Tag: Oakland A’s

Walker Buehler Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher gets the win against the visiting Oakland A’s at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles on Thu Sep 24, 2020 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Los Angeles Dodgers won the three-game series’s rubber game as they beat the A’s 5-1 Thursday night at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers used six pitchers in the game, and they shut down the A’s offense.

The A’s offense produced three hits and one run. Dodger righty, Walker Buehler, making his first start since coming off the 10-day IL, was fantastic. He faced 13 batters in his four innings of work and allowed just one hit and one walk.

The Dodgers used five relievers, and they held the A’s to just two hits. The A’s scored their only run in the eighth when Sean Murphy blasted his seventh home run of the year.

The Dodgers put one on the board in the first inning. Dodger right-fielder, Mookie Betts, singled to start the inning. Third baseman Justin Turner singled to send Betts to second. Fiers retired the dangerous Max Muncy for the second out. Dodger Catcher Will Smith to drive in Betts to give the Dodgers an early 1-0 advantage.

The Dodgers extended the lead to 2-0 in the third. Dodger shortstop, Corey Seager, sent Mile Fiers’ first pitch over the wall in center-field. It was Seager’s fifteenth of the year. The Dodgers lead 2-0. They did not have to score again to win, but they did.

Mike Fiers’s evening ended after five innings of work. He gave up three runs and allowed five hits. A’s manager, Bob Melvin, brought in lefty Jesus Luzardo to pitch the sixth. Things did not go well for Luzardo.

Eight players hit for the Dodgers in the inning. Will Smith started the rally with a double. Smith stopped at third when Cody Bellinger doubled. Luzardo walked A.J.Pollock to load the bases with no out.

Kike Hernandez singled to drive in Smith. Chris Taylor walked to force in Bellinger with the second run of the inning. The bases were still loaded with no out. Luzardo retired Betts for the first out. Seager drove in the third run with a sacrifice fly to deep center-field. Luzardo retired Turner to end the inning. LA leads 5-0.

The A’s scored their only run in the eighth. Sean Murphy hit his seventh of the year off Jake McGee to put one on the board. The A’s trail 5-1. The Dodgers brought in closer Kenley Jansen to finish the game. He set the A’s down 1-2-3 to end the game. LA wins 5-1.

Game Notes- The A’s offense continued to struggle. The A’s managed only fourteen hits in the three-game series. They struck out thirteen times Monday night, and a season-high sixteen times Thursday night.

Robbie Grossman, Matt Olson, and Stephen Piscotty each whiffed three times Thursday night. The A’s had seven players hitting under .240. Piscotty started the game hitting .242. Tommy La Stella is the only A’s player with a batting average over .270.

If the A’s are to advance deep in the playoffs, they will have to start hitting. Should they will it all, they will join the 1906 Chicago White Sox team known as the hitless wonders.

With the loss, the A’s are now 34-22. The Dodgers improved to 40-17. The A’s line was one run, three hits, and no errors. The Dodgers’ line was five runs, eight hits, and no errors.

The A’s return home to face the Seattle Mariners for four games starting Friday night. They will play a doubleheader on Saturday. The regular season end on Sunday.

The Oakland A’s Ramon Luareano (22) hits a two run home run in the top of the ninth inning that would later put away the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodgers Stadium to even the series between both clubs on Wed Sep 23, 2020 (AP News photo)

by Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s, as they have done many times this season, found a way to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium. With the win, the A’s evened the series at one apiece. The rubber game will be played Thursday night.

The Dodgers used two relievers to face the A’s for the first two innings. Dodger reliever, Joe Kelly, who pitched Tuesday night, allowed two hits to the first two hitters. A’s second baseman Tommy La Stella doubled to right.

Robbie Grossman doubled to left to put a run on the board. Kelly walked Marcus Semien to put men on at first and second with no out. They advanced to third and second on Jake Lamb’s ground out 4-3. Mark Canha, playing first base in place of Matt Olson, drove in Grossman with a sacrifice fly to center-field.

Semien tagged up and went to third. Dodgers’ centerfielder, Cody Bellinger, throw to third bounced into the Dodger dugout. Semien scored the third run of the inning. The A’s lead 3-0.

In the bottom of the third, with two out and a man on first, Max Muncy took Manaea deep to cut the lead to 3-2. For Muncy, it was his twelfth of the season.

The A’s plated a run in the seventh. Julio Urias had handcuffed them for four innings. Until the seventh, the young lefty from Mexico had faced thirteen hitters. He did not allow a hit. The only base runner reached on a walk.

Mark Canha walked to get the rally going. Stephen Piscotty singled to send Canha to second. Ramon Laureano, mired in an 0-for-16 slump, singled to drive in Canha with the A’s fourth run. The Dodgers cut the lead to one when Cody Bellinger homered to make it 4-3. A’s manager replaced Sean Manaea with Joakim Soria. Soria retired the next three batters to end the inning. The A’s lead 4-3.

