Tag: Oakland A’s

A’s Piscotty swings for the fences; Oakland picks up second straight win over Toronto 5-3 at Coliseum

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Stephen Piscotty (25) gets congratulated by Oakland A’s third base coach Darren Bush (51) after hitting a bottom of the fifth inning home run at the Oakland Coliseum on Tue Jul 5, 2022 (AP News photo)

Toronto (44-38). 3. 10. 1

Oakland (28-55). 5. 4. 0

Tuesday, July 5, 2022

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–One swallow does not a summer make, but two downed Blue Jays in a row can be cause for hope and after tonight’s 5-3 win by the outhit A’s (28-55) over the previously fairly high flying Blue Jays (44-38), there was hope and joy in Oakland

Kotsay & Co. chose right handed rookie Adrián Martínez, recalled five days ago from Las Vegas, to face the Jays this evening. The 25 year old native of Mexicali came to the mound with a 1-1,6.30 record for the year, having gotten the win against Detroit on May 10 with 5-1/3 innings of shutout ball and having lost lto Seattle after yielding seven runs, all earned, in only 4-2/3 frames.

Originally signed by the Padres, Martinez underwent Tommy John surgery in 2016. Martínez ended up going five plus innings, enough to qualify for the win which he got, with more than a little help from the bullpen. He allowed three runs, all of them earned, on eight hits, to have them quadrilaterals, and no walks. 30 of his 82 pitches were balls. He now has a won-loss balance of 2-1 and a lower ERA of 6.00.

The A’s first faced Yusei Kikuchi, who started this evening for the Jays, on March 21, 2019, Japan time, at the Tokyo Dome, where he gave up four runs, three earned, in six innings as the Seattle Mariners’ starter, in Ichiro Suzuki’s farewell performance.

That was his MLB debut. He came to Ontario as a free agent after three years with the Mariners, and brought 3-4, 4.74 record for the season and a lifetime US mark of 18-28, 4.94 with him. Kikuchi had held current A’s players to a BA of .208 during his tenure as a Mariner.

He was not effective against the Oakland lineup he faced Tuesday evening, lasting a mere 2-1/3 innings, in which he managed to allow four runs, all earned although one was posthumous, on two hits, five walks, and two hit batsmen. He threw 52 pitches. A full 30 of them were balls. He took the loss, making him 3-5, 5.12 for the year..

Oakland took an early lead. The first two batters in their lineup Nick Allen and Ramón Laureano walked, and Christian Bethancourt drove in Allen with the A’s first run, sending Laureano to third. He notched the green and gold’s second tally as the team’s offense fizzled; Cristian Bethancourt bounced into a 1-4-3 double play, and Stephen Piscotty ended the inning by grounding out to second.

Matt Chapman received the expected ovation when his appearance at the plate was announced with Cavan Biggio on base with one down in the top of the second. He took two pitches for balls and then erased the hosts’ brief lead with a 424 foot blast to center for his 12th home run and 38th and 39th runs batted in of the season. It came on a 93mph sinker.

Oakland loaded the bases with no one out in the third. Allen lined a single just over the glove of a diving Biggio at first. Then Kikuchi plunked both Laureano and Bethancourt. Murphy´s sac fly to right scored Allen and allowed Laureano to take third.

A four pitch walk to Piscotty reloaded the bases and sent Kikuchi to the showers, Trent Thornton taking over pitching duties for the Jays. He got Andrus out on a pop up to second but walked in the A’s second run of the inning by issuing a free pass to Pinder before getting a called third strike on Neuse to close out the frame.

That 4-2 Athletics’ lead was shortened in the Toronto fourth when Teoscar Hernández took advantage of the warm Oakland evening and a 93mph slider to send the ball 420 feet into straightaway center for his ninth round tripper of 2022.

It took a diving catch by Piscotty of Santiago Espinal’s dying quail to right with two out and two on to get Martínez out of the jam with Oakland clinging to a 4-3 lead. He pitched a scoreless fifth that ended with Murphy throwing out Bichette.

Piscotty gave the A’s a little breathing room going 431 feet deep into left with two down in the bottom of the fifth. He unloaded on a 94 mph four seamer for his second dinger of the year, a blow that drove Thornton from the mound, where David Phelps took over for him to retire the side.

