Tag: Oakland A’s

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Trade Dealine Monday A’s should do “Nada”

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Matt Olson (28) is all the reason to do the forearm bash with teammate Mark Canha (20) after clouting a two run homer in the fourth inning of the Oakland A’s second game of the three game series at Globe Life Ballpark in Arlington on Tuesday night the Rangers catcher Robinson Chirinos waits behind the plate (photo from sfgate.com)

Trade Dealine Monday: A’s should do “Nada”

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

The Oakland Athletics should not be busy when the trade deadline arrives on Monday the 31. Why should they? They are set at every position, including second base, shared by Tony Kemp and Chad Pinder. Their starting pitching is set and their bullpen is one of the tops in baseball.

In previous seasons the A’s have added a pitcher or two, most recent lefty reliever Jake Diekman, acquired mid-July last year in a trade with the Kansas City Royals. It is very improbable that the A’s are going to add to their bullpen, via acquisition or trade.

Of all the regular position players in the team, there is one rookie playing the catching position. Sean Murphy, for a few years he was the catcher of the future for the A’s and in 2020 he got the opportunity. Last year Murphy divided time between the minors and the majors. He launched 15 home runs in a total of just 61 games.

During Spring Training this is what Manager Bob Melvin said about Murphy. “We have been waiting for ‘Murph’ for a couple of years now,” and continued. “We have to keep him healthy” – he has dealt with some knee injuries and hasn’t had a full workload – but this is the type of a guy a catcher [turned] manager waits for.

The A’s continue their longest road-trip of the season, ten games. At Arlington vs. Rangers where they are playing a long 4-game set, then three (3) during the weekend at Houston vs. Astros, followed by three (3) more at Seattle vs. Mariners. Returning to Oakland for a seven (7)game home stand beginning September 4 against San Diego Padres for three (3) and the Houston Astros for four (4).

Super-utility Chad Pinder was placed on paternity leave as the team recalled outfielder Seth Smith. Pinder was batting .200 with two home runs and six runs batted in 17 games. Melvin has used Pinder and Kemp at second base, and without Pinder, he could also use young Luis Barreto at second base. 25-yeard old A’s catcher Jonah Heim made his major league debut last night at Arlington He got his first hit in the A’s 10-3 win over the Rangers. The A’s are “locked and loaded”to use an old Army term.

A day like today: August 26, 1980. George Brett strokes four singles and a double in five at-bats when the Royals edge Milwaukee at County Stadium, 7-6. The Kansas City third baseman’s 5-for-5 performance raises his league-leading batting average to .407. George Brett ended the season with a .390 average.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez can be heard on the Oakland A’s Spanish flagship station 1010 KIQI San Francisco and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s get back on winning track win a laugher 10-3 over Rangers

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By Jerry Feitelberg
The A’s bounced back to beat the Texas Rangers 10-3 Tuesday evening at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The A’s scored four runs on two two-run home runs. They scored a run in the fourth without the benefit of a hit. In the seventh, they scored five runs on just two singles and a double. Each team had eight hits, but the A’s scored ten times compared to Texas’ three.
A’s lefty Sean Manaea won his second game of the year. He struggled earlier in the season. Manaea went five innings and gave up six hits and three runs. Only one run was earned. The A’s bullpen allowed just two hits and no runs over the last four innings.

The Rangers scored the first run of the night in the bottom of the second. Designated hitter Jose Trevino doubled with one out. Shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa singled to drive in Trevino to make it 1-0. The A’s tied the game in the top of the third. Rangers’ starter Kyle Gibson walked Tony Kemp and Jonah Heim to put men on at first and second with no out. Marcus Semien hit into a 5-4-3 double play. Kemp went to third on the play. Kemp scored when Gibson uncorked a wild pitch.