The Dodgers tied the game in the bottom of the eighth. Jake Diekman was pitching for Oakland. Diekman had not allowed a run in eighteen plus innings of relief. Dodger manager Dave Roberts had left-handed hitter, Edwin Rios, pinch-hit for Justin Turner. Rios blasted his sixth dinger of the year to tie the game at four.

The A’s won the game in the ninth. Former A’s closer Blake Treinen was on the mound to face his former mates. Treinen struck out Matt Olson for the first out. Piscotty singled and then stole second to get into scoring position.

Treinen retired Khris Davis for the second out. It was now up to Ramon Laureano to come through for the A’s. Laureano came up big. He hit a line drive into the left-field seats to put the A’s ahead 6-4. A’s closer Liam Hendriks set the Dodgers down to secure the win. The A’s win 6-4.

Game Notes- The line score for the A’s was six runs, six hits, and no errors. The Dodgers’ line was four runs, seven hits, and one error.

With the win, the A’s improved to 34-21. The Dodgers dropped to 39-17.
Sean Manaea went six-plus innings. He allowed three runs, six hits, and two home runs. Jake Diekman received credit for the win. Liam Hendriks recorded his fourteenth save. Blake Treinen absorbed the loss. He is now 3-3 for 2020.

The Dodgers had three more home runs Wednesday night. They have hit seven in the two games played. They lead MLB with 107.
The A’s have hit two.

Mike Fiers will go for Oakland Thursday night. The Dodgers will counter with Walker Buehler. The game will start at 6:40 pm.

The Los Angeles Dodgers Mookie Betts scores behind Oakland A’s catcher Sean Murphy on a Corey Seager single in the first inning at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles on Tue Sep 22, 2020 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s, newly crowned as American League Western Division championships, faced the Los Angeles Dodgers in LA Tuesday night. The Dodgers, owners of the best record in baseball, needed one more win to win the National League Western Division. They took the A’s down 7-2 to accomplish the goal.

The A’s got off to a good start when Robbie Grossman homered off the left-field foul pole to make it 1-0. The Dodgers answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the first to tie it 1-1.

The A’s scored a run in the third without the benefit of a hit. A’s catcher Sean Murphy walked to start the inning. Murphy advanced to second and third on two ground outs. He scored on a wild pitch. the A’s led 2-1. They would not score again. The Dodgers put two on the board in the bottom of the third. With two out, Corey Seager singled. Former Athletic, Max Muncy, blasted his twelfth of the year to give the Dodgers the lead 3-2.

Montas gave up two more solo home runs in the fourth. Dodger second baseman Chris Taylor hit his eighth, and A.J.Pollock his thirteenth. LA leads 5-2.

The Dodgers added one in the fifth when Corey Seager hit his fourteenth off T.J.McFarland. The Dodgers’ final run came in the seventh. Mookie Betts reached on a rare error by Matt Olson. A’s pitcher walked Seager and Muncy to load the bases with no out. Cody Bellinger’s infield single drove in Betts with the Dodgers’ seventh run. LA wins 7-2.

Game Notes- Frankie Montas had another rough outing Tuesday night. His line was four innings, seven hits, five runs, and he was rocked for three big flies.
With the win, the Dodgers improved to 39-16. They will be the number one seed throughout the playoffs. The A’s are now 33-21.

The A’s hitters struck out thirteen times. The line for the team was two runs, five hits, and one error. The Dodgers’ line was seven runs, eleven hits, and one error.
Sean Manaea will go for Oakland Tuesday Night. Julio Arias will pitch for LA.

The Oakland A’s Mark Canha (20) gets congratulated after scoring by on deck hitter Stephen Piscotty (25) against the San Francisco Giants in the fourth inning of Sat Sep 19, 2020’s game at the Oakland Coliseum. The A’s face the Los Angeles Dodgers Tuesday night at Dodgers Stadium (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s, who will win the American League Western Division crown with either one more victory or one more Houston Astro defeat, travel to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers for three games. The Series starts Tuesday night and could be a preview of possible future meeting in the 2020 World Series.

The Dodgers have won the NL West for the last eight seasons. They made it to the World Series in 2017 and 2018. They lost both.

The Dodgers last won a World Series in 1988 when they upset the heavily favored Oakland A’s. The Dodgers have the best record in baseball this season with a record of 38-16. The A’s have the third-best record in the American League.

They are 33-20 with seven games to play. The A’s last won the World Series in 1989. They played the Cincinnati Reds in the 1990 series and were swept in four games.

The Dodgers made a blockbuster trade with the Red Sox last spring. They acquired the 2018 AL MVP Mookie Betts to be their right-fielder. Betts would have been a free agent after the 2020 season, and the Red Sox could not sign him to a contract extension.

The Dodgers are loaded with talent. Cody Bellinger, the reigning 2019 NL MVP, is not hitting for average, but he is a very dangerous hitter. He will be seen in either center-field or at first base. Their shortstop, Corey Seager, was the unanimous choice for NL Rookie of the Year in 2016.

He is hitting .316 with 13 homers and 37 RBIs. His OPS is .952. Other outstanding players are third baseman Justin Turner, Max Muncy at first and third, Kike Hernandez, AJ Pollock, Joc Pederson, and catchers Will Smith and Austin Barnes.

