Vogt unloaded with a man on board to up the lead to 11-0. The A’s hitters kept blasting away and sustained the night of torture for the Royals and their fans when Marcus Semien hit his twenty-fifth of the season with two men on to make it a 14-0 game.

The Royals score five times in the bottom of the ninth but it was too little, too late and the A’s completed their first sweep of a four-game series since 2012 when they turned the trick against the Cleveland Indians

Game Notes- Hitting stars were Joey Wendle, Stephen Vogt, Ryon Healy, Khris Davis and Marcus Semien. Wendle had four singles in six tries. Vogt had a double, RBI walk and a home run. Healy had a double and a monster three-run dinger as did Marcus Semien. The A’s had just one three-run dinger in September until this series with the Royals. They had four in this series.

The A’s travel to Arlington, Texas where they will play the Texas Rangers over the weekend. The Rangers own the best record in the AL, and they will not take the A’s lightly as they want to have home-field advantage throughout the playoff. Kendall Graveman will pitch for Oakland Friday night and the Rangers’ ace, lefty Cole Hamels, will try to shut the suddenly potent A’s offense down. The game will start at 5:05 PM PT.

Oakland A’s Wednesday game wrap: The A’s do it again, beat the Royals in shut out fashion 8-0

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by Jerry Feitelberg

AP photo: Oakland A’s catcher Bruce Maxwell congratulates A’s pitcher Chris Smith (56) after shutting out the Royals 8-0 at Kaufman Stadium in Kansas City

Kansas City, Mo- The new kids on the A’s roster are opening eyes all around the league as the A’s won their third game in a row as they shutout the Kansas City Royals 8-0. The A’s, coming off a 3-6 homestand against the Red Sox, Angels, and Mariners, are looking like an entirely different team. The Royals, who were fighting for the second Wild Card slot, were licking their chops hoping to either sweep the A’s or take three out four from them. However, they play the games on the field, and the A’s have won the first three games of the four-game series and are delivering a severe blow to the Royals’ chances.

Lefty Sean Manaea made his first start in sixteen days as he was not able to pitch due to a shoulder injury. Manaea pitched well. He went five innings and allowed no runs and gave up just three hits. A’s manager Bob Melvin took him out after the fifth even though Manaea’s pitch count was low. The Royals’ Yordano Ventura took the loss. Ventura went just four and one-third innings and allowed five runs, seven hits and walked four. Ventura had over 100 pitches before Ned Yost removed him from the game.

The A’s drew first blood in the first inning. Joey Wendle singled. Danny Valencia walked. Ventura uncorked a wild pitch, and the runners advanced to second and third with no out. Stephen Vogt was safe on a fielder’s choice. He hit a sharp grounder to Royals’ first baseman Eric Hosmer. Hosmer threw a strike to Salvador Perez who tagged Wendle out on a close play at home. Khris Davis walked to load the bases. Yonder Alonso singled to drive in Valencia and Vogt to put the A’s up 2-0.

The Oaktown boys plated three more runs in the third. With two out, Alonso and Ryon Healy singled. Marcus Semien drove both of them in with a double to deep right field. Catcher Bruce Maxwell singled to drive in Semien and the A’s now own a 5-0.

There was no more scoring until the top of the eighth. Oakland scored three more times to put the game out of reach. The A’s bullpen of John Axford, Liam Hendricks, and Chris Smith kept the Royals scoreless, and they allowed the Royals just one hit in the last four innings of the game. The A’s win 8-0.

Game Notes- Sean Manaea notched his sixth win of the year and the first on the road.The A’s line score was eight runs on thirteen hits and no errors. The line for KC was no runs, four hits, and one error.

Daniel Mengden will pitch for Oakland Thursday night, and Edinson Volquez will hurl for the Royals.Game time will be at 4:10 PM PT.

The A’s travel to Arlington, Texas to face the Rangers over the weekend. They return home on Monday to start the final homestand of the year. The play three with the Astros and then three more with the Rangers.