Martínez clearly had very little effectiveness left in the sixth. He gave up back to back singles to Kirk and Biggio to open the frame before being rellieved by AJ Puk. Jays´ manager Charlie Montoyo countered that move by sending in Vladimir Guerrero to pinch hit for Biggio.

He flew out to left, but Chapman laced a single to the same field. Kirk, who had been on second, seemed almost certain to score, but an exciting relay play, Pinder to Allen to Murphy, who handled Allen’s offline throw excellently to tag Kirk, cut him down at the plate.

Puk then proceeded to fan Tapia to preserve Oakland´s 5-3 advantage. Domingo Acevedo took Puk’s place on the mound to start the seventh and set the Jays down in order.

Trevor Richards pitched a scoreless seventh for Toronto.

Zach Jackson mounted the A’s merry-go-round to pitch the top of the eighth. Pinder made a great attempt to catch Bichette’s foul that fell under the A’s bullpen bench before Jackson struck him out swinging.

Kirk provided another moment of uncertainty when he sent Skye Bolt to the wall just to the left of the 400 foot sign in center to track down his towering fly before Jackson fanned Hernández.

Tim Mayza pitched to Oakland in their half of the eighth, giving up only a single to Pinder, who was thrown out by Springer trying to stretch it to a double.

That brought in Lou Trivino to try for his sixth save in seven attempts. He fanned Guerrero. He went 3-2 on Chapman, who then sent a fly that Bolt corralled in deep center.

That brought up Tapia, who hit a grounder to Andrus’s right. He made a spectacular backhanded grab, jumped, pivoted, and threw while in air … too late to get Tapia and first. With the potential tying run at the plate in the person of Espinal, Trivino earned his save by getting him to hit a routine grounder to short that Andrus handled easily, ending the game.

Oakland now is assured of winning the series, which will end Wednesday, in a game that’s scheduled to start at 12:37. James Kaprielian (2-5,5.43) will pitch for the home team, and José Berríos (6-4, 4.74) will be on the mound for the visitors.

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Fans struck by gun fire during fireworks show at Coliseum

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Fireworks display outside of the Oakland Coliseum on Mon Jul 4, 2022 where four fans were shot by bullet shrapnel during the show none of which received life threatening injuries. Authorities believe the shots came from outside the Coliseum during the fireworks show (AP News photo)

On the A’s podcast with Jerry F

#1 Jerry, four fans were struck by gun fire at the Oakland Coliseum none received life threatening injuries during Monday’s firework’s show does something like this strengthen the argument of A’s team president David Kaval that the team needs to get out of the Oakland Coliseum.

#2 Players are concerned as you might know after something like this not only for the employees and fans safety but for their own safety too.

#3 The A’s during the Monday night game against the Toronto Blue Jays drew the largest crowd of their season 24,403 and Oakland Police said the gun fire came outside of the Coliseum.

#4 Crime Stoppers of Oakland and the Oakland Police are offering an $20,000 award for the arrest of the suspect in this case.

#5 The shots took place as fireworks were being displayed for fans at the Coliseum and when the bullets came down they struck fans.

Jerry Feitelberg is a beat writer for the Oakland A’s at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s Vogt provides offensive punch with homer and sac fly in A’s 5-1 win

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Oakland A’s catcher Stephen Vogt forearm bashes with teammate Elvis Andrus at the Oakland Coliseum after Vogt’s home run on Mon Jul 4, 2022 against the Toronto Blue Jays (AP News photo)

Toronto (44-37).   1.  5.  1

Oakland (27-55).   5.  7. 0

Monday, July 4, 2022

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND-Baseball players and fans are used to losing. I don’t know if, as a rule, they get over it, but they do get used to it. A’s fans and players have had a lot to get used to recently.

Sunday’s second consecutive 2-1 loss at Seattle, combined with the loss to injury of Frankie Montás, whose imminent trade deadline departure is widely anticipated, raises the dosage of resignation that the uncertainty of the A’s future home and the misery of the A’s current performance to new highs. 

So far, Montás hasn’t been removed from the active roster, but his absence is as notable as the green and gold’s lack of success. They came into the game at 26-55 at the season’s halfway mark, 11-35 since May 14.