Oakland took a 3-1 lead in the top of the fourth. With one out and Mark Canha on first, A’s first baseman, Matt Olson, slammed his tenth big fly into the deep right-centerfield. The ball went 453 feet. Oakland added two more in the fifth. A’s second baseman started the inning when a pitch hit him on the back of his left foot. Marcus Semien hit his fifth dinger of the year to make in 5-1. Texas scored twice in their half of the inning. Manaea hit Rangers’ catcher, Robinson Chirinos, with a pitch. Kiner-Falefa singled. Marcus Semien committed a fielding error that allowed Yadiel Rivera to reach safely. Manaea struck out Leody Tavares for the second out. Left fielder Nick Solak singled to drive in Chirinos and Kiner-Falefa. Manaea retired Todd Frazier to end the inning. Both runs were unearned—the A’s lead 5-3 after five.
In the top of the seventh, the A’s broke the game open. They had two singles, a bases-clearing double, two walks, a hit batter, and an unusual fielder’s choice. Tony Kemp singled to get the rally going. Catcher Jonah Heim, playing in his first Major League game, singled to send Kemp to third. On the next play, Semien hit a sharp ground ball to Rangers’ third baseman Todd Frazier. Frazier threw home to get Kemp. Kemp was caught in a rundown. Somehow, Kemp was able to slide back into third base safely. It was unbelievable as he eluded Frazier’s attempt to tag him out. The A’s now had the bases loaded with one out. Robbie Grossman walked to drive in Kemp. Mark Canha was hit by a pitch to force in Heim, and the bases were still loaded. A’s right fielder Stephen Piscotty doubled to left to clear the bases. The A’s lead 10-3.
The A’s relievers, T.J.McFarland, Lou Trivino, and Jordan Weems, kept the Rangers off the board to preserve the win for Manaea.

Game Notes- with the win, the A’s improved to 21-10. The Rangers are now 11-18. The A’s have a four-game lead over the Houston Astros in the race for the top spot in the AL West.
The A’s, as a team, are hitting just .225. They rank 25th in that department. They are eighth in baseball in home runs. They are hitting .215 with runners in scoring position. They struck out ten times Tuesday night and have struck out 311 times so far this year. Matt Chapman struck out three times for the second night in a row.

Chad Pinder was not with the team as he is on paternity leave. The A’s recalled Seth Brown to take his place.
Game three of the four-game series will be played Wednesday night at Globe Life Field. The game will start at 5:05 pm.
Mike Fiers (3-1, 5.81 ERA) will go for Oakland. Lefty Kolby Allard will be on the hill for Texas.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: A’s play game 2 in Texas; Giants open up in LA tonight

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Oakland A’s pitcher Sean Manaea will try for his second quality start as he throws tonight against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington in game two of the series (sfchronicle.com file photo)

On That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury talk about the two pitches that plate umpire Jim Reynolds missed on Sunday calling for balls that was thrown by A’s pitcher Liam Hendriks on Angels hitter Juan Castro. The first pitch was right down the middle and the second was in the upper strike zone both taken for called balls by Reynolds.

#2 On the A’s scoreboard before the Angels-A’s game on Sunday at the Oakland Coliseum when the starting line ups were normally announced by A’s PA announcer Amelia Schimmel the A’s replaced her with videos of the players family members announcing their number, name and position, for Marcus Semien his two small sons Isaiah and Joshua, for Matt Chapman his parents introduced him, and for pitcher Chris Bassitt his wife Jessica, daughter Landry and dog Ashley.

#3 The A’s before coming into Texas on Monday night have won four of their last five games going 4-1 for taking two games from Arizona and two out of three from the Angels they seem like their they’re getting timely hitting from Matt Chapman, Matt Olson and Stephen Piscotty.

#4 The San Francisco Giants are in the middle of a six game win streak with three in a row from the Angels and three in a row from the Diamondbacks and getting set to open a three game set with the Dodgers starting Tuesday night at Oracle Park.

#5 The starting pitchers for tonight for the Los Angeles Dodgers Julio Urias (2-0 ERA 2.74) and for the San Francisco Giants Johnny Cueto (2-0 ERA 4.35)

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Oakland A’s Spanish radio lead play by play talent on 1010 KIQI San Francisco and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Rangers snap eight-game losing streak beat A’s 3-2; Falefa homer in second get Rangers the gamer

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Isiah Kiner-Falefa (9) of the Texas Rangers celebrates heading towards the Rangers dugout after hitting a solo home run in the second inning at Globe Life Ballpark in Arlington looking on umpire Lance Barrett (left) and A’s catcher Sean Murphy (right) (photo from sfgate.com)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s started a ten-game rod trip on a sour note. The A’s, winners of four of the last five and eight of the previous eleven, faced the Texas Rangers’ ace, Lance Lynn Monday night, and Lynn did his job allowing five hits and two runs in six and two thirds innings of work. The Rangers won 3-2.