The Dodgers have a great starting rotation. Lefty Clayton Kershaw leads them. Kershaw has won three NL Cy Young awards. Righty Walker Buehler, who almost won the award last year, is expected to pitch Thursday night against the A’s.

Buehler has been on the 10-day IL with a finger blister. Dustin May will pitch Tuesday night for the Dodgers, and Frankie Montas will go for Oakland. Wednesday night will feature Dodger lefty, Julio Arias.

The A’s will counter with Sean Manaea. Manaea has allowed more than one run in just one of his last five starts. Mike Fiers, who no-hit the Dodgers in 2105 as a member of the Houston Astros, is 6-2 this year. Fiers, as a Milwaukee Brewer in 2012, allowed one run in seven innings of work in his only career game in Dodger Stadium.

The Dodger bullpen with feature Kenley Jansen as the closer. He is 3-1 and has notched 11 saves so far this season. Former A’s closer Blake Treinen bounced back from an off-year in 2019. He is 3-2 with an ERA of 3.57. He has one save recorded for LA. Other relievers that may see action in the series are Brusdar Graterol, Dylan Floro, Jake McGee, Adam Kolarek, Pedro Baez, Joe Kelly, and Alex Wood.

The A’s would like to get the win that will give the AL West crown as soon as possible. By doing so, A’s manager Bob Melvin would have the ability to provide some benchwarmers extra playing time before the start of the playoffs. A’s designated hitter, Khris Davis, needs more at-bats to get back into form. Davis has been scuffling with his game since being injured in Pittsburgh last season.

The games between the Dodgers and A’s are always a treat for the fans. The teams usually meet every three years in interleague play. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the schedule was altered this season.

After the three with LA, the A’s welcome the Seattle Mariners to Oakland for four games to finish the season, which ends on September 27th. The ‘s probably will face the Houston Astros in the best two out of three Wild Card format.

The Oakland A’s Jack Lamb (4) does the forearm bash with teammate Stephen Piscotty (25) after hitting a two run homer in the seventh inning. The San Francisco Giants Joey Bart is to the left (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Saturday afternoon the Oakland A’s and the San Francisco Giants were back on the field for Game Two of their series. Last night the A’s handed the Giants a 6-0 loss earning Oakland an assured playoff berth.

Starting pitchers were Jesus Luzardo for Oakland and Kevin Gausman for San Francisco. Both pitchers had a nice start with Luzardo and Gausman with six up and six down through the first two innings.

The great outing continued through the third inning for both pitchers. Luzardo had allowed only one hit and Gausman had not allowed a single hit. Three up and three down seemed to be the theme for the two pitchers; the third inning running with that theme.

Luzardo allowed 3 hits in the fourth but got out of the inning when Solano’s attempt to advance failed with a forced out at third. San Francisco had a chance to load the bases with Evan Longoria and Mauricio Dubon on first and second but Solano’s forced out took a great opportunity away from San Francisco.

The bottom of the fourth was the breakthrough for Oakland when Mark Canha walked and Matt Olson singled to center bringing Canha home for a 1-0 lead for the A’s.

Luzardo allowed one hit in the fifth inning and the pitchers dual continued in this great defensive match up. The A’s went three up and three down in the fifth inning. It was a swift sixth inning for both teams. The Giants had one hit off the bat of Solano who was having a productive game. Oakland had a walk in the sixth inning but was not able to get much going offensively. Luzardo would finish the game allowing five hits and seven strikeouts.

In the top of the seventh inning, Jake Diekman would go to work having a productive three up three down inning and the A’s pitchers were rolling. Giant’s pitcher Sam Selman would take the mound in the bottom of the seventh.

It proved to be a very short appearance by the pitcher allowing a Stephen Piscotty single followed by a Tommy La Stella home run. Oakland now led by the score of 3-0. Robbie Grossman walked and that was it for Selman as a pitching change for San Francisco brought in Sam Coonrod.

Conrad did not fare much better allowing a single by Ramon Laureano followed a single by Jonah Heim. La Stella would triple and Laureano and Heim would score. The A’s had busted this game wide open. They finished the inning with another run in when Semien hit a double scoring La Stella. The A’s had a comfortable lead going into the eighth inning 6-0.

Joakim Soria got the job done pitching a three up three down top of the eighth. San Francisco put Jarlin Garcia on the mount to face Olson, Piscotty and Jake Lamb in the bottom of the eighth. It was a good inning for Garcia. The Giants were three outs away however from a second shutout loss.

Lou Trevino came in to close out this one for Oakland Flores grounded into a double play and Longoria flied out to left and Oakland would have their second shut out in as many days 6-0.

The A’s are coming together at the perfect time. The pitching has really come to life going deeper into the game and keeping the bullpen fresh something you really want to see with the postseason looming. The offense is getting the job done as well.

‘Guys are playing loose, they are playing great,” said Bob Melvin after the game. “They know what’s at stake. All-around great game just like last night,” he said.