But Oakland and its fans didn’t have to deal with a loss this evening. 

Monday’s game recap: Behind the stellar hurling of their starter, Cole Irvin, they dominated Toronto, 5-1.

 Irvin took a 2-6, 3.58 record with him to the pitching rubber when he threw the opening pitch at 6:08 in a warm, sunny evening, perfect home run weather at the Coliseum. Since his return from the injured list, Irvin had gone 0-5, 3.97 in eight starts, most recently in a 5-3 loss to the Yankees in Bronx, where he gave up all five runs, and they were earned, on six hits, two of which left the ball park.

Today, the A’s staked a three run first inning, Irvin was in control for the eight full innings he pitched. He allowed but a single run, earned, on four hits and no walks. His work was very efficient; he threw only 95 pitches, of which only 28 were balls. He got the win, which made his won-lost record 3-5 and lowered his ERA to 3.35.

The Blue Jays sent right hander Alex Manoah and his 9-2, 2.09 record against the floundering residents (for now) of the east bay. His opposing batters average was, appropriately enough, also .209. The 24 year old, now in his second big league season, allowed two runs, both earned, on four hits while going six innings, to gain the win in Toronto’s 4-2 victory. 

He had an eight start winning streak from September 23, 2021 through April 28 of this year. He didn’t live up to his advance billings tonight. He left with the Jays trailing the A’s 5-1 after throwing 101 pitches, of which 67 were counted as strikes,  in only 5-2/3 frames.

Four of the five runs he allowed were earned, and they came on six hits, two of them for all the distance, two walks, a wild pitch, and a hit batter. He struck out five. He was the losing pitcher and ended the day with a record of 9-3, 2.33.

Oakland put a crooked number on the board in their first turn at the plate. Ramón Laureano walked with one out and advanced to second on Seth Brown’s single to right. Manoah plunked Sean Murphy with a 92 mph sinker to load the bases.

Sentimental favorite Stephen Vogt brought Laureano home with a sacrifice fly to center, and George Springer’s wildly off line throw allowed the two other runs to move up a base each. Elvis Andrus’s two bagger to left brought them home.

There was another sentimental favorite on the field tonight. Matt Chapman was playing third for the Blue Jays, and the former Athletic platinum glove winner got a warm ovation when he came to the plate in the visitors’ half of the third for his first AB. (He fouled out to the catcher).

Irvin kept the Blue Jays off the basepaths for the first 3-2/3 inning. Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. ended that string of out with a resounding double just over Skye Bolt’s head in center on a 92 mph four seamer.

Alejandro Kirk drove Guerrero in with a single to right, but Vimael Machín’s magnificent diving grab of Lourdes Gourriel, Jr.’s drive down the left field line and fast, accurate throw to first saved Irvin’s bacon and kept Oakland ahead, 3-1.

They tacked on another tally with one down in the fifth when Laureano blasted Manoah’s first pitch, a change of pace, 417 feet deep into the left field seats for his fifth home run  and 14th RBI of the year.

The A’s further stretched their lead with Vogt’s fourth round tripper of the season and second run batted in of the evening. It came as he led off the home sixth and was a no doubter, hit 426 feet deep into straightaway centerfield.

The veteran still can get around on a 91 mph four seamer. Three batters later, Bolt singled to third on Manoah´s 101st delivery, and that was it was the Blue Jays starter.

Sergio Romo, the one time Giant, one time A, relieved him, retired Allen, and was replaced by Anthony Banda for the home seventh, and Jordan Romano for the eighth. The three of them kept the A’s off the board.

Irvin shotdown ten Jays in a row  between Kirk’s single that followed Guerrero’s double and Espinal’s one out single in  the bottom of the eighth, Toronto’s fourth hit. Espinal was left stranded at first.

Zach Jackson came in to pitch the top of the ninth for Oakland. Bo Bichette hit a resounding leadoff double to center and moved on to third on Guerrero’s fly out to deep right, Kirk’s fly to shallow right, just inside the foul line made it two down. Jackson got two quick strikes on Teoscar Hernández.