The Rangers snapped an eight-game losing streak Monday night. They limped home after losing two to San Diego and three to the Mariners in Seattle. The A’s always want to get off to a good start on the road by winning the first game.

Alas, that did not happen. Watching the A’s play, the last eight games reminded me of the 2010 San Francisco Giants. That year the Giants won the World Series, but watching the games was “torture.”

The A’s have won, but they have not been able to get their offense going. The A’s had eight hits in the game. They had two hits in the first and two in the ninth. The A’s had three hits in the first two innings and then just three more hits until the ninth.

The A’s drew first blood in the top of the first inning. With two out, A’s DH, Mark Canha, singled to drive in Ramon Laureano to go ahead 1-0. The Rangers plated two in their half of the first to take a 2-1 lead.

A’s right fielder, Stephen Piscotty, led off the second with a 416-foot solo home run to tie the game. The Rangers took the lead for good when Isiah Kiner-Falefa homered to make it 3-2.

The A’s loaded the bases with one out in the ninth. Rangers’ closer Rafael Montero struck out Matt Olson looking for the second out of the inning. He then retired Matt Chapman on a fly ball to right to end the game.

Game Notes- With the loss, the A’s are 20-10 for the season. The Rangers improved to 11-17. A’s starter Jesus Luzardo, after giving up three runs in the first two innings, settled down and pitched into the seventh.

His line was six, and 2/3rds innings pitched, three runs and seven hits. Luzardo is now 2-1. The Rangers Lance Lynn’s line was six innings pitched, two runs, five hits, and eight strikeouts. Lynn is now 4-0, and he owns a sparkling ERA of 1.59.

The A’s struck out 13 times Monday night. Matt Olson and Matt Chapman each struck out three times. Khris Davis, mired in an early-season slump, pinch-hit for Sean Murphy in the ninth. Davis, who has 31 home runs against the Rangers in his career, flew out to right for the first out of the inning.

Sean Manaea (1-2, 6.39) will pitch for Oakland Tuesday night. Kyle Gibson (1-1, 4.73 ERA) will be on the hill for Texas. The game will start at 5:05 pm.

A’s walk-off wonders once again in 5-4 win over the Angels

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By Morris Phillips

The A’s game notes made it very clear: the Angels weren’t likely to prevail despite being locked up with Oakland, tied 4-4 in the late innings on Sunday.

And all that statistical momentum built up by the first-place A’s didn’t even take account how poor the Angels have been in close games this season. Accordingly, Mark Canha’s sacrifice fly in the 10th inning chased home Franklin Barreto in the A’s 5-4 win at the Coliseum.

“We’ve lost that game five times this year, maybe six,” said Angels’ manager Joe Maddon. “We’ve had leads and gave them up. And I am not banging on the pitching. Overall, we pitched pretty well today. It sticks in my mind losing some games with leads late. We just have to be better at that.”

The A’s became the first American League team to 20 wins, and at 20-9, their 4 1/2 game lead over the Astros in the division looms large in a shortened, 60-game regular season. The visitors fell to 9-20, as 2020 is trending toward a major disappointment for the high-priced Angels.

The game notes produced by the perpetually tuned-in Mike Selleck before each A’s game are always filled with statistics, numerical trends and historical perspective. But when the A’s are cooking, as they are now with the second-best record in baseball, the notes can be downright intimidating for advance scouts and opposing managers.

The A’s are experiencing one of their five best starts to a season in their East Bay history, and late game proficiency and heroics are at the root of it all. The A’s are 5-0 in extra innings after Sunday, and they’ve hit 15 homers in the seventh inning or later, third best in MLB. Add to that, the Oakland bullpen, with the trio of Jake Diekman, Joakim Soria and Liam Hendriks leading the way, has 10 saves so far this month, already their largest total in August in the last 15 seasons.

Want more? The A’s are 13-4 in their home ballpark, and one of two teams (Braves) that haven’t lost this season on a Sunday, a record that improved to 5-0 on Sunday.

So when the A’s rid themselves of Angels’ starter Dylan Bundy, trailing just 4-3 in the sixth, things figured to get better in a hurry. Against the beleaguered Angels bullpen, they did.

Two pitches in, Stephen Piscotty’s RBI single off reliever Mike Mayers pulled the A’s even.