Then a ball. And a second ball. Hernández then hit a weak grounder to the ground. Jackson grabbed and ran to first for the final out. The Curse of the Leadoff Double strikes again!

The A’s will go for a two game winning streak tomorrow at 6:30 pm PDT. Toronto will send  southpaw Yusei Kikuchi (3-4, 4.74) against Oakland’s righty Adrián Martínez (1-1, 6,30)

Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara Mason: Rodriguez does all the damage as M’s edge A’s 2-1 at T Mobile

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The Oakland A’s Cristian Bethancourt (23) stands in against the Seattle Mariner pitching at T Mobile Field in Seattle on Sun Jul 3, 2022 (@Athletics photo)

On the A’s podcast with Barbara Mason:

#1 Things got off to a rocky start when the Seattle Mariners (39-42) leadoff hitter Julio Rodriguez slugged a solo shot in the bottom of the first inning to get thing rolling for the Mariners 1-0.

#2 Mariners starting pitcher pitcher Robbie Ray threw 6.2 innings, four hits, one earned run for Ray’s seventh win of the season. Ray kept Oakland A’s (26-55) hitters off balance for most of the game.

#3 Bottom sixth Rodriguez was up to his old hitting tricks again with a double that scored Dylan Moore to give Seattle a 2-0 lead.

#4 The A’s finally got on the board with an Elvis Andrus top of the seventh inning home run to left center field but it wasn’t enough as the A’s couldn’t produce enough offense to win it for a 2-1 loss.

#5 The A’s return to the Oakland Coliseum Monday night for a July 4th contest hosting the Toronto Blue Jays (44-36) the Jays will start right hander Alek Monoah (9-2, 2.09), the A’s will start Cole Irvin (2-6, 3.58) a 6:45pm PDT first pitch.

Join Barbara for the A’s podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Broken Record: A’s fall to the Mariners 2-1, again, and lose Montas in the first inning

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By Morris Phillips

Frankie Montas didn’t seem concerned about his shoulder injury, but it’s likely he has some other concerns.

Like his future in Oakland with the A’s.

Montas threw just 13 pitches in the A’s loss to the Mariners in Seattle at which point the alarming news from the radar gun forced manager Mark Kotsay’s hand.

“He had some tightness in the back of his shoulder and just didn’t feel like he could get fully extended. In that situation we are going to err on the side of caution,” Kotsay said of the readings from the radar gun that showed Montas well off the usual speed on his fastball. “We’ll just go day to day from here.”

I don’t have any concern,” Montas said. “I don’t think it’s anything bad, just probably some inflammation. Didn’t have enough time to recover (after his last start).”

Montas’ importance as a trade piece at the upcoming trade deadline has been well documented. But in that atmosphere, the 29-year old has been the A’s most impressive performer, more often than not keeping the A’s in a tight ballgame whether the offense responds to support him or not.

On Sunday at T-Mobile Park, the offense again was absent. The A’s lost 2-1 for the second, consecutive day and they now stand 1-29 in games they score one run or less. With an offense that feeble the home run Montas allowed to Julio Rodriguez on the first pitch Montas threw put the A’s under tremendous pressure.

Rodriguez backed it up in the sixth with an RBI double that gave the Mariners a 2-0 lead. The A’s response–Elvis Andrus’ homer in the seventh–wasn’t enough as the A’s fell for the 25th time in their last 31 games, putting them on track to have their worst season record in over 100 years dating back to their Philadelphia days.

Robbie Ray pitched into the seventh inning and struck out 12 Athletics, energizing manager Scott Servais, who has seen his squad surge from a sluggish start to the season with wins in 10 of 13 games.

“Riding the Robbie Ray train is what we do, and what we will continue to do because he is really good and he is fun to watch,” Servais said.

“My four-seam (fastball) and my slider have been really good but that two-seamer throws a wrinkle into it and allows (the other two pitches) to be that much better,” Ray said.

If the A’s had a “star” on Sunday it was Austin Pruitt, who replaced Montas and retired 13 consecutive batters.

The A’s open a six-game home stand against Toronto on the 4th of July with Cole Irvin, winless in his last eight starts, facing the dynamic Alex Manoah, who has a 9-2 record.