Earlier the Angels got a big three-run homer from Shohei Ohtani, who has struggled with his bat ever since he was shut down earlier this month from pitching due to forearm tightness. But their 4-2 lead would stagnant as Mike Trout, whom Angels beat writers tweeted hasn’t looked like himself lately, went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts while leadoff hitter David Fletcher and rookie number seven-hitter Jo Adell went 0 for 4 and 0 for 5 with three strikeouts respectively.

The A’s bullpen shut the door with 5 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of Frankie Montas as J.B. Wendelken, followed by the previously mentioned trio, allowed just two singles.

Hendriks managed the greater degree of difficulty in the 10th, retiring Jason Castro, Andrelton Simmons and Fletcher without letting placed baserunner Adell advance.

“They keep shutting the door with that new extra-inning rule,” Canha said of the bullpen. “When you do that, it’s huge. Going into the bottom half just having to score one takes pressure off the offense and makes the job a little bit easier.”

The A’s won for the first time without the benefit of a home run. They had homered at least once in 23 of their first 28 games. Instead, they went small–and clutch–with four, two-out RBI and five knocks with a runner in scoring position.

The A’s open a four-game set in Texas on Monday, the first leg of a 10-game trip that continues through Houston and Seattle.

Yastrzemski comes up big on his birthday in Giants sweep; SF beats Arizona 6-1

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Yaz big base knock: The San Francisco Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski belts a solo home run in the sixth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks to contribute to the Giants 6-1 win at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sun Aug 23, 2020 (photo from mysanantonio.com)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-What a weekend for Mike Yastrzemski at both home plate and in the playing field.

Yastrzemski, who made a tremendous catch in the top of the sixth inning in Saturdays night victory, came up big in the bottom of the sixth inning in Sundays finale, as he hit a solo home run and the San Francisco Giants defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-1 to complete the three-game series sweep, their first sweep of the 2020 season.

The catch by Yastrzemski on Saturday night came on the 81st birthday of his grandfather Carl, who made a share of great catches with the Boston Red Sox from 1961-1983 and today is Mikes 30th birthday and he celebrated by hitting his 7th home run of the season.

With the victory, the Giants have now won six in a row after losing five in a row and are now 5-0 on their current home stand.

Once again, the Giants starting pitching came up huge, as one night after Tyler Anderson threw a complete game three-hitter, Trevor Cahill went 5.1 innings, allowing one run on just one hit, walking two and striking out eight; however, he did not fare in the decision.

After Cahill was replaced by Caleb Baragar, David Peralta hit a sacrifice fly to Yastrzemski right near the 365-foot mark and the State Farm sign in right-center field that scored Kole Calhoun from third base.

Calhoun walked to lead off the inning, and a Cahill strikeout of Ketel Marte, Starling Marte doubled Calhoun to third base and then Peralta tied up the game with his sacrifice fly.

Alex Dickerson broke the game open in the bottom of the seventh inning, as he hit a three-run home run and then Pablo Sandoval drove in the sixth and final run of the game, as he singled in Brandon Belt in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Evan Longoria got the Giants on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning, as he doubled to right field to score Belt.

The Giants bullpen, who was roughed up against the Oakland As and in the first game against the Los Angeles Angels continued to pitch well, as the quartet of Baragar, Tony Watson, Tyler Rogers and Jarlin Garcia pitched the final 4.2 innings, allowing no runs on four hits, walking just one and striking out two.

Despite giving up the game-tying sacrifice fly to Peralta, Baragar picked up his third win of the season against just one loss.

Joey Bart picked up a single, as he continues to impress after just being in the big leagues for four games. Bart made a tremendous catch, as he fell to the ground off the bat off of former Giants catcher Stephen Vogt.

Through his first four games in the big leagues, Bart is hitting .333, as he is 4-for-12 at the plate with three doubles.

NOTES: After last nights victory, Hunter Pence was designated for assignment by the team and to replace Pence on the roster, Sam Coonrod was activated from the 10-day injured list.

The team was not done with transactions, as the team acquired infielder Daniel Robertson from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for cash considerations or a player to be named later. Robertson spent three seasons with the Rays, hitting .231 with 91 runs scored, 32 doubles, three triples, 16 home runs and 72 RBI in a total of 237 games and he will report to the Alternate Training Site.