Oakland A’s podcast with Charlie O: Everything was fine until the eighth inning for A’s

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Seattle Mariners Abraham Toro (right) gets the waterworks from teammate Adam Frazer (left) after hitting the game winning single in a walk off in the bottom of the ninth against the Oakland A’s at T Mobile Field in Seattle on Sat Jul 2, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the A’s podcast with Charlie O:

#1 Charlie, the Oakland A’s started off the ball game with a Sean Murphy single that scored Tony Kemp from third base for a 1-0 lead over the Seattle Mariners and that’s the way it stayed for eight innings.

#2 The A’s got some good pitching out of starter Paul Blackburn who pitched a shutout into the seventh going 6.1 innings, four hits, one walk and five strikeouts.

#3 In the bottom of the eighth inning the M’s Justin Upton hit the tying home run to get back in back into the ball game 1-1.

#4 In the bottom of the ninth inning the M’s Abraham Toro slugged a single with the bases loaded to score pinch runner Marcus Wilson and the Mariners got a walk off single for the 2-1 win.

#5 The A’s are back today to face the Mariners for the fourth and final game and the A’s hope to pick up a second win in the series to come away with a 2-2 split. The A’s will be starting Frankie Montas (3-8, 3.20) and for the Mariners Robbie Ray (6-6, 3.78)

Join Charlie O every other Sunday for the A’s podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.

A’s lose to Mariners on Toro’s 9th inning single 2-1 at T Mobile

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Tony Kemp (5) slides into third base before he was to score on a Sean Murphy sacrifice fly in the top of the first inning. It would be the only run the A’s would score all game long against the Seattle Mariners at T Mobile Field in Seattle on Sat Jul 2, 2022 (@Athletics photo)

A’s Lose To Mariners in a Walk Off 2-1

By Barbara Mason

After winning Friday night’s game against the Seattle Mariners (38-42) the Oakland A’s (26-54) were looking to take the series lead with a win on Saturday as they started Saturday’s game with the series tied at 1-1. It was not to be as the A’s couldn’t hold a 1-0 lead and lost it in the eighth and ninth innings 2-1 at T Mobile Field in Seattle.

The A’s got on the board in the first inning when Sean Murphy hit a sacrifice fly and Tony Kemp scored giving Oakland the early 1-0 lead. The A’s would not score again through nine innings.

Oakland starter Paul Blackburn had an excellent outing going 6 1/3 innings, five strikeouts and no walks. Domingo Acevedo came in to relieve Blackburn in the seventh inning. The A’s ended the inning with their second double play of the game and the Seattle threat was thwarted for a second time in this game.

The defense for the A’s had been spectacular all afternoon as Oakland hung onto the slim 1-0 lead going into the eighth inning.

Seattle would tie up the game 1-1 in the eighth off a Justin Upton home run and this game took on an ugly turn.

Seattle would load the bases in the ninth inning with Marcus Wilson, Carlos Santana and Cal Raleigh aboard. The Mariners would register the walk off when Abraham Toro hit a single and Wilson scored for the M’s win.

It was a tough loss for the A’s but we saw a lot of good things happen in this game for Oakland. Paul Blackburn was excellent. The A’s defense was really good through eight innings. They just fell short in the ninth inning when it really counted. The home run in the eighth inning for the Mariners was the turning point in this game.

The A’s will get the opportunity to tie up this series tomorrow. Frankie Montas will take the mound for Oakland. He comes in with an ERA of 3.20. The Mariners Robbie Ray comes in with an ERA of 3.78. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 PM PT.

A’s Murphy homers, gets two RBIs; Kaprielian’s pitching holds Mariners for 3-1 win

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The Oakland A’s Sean Murphy (12) gets the forearm bash from teammate Cristian Bethancourt (23) after hitting a solo home run in the top of the seventh against the Seattle Mariners at T Mobile Park in Seattle on Fri Jul 1, 2022 (AP News photo)

Oakland Levels the Series in Seattle with 3-1 win; A’s snap four game losing streak

By Barbara Mason

Friday night the Oakland A’s (26-53) took on the Mariners (37-42) in Seattle and finally got back in the win column with a 3-1 win at T Mobile Field in Seattle snapping a four game loss streak on Friday night. The A’s dropped the first game of their four game series Thursday night 8-6. Oakland was looking to even the series in game two.