UP NEXT: Following their first off day since August 13, the Giants will begin a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers beginning on Tuesday night, when Johnny Cueto will take the mound versus Julio Urias.

Oakland A’s game wrap: A’s Lose To The Angels 4-3 After a Record 3 Errors

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Oakland A’s pitcher Chris Bassitt who pitched over five innings and gave up six hits and four runs losing his first game of the year now 2-1 (mlb.com file photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Oakland A’s took on the division rival Los Angeles Angels Saturday afternoon in the first of a three game series. Although struggling the Angels have some mighty hitters with Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon, David Fletcher and Tommy La Stella leading the group.

Starting pitcher for the A’s was Chris Bassitt, who really struggled against the Diamondbacks this past week, was on the mound. With the bases loaded and 1 out, the Angels Brian Goodwin hit a bullet off Bassitt but lined it into a double play saving a number of runs.

The score was 1-0 in the top of the first inning. David Fletcher had doubled to left to start the game and scored when Mike Trout grounded into a fielders choice. Griffin Canning would be on the mound for the Angels dismissing the A’s in the bottom of the inning.

The game went into the second inning. The Angels had started both innings with doubles, Jordan Adell hitting the second one. He would score when Matt Chapman had a second error for the team. The score was 2-0.

The game would break wide open when Mike Trout came to the plate hitting a deep left field double and two runs would score, Fletcher and Luis Rengifo. The A’s were able to get on the board in the bottom of the second inning when Tony Kemp doubled scoring Mark Canha.

After only two innings the Angels led 4-1. This game started looking real sloppy for Oakland with two errors in the first two innings. Not the way the A’s wanted to start this game. It was a much improved third inning for Chris Bassitt and the A’s. Bassitt’s pitch count was at 63 through three innings which is nothing to write home about but the third inning was quick and strong.

It’s the way the A’s really wanted to start the game. Unfortunately the A’s would go three up and three down and it was on to the top of the fourth inning. It was three up and three down for Bassitt in the fourth inning and it was going a whole lot better for the pitcher.

First up at bat for the A’s turned out to be Matt Chapman’s ninth homer of the season and the score was 4-2. There would be no more scoring for the A’s in the inning. First up in the fifth inning was Mike Trout for the Angels always a scary prospect.

The mantra when he comes to bat, for most fans and and I’ll bet some players, is “please don’t let him connect .” He had a nice hit which was corralled by Marcus Semien and dug out by Matt Olson at first for the out.

A collective deep breath getting by Trout. Otani was next at bat for the Angels. He has struggled mightily with a batting average of .171 and the struggle continued as he struck out. Goodwin would also strike out to end the inning for Los Angeles.

Allen Austin would have a line drive single to start the bottom of the fifth. A double play off a Semien hit emptied the bases. Laureano would have a single followed by an Olson double to deep right that brought Laureano in and the A’s were trailing by a single run 4-3.

Mark Canha would strike out for the third out leaving two runners stranded. Chris Bassitt would leave the game after 5 2/3 innings replaced by Lou Trivino. After a rather shaky start Bassitt really turned things around.

Trivino would quickly finish the top of the 6th inning. Andriese would take the mound, when Canning was pulled, to face Grossman, Piscotti and Kemp. It would be a three up three down for Andriese. The A’s would walk Mike Trout with one out in the top of the seventh followed by a pop fly to left by Rendon.

There would be a pitching change in the inning for the A’s as TJ McFarland took the mound facing Otani. A third error by the A’s got Otani to first base as Trout advanced to second. The Angels would strand a pair when Goodwin pop flied out.

The A’s had three errors in this game which was a huge disappointment for the team. Coming into this game they had only ten errors the entire season. The Angels would finish the four inning with a three up three down and the A’s would have two innings left to either tie or win this game.

We have come to expect miracles from this team and one right now would be nice. Of course they would also have to hold off the Angels in the 8th and ninth innings. The A’s were able to contain the Angels through the eighth and ninth innings.

They had the ninth inning to either tie or walkoff after a three up three down for the A’s in the eighth inning. It was another three up three down for Oakland and the loss 4-3. It was a strange day for the team.

Was it the disgusting air quality or everything that is going on in California– this was without doubt one strange game. For the most part it was sluggish and they all seemed out of sorts. As far as Chris Bassitt.

He really had some interesting things to say at his presser. He is absolutely happy that he will not fact the Angels again. “I am sick of facing Mike Trout,” he said. He said he had a lot of faith in the guys behind him but they certainly let him down today.

I have to say that the highlight of this game was the introduction of the players by family members. This brought a little sunshine to a game that was devoid of anything cheerful. I really feel that the team will bring a whole lot more to the park tomorrow. They know how important winning series are this year and they need to bring all of it to game three—I believe that they will do just that.

Starting pitchers for Sunday: The Los Angeles Angels will start Dylan Bundy (3-2 ERA 2.48) vs. Oakland A’s starter Frankie Montas (2-2 ERA 4.74)

 

Oakland A’s podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: A’s continue to roll with three straight wins; Face Angels Canning tonight

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The Oakland A’s Stephen Piscotty (25) has been on a tear lately on Friday night he ripped a two run double in the A’s first inning against the Los Angeles Angels to open the first of a three game series (athleticsnation.com file photo)

On the A’s podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 Jeremiah ball players have superstitions how much do the players believe that the A’s Kelly Green jerseys are playing a role in the A’s success?

#2 The A’s have won seven out of their last 11 games they did have a rough patch when they went to Arizona last Monday and Tuesday but have pretty righted the ship with two wins over the Diamondbacks on Wednesday and Thursday and a win against the Angels on Friday with two run double help from Stephen Piscotty .

#3 The A’s really were relying on starter Sean Manaea to have a good outing on Thursday night and he came through going 5.1 innings and gave up five hits and one run.

#4 Talk about A’s hitting Matt Chapman hit his seventh home run and Matt Olson hit his ninth homer off the Diamondbacks on Thursday night they’re getting some run production with the long ball. Chapman got a double and run scored on Friday night against the Angels .

#5 Jeremiah talk about tonight’s pitchers going for the Angels Griffin Canning (0-3 ERA 4.70) and for the A’s Chris Bassitt (2-0 ERA 2.93)

Join Jeremiah each Saturday for the A’s podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s game wrap: Olson and Piscotty’s key hits helps in A’s 5-3 win over Halos; Sixth win out of eight games for A’s

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By Jeremiah Salmonson

The Oakland A’s are flying high. Having swept the two game series against the Arizona Diamonds the last two days, the A’s were set to welcome the struggling Los Angeles Angels.

The A’s sent starter Mike Fiers (2-1) to the hill as the Angels countered with Andrew Heaney (1-1).

The A’s got off to a quick start in the bottom of the first with a Marcus Semien solo home run. It was Semien’s fourth home run of the year as he has struggled offensively out of the gate this season. The A’s didn’t stop there, they managed to score two more runs on a Stephen Piscotty double to jump to an early 3-0 lead.

The next scoring wouldn’t come until the top of the fifth inning when Anthony Rendon hit an RBI single to get the Angels within two runs with a score 3-1 A’s. The A’s immediately answered back in the bottom of the fifth inning on a Matt Olson RBI double and Stephen Piscotty RBI single. The A’s then had a 5-1 lead going into the sixth inning.

Mike Fiers pitched 5.1 innings giving up three runs on seven hits. He struck out three and walked three.

Andrew Heaney went 4.2 innings giving up five runs on six hits. He struck out six and walked two.

With the starters out of the game the Angles managed to score two more runs in the top of the sixth. The Halos were shut out the rest of the way. Liam Hendricks brought it home with his ninth save of the year. The A’s won it 5-3 taking the winning streak to three in a row and capping six wins out of their last eight games.

The A’s take on the Angles again on Saturday at 1:10 PM PST in Oakland.

The Angels will send to the hill Griffin Canning a left hander (0-3 ERA 4.70) against A’s right hander starter Chris Bassitt (2-0 ERA 2.93).

 

 

 

Oakland A’s game wrap: Manaea has improved outing going five plus for 5-1 win

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Oakland Athletics pitcher Sean Manaea works against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020, in Oakland, Calif.Ben Margot/AP

Arizona 1-6-0

Oakland 5-8-0

August 20, 2020

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–Baseball lore is filled with curses, the Curse of the Bambino, of the Billy Goat, of Rocky Colavito, fanciful constructions used to mask the disappointment of generations of ironic fans not quite resigned to failure and frustration. But there is another sort of baseball curse, one that is not a rhetorical consolation for loss, but rooted in the nature of competition and the drive to excel.