Marco Gonzales started the game for Seattle going six innings and allowing two runs. Penn Murfee relieved Gonzales allowing a Sean Murphy home run.

James Kaprielian was on the mound for Oakland. He had six very good innings allowing only one run. He worked himself out of a tough situation in the sixth inning. He kept the walks down and was hoping for his first win this season. He was relieved by Domingo Acevedo in the seventh.

It was a slow offensive start for both teams. In the fifth inning the A’s Tony Kemp scored when Sean Murphy singled giving the A’s a 1-0 lead. Oakland would add to their score in the sixth inning 2-0. Kemp singled driving Sheldon Neuse home.

The Mariners got their first run of the game in the sixth inning. Jesse Winker grounded out and Julio Rodriguez scored.

The A’s were hanging onto a 2-1 lead when in the seventh inning Sean Murphy hit a homer giving the A’s an insurance run 3-1.

Oakland got into trouble in the seventh inning when Seattle loaded the bases. Acevedo lasted less than an inning and was relieved by Zach Jackson who had a terrible outing but got out of the inning unscathed.

The A’s were able to hold onto this game, the final score 3-1. Kaprielian had his first win of the season and Lou Trevino had his second save of the season.

Oakland had a nice offensive game with 12 hits and creating a lot of scoring opportunities. Sean Murphy had a great game with three hits and two RBI’s. He hit the insurance home run in the seventh inning for the A’s.

Saturday the two teams will meet in game three of this series. Paul Blackburn (6-3, 3.12) will be on the mound for the A’s. For Seattle George Kirby (2-3, 4.08) is getting the nod. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 PM PT.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Howard Terminal A’s Win Big Vote. What’s Next?

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Oakland City Councilman District 5 Nick Gallo is pushing for a Oakland ballot measure that would ask voters should the A’s build at Howard Terminal in November (Mercury News file photo)

Howard Terminal A’s Win Big Vote. What’s Next?

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

SAN FRANCISCO–The Oakland A’s are one step closer to staying in Oakland, and building their new Howard Terminal ballpark. By a 23-2 vote the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission voted in favor to remove Port of Oakland designation for Howard Terminal.

The A’s still need to go back to this BCDC to apply for a permit to build on the site. So we will hear about this Commission again.

The vote was one in a series of different legal hurdles the A’s will have to overcome, before they can get the green light to put the shovel on the ground.

The Team also needs approval from various other agencies, including California Department of Toxic Substances Control. “We are one big step away from having this project as a biding deal said team President Dave Kaval.

Noel Gallo, Oakland City Council member wants the issue to go on the November ballot and the council will consider the proposal next Tuesday. “Voters want a voice, they want to have an advisory say in their support or no support of Howard Terminal” said Gallo.

Another hurdle that has not gotten much publicity is the City of Oakland wants 450 new low cost apartments to be built there, but the A’s have not said if they will build them. Affordable housing, is one of the most important issue facing Oakland residents.”

Affordable housing is going to be what makes or breaks this project,” Dolores Tejada, lead organizer of East Bay Housing Organizations — a nonprofit advocacy coalition that’s been involved in community benefits discussions.

There are still three lawsuits and some more expected against the Howard Terminal project.

Join Amaury Pi Gonzalez on Le Grande 1010 KIQI San Francisco for all the Oakland A’s action in Spanish and News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s woes continue as they fall to Mariners 8-6 at T Mobile

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Oakland A’s hitter Tony Kemp takes strike three in the top of the ninth inning at T Mobile Field in Seattle against the Seattle Mariners on Thu Jun 30, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

 Oakland’s offense came to life Thursday night against the Seattle Mariners. A’s hitters blasted three home runs and scored six times, but it was not enough as they lost to the Mariners 8-6. The A’s play the Mariners three more times before returning home to Oakland. 

The A’s started rookie Adrian Martinez Thursday night. Martinez was making his second Major League start. His first start came on May 10th when he beat the Detroit Tigers. Logan Gilbert was on the mound for Seattle.

The Mariners drew first blood in the bottom of the first inning. Martinez hit the M’s outstanding rookie center-fielder, Julio Rodriguez, with a pitch. Martinez went to third on a double by Jessie Winker.