I call it the Curse of Unrelenting Expectations. Think of Joe DiMaggio in the last weeks of his streak, of Roger Maris as he approached his 60th home run of 1961, of Henry Aaron as he closed in on Babe Ruth’s 714. That sort of curse can end, or at least be abated, when the player who suffers it either falls short of or reaches his goal.

He falls off the cover of Sports Illustrated. and his curse is lifted. But there is another version of the curse. A young player shows great promise and constantly is expected to live up to it. When Dallas Braden recorded the final out of his perfect game, I said to my wife, “Here’s where his troubles start.” We ask a lot of young men who, like Jesús Luzardo, seem able to lift a team from contender to champion but still haven’t established themselves as reliable stoppers. For every Sandy Koufax, there’s a dozen Tod Van Poppels.

Sean Manaea no-hit the Red Sox on April 21, 2018. By August, he was on the disabled list. 2019 was a series of false starts, stops, and restarts, but he looked strong enough to start the wild card game against Tampa Bay. He lasted two innings and gave up four of the five runs the Rays scored to eliminate the A’s.

This year, arm trouble and the Corona virus have interfered with the talented southpaw’s attempts to re-establish himself as a front line starter. He’s had trouble getting past the third, or even the second, time around his opponent’s batting order, and his fast ball has seemed to lose much of its zip. . Tonight he took the mound, hoping to salvage a split in the series with the D-backs and put some more distance between the Ahtletics and the second place Astros. He succeeded.

Facing him was Arizona’s Alex Young, like Manaea, a lefty. He brought a 1-0, 3.86 record to the game, following a rookie year in which he went 8-5 with an ERA of 3.61.

Young blinked first. After Manaea had set the Diamondbacks down in the first with the help of a nifty Semien to Pinder to Olson double play, Matt Chapman, batting in Oakland’s third slot, took a 92 mph fast ball 434 feet into left field depths to give the A’s an early one run lead. It was his seventh round tripper of the season.

They Diamond backs fell victims to another diamond curse in their half of the fourth, the Curse of the Lead Off Double, when Ketel Marte was stranded at second after opening the frame with two bagger to deep center field.

In the bottom half of that frame, the A’s added a pair of runs to their lead when Matt Olson blasted his ninth homer of the season, scoring Canha, who singled and stole second, in front of him. They were 17th and 18th runs batted in.

Young managed to escape further harm in spite of a double by Khris Davis, his second hit of the evening, and Pinder’s fly that reached the center field warning track.That was the last pitch for Young, who didn’t answer the bell in the bottom of the fifth, when Stefan Circhtonr relieved him. Young had thrown 86 pitches (52 strikes) in his four inning stint, allowing three earned runs on four hits and a walk. He struck out four and would be charged with the loss.

Half way through his second time through the Diamondbacks’ order, Manaea gave up his first run, a 390 foot dinger to left on a 75mph curve ball to Eduardo Escobar. But the Throwin’ Samoan finished off the inning by getting the next three men out on a grounder and two Ks.

Manaea still was looking good in the top of the sixth, but he was in his danger zone. So, when Ketel Marte singled with one out, bringing the potential tying run to the plate, Melvin called on JB Wendelkin to dispose of the rest of the inning. He did that succesfully in spite of David Peralta’s Texas League single to left that sent the runner to third.

Manaea’s performance, though curtailed, was encouraging. His line of five and a third innings pitched included just that one run on Escobar’s long ball and four other hits. He struck out four and didn’t walk any one. 47 of his 74 pitches were strikes. He deserved the win, and he got it.

Wendelkin, Yusmeiro Petit, and Jake Diekman blanked the Diamondbacks through the eighth.

Meanwhile Chapman’s second home run of the night, a 42o foot blast to left off Yoán López with Laureano on base, put the game on ice for the green and gold.

Liam Hendricks closed it out with a 1-2-3 top of the ninth.

The A’s maintained their two and a half-game lead over Houston, who defeated the Astros, 10-8.

The Angels come to town tomorrow in a game that will pit lefty Andrew Heaney (1-1,4.74) againstk rioht hander Mike Fiers O2-1,5.96). Game time is 6:40.