Martinez walked Mariners’ third baseman Eugenio Suarez to load the bases with no out. Martinez retired Carlos Santana for the first out. Martinez got Abraham Toro to foul out to left fielder Tony Kemp. Rodriguez tagged up and scored on the play as Kemp’s throw was not in time to nail Rodriguez. A’s catcher Sean Murphy threw out Winker as he tried to advance to third. Seattle leads 1-0

The A’s tied the game in the top of the third. Elvis Andrus led off the inning with a blast into the left-field seats. The tie didn’t last long as Julio Rodriguez hit his 13th home run. It was the fourth homer that Rodriguez hit against Oakland in seven games. Seattle led 2-1 after three.

The Mariners plated two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Adam Frazier singled. The next hitter, Dylan Moore, hitting a buck sixty-three, homered to make it a 4-1 game.

The A’s tied the game in the top of the fifth. With one out and Nick Allen at first, Tony Kemp singled, sending Allen to third. Ramon Laureano homered into the right-field seats to tie the game. The tie didn’t last long as Seattle scored four times in their half of the fifth.

With one out and a man on first, Carlos Santana singled to put men on at first and third. Abraham Toro singled to make it 5-4. Oakland’s manager Mark Kotsay brought in lefty A.J.Puk to pitch to the Mariners’ catcher Cal Raleigh.

Raleigh loves to hit against Oakland. He came through with a booming fly ball that bounced off Skye Bolt’s glove for a triple. Raleigh scored on Nick Allen’s throw past third baseman Sheldon Neuse. The Mariners in front 8-4.

The A’s added a run in the eighth, and Ramon Laureano hit a solo home run in the ninth to make it 8-6. Seattle held on to win 8-6. Seattle has won 17 of the last 19 games played against Oakland.

Game Notes: With the loss, the A’s are now 25-53. Seattle improved to 37-41. Adrian Marinez was the losing pitcher. He went 4.2 innings, allowing seven runs and seven hits. Seattle’s Logan Gilbert won the game and is now 9-3.

The hitting stars for Oakland were Ramon Laureano with two home runs and Sheldon Neuse with three hits and a walk.

The A’s announced from their press releases several player moves on Thursday. 

The Oakland Athletics recalled right-handed pitcher Adrián Martínez from Triple-A Las Vegas, selected infielder Vimael Machín from Las Vegas, and reinstated outfielder Skye Bolt from the 60-day injured list, the club announced today.

The A’s also placed Jed Lowrie on the 10-day injured list retroactive to June 27 with a sprained left shoulder and optioned right-handed pitcher Adam Oller and outfielder Cristian Pache to Las Vegas. To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, the A’s designated left-handed pitcher Adam Kolarek for assignment.

There was a significant decision made by the BCDC that improved the A’s chances of staying in Oakland. The story follows below from KTVU Fox 2 News.

The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission voted Thursday to move forward with the Oakland A’s stadium project at Howard Terminal.

The commission voted 23 to 2 to reclassify a 56-acre terminal at the Port of Oakland as a mixed-use area where a new ballpark could be built. The vote is the first in a series of legal hurdles the team would have to overcome before it gets permission to break ground for the project.

The BCDC must give its permission whenever a port is to be used for a non-maritime purpose, such as a ballpark or stadium. 

Other government bodies, including the Oakland City Council, must still vote on the A’s plans.

Mayor Libby Schaaf said the vote is a step in the right direction.

“Today’s vote moves Oakland toward a more prosperous future. Our city has historically been overlooked for major economic development, but today that story about Oakland changes,” Schaaf said. 

The proposed 56-acre ballpark at the port has garnered some strong support and opposition.

“It’s a maritime port, a working maritime port, the fourth largest with 80,000 workers. By having a hotel and stadium and 3000 luxury condo units, you’re actually gentrifying and hurting the port,” said Steve Zeltzer of Schools and Labor Against Privatization.

The Oakland City Council will be attempting to put a non-binding advisory measure on the ballot in November. If they are to stay in Oakland, the A’s have several obstacles to overcome. Let’s hope things continue to go well in the A’s desire to build here.