Tag: Oakland A’s

Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: A’s just miss sweeping Royals; Oakland opens three game series with Twins Friday

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Kansas City Royals Freddy Fermin slugs a top of the fourth inning home run one of his two home runs against the Oakland A’s at the Oakland Coliseum on Thu Jun 20, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Jerry Feitelberg:

#1 The Kansas City Royals (42-34) jumped to a 2-0 lead in Thursday afternoon’s game at the Oakland Coliseum scoring a run in the top of the second and another in the top of the fourth and got Freddy Fermin hit two home runs in each of those innings.

#2 The Royals Bobby Witt Jr hit the go ahead home run in the top of the eighth a solo shot that broke the tie.

#3 The Oakland A’s (28-49) mustered two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning which tied the game Zack Gelof’s home run contributed to the two run seventh but the A’s fell a run short.

#4 Gelof has now hit a home run in three straight games Thursday’s home run was a two run blast.

#5 The A’s will open up a three game series against the Minnesota Twins on Friday night. Starting pitcher for the Twins RHP Chris Paddock (5-3, ERA 2.25) for the A’s RHP Joey Estes (2-2, ERA 5.97) first pitch 6:40pm PT at the Coliseum. The last time the two teams met earlier this month the Twins swept the A’s in four straight games.

Jerry Feitelberg does the A’s podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Medina picks up first victory after 11 months of waiting A’s defeat Royals 5-1 at Coliseum

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Luis Media Oakland A’s starter delivers to the Kansas City Royals in the top of the first inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Wed Jun 19, 2024 (AP News photo)

Kansas City (41-34). 000 010 000. 1. 8. 1

Athletics (28-48). 002 000 21x. 5. 8. 0

Time: 2:35

Attendance: 4,557

Wednesday, June 19

Oakland, CA

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–The temperature cooled off for this Wednesday evening’s game between the Kansas City Royals and the barn storming Athletics, but the green and gold didn’t. They defeated KC for the second time in a row, this time by four runs, 5-1.

Luis Medina, the Athletics’ starting pitcher, came to the organization at the 2022 trading deadline, when he, along with Cooper Bowman, JP Sears, and Ken Waldichuk in exchange for Frankie Montás and Lou Trivino.

He made it to the majors last year, when he went 3-10, 5.42. He’s had his troubles this season. He was on the injured list until June 2 and had gone 0-2, 5.87 before his 6:42 game opening pitch. His first start after rejoining the team had been his best; he hurled 5-2/3 frames of two hit ball, allowing one run, which was unearned, in a no-decision against the Braves in Atlanta.

Wednesday night’s win was first career appearance against the Royals and left him with a season record of 1-2, 4.71. He lasted 5-2/3 innings, leaving after throwing 88 pitches, 54 for strikes, with a 2-1 lead and a runner on first. He’d allowed six hits and two walks, and the run he was charged with was earned. He struck out three Royals.

Medina was followed by TJ McFarland, who closed out the sixth, Dany Jímenez took care of the Royals, allowing a single before an around the horn double play closed the books on KC for the inning. Austin Adams yielded a double, and that was it for them in the eighth. Mason Miller earned his eighth save and second in two days. Tonight he gave up a walk while striking out two and inducing an infield popup.

The starting pitcher for Kansas City, southpaw Cole Ragans, has had a checkered career. He’s undergone two Tommy John surgeries and lost the 2020 season to the COVID pandemic. He came to the Royals a little less than a year ago in the trade that sent Aroldis Chapman to the Texas Rangers. Ragans went a combined 7-5, 3.47 last year and was the AL Pitcher of the Month in August.

This season, he was 4-4, 3.14 when he toed the rubber in the bottom of the first. When he left the field for the clubhouse showers after six innings, the 26 year old had yielded a pair of runs, both of them earned, on four hits, four walks, and two wild pitches. His total pitch count was 102, 65 of which met the scoring definition of a strike, i.e. they were called strikes by the umpire, the batter swung on them and missed, or there was contact with the bat. With the loss, his record dimmed to 4-5, 3.13.

John Schrieber, Dan Altavilla, and Chris Stratten also pitched for the visitors.

The Athletics took advantage of Ragans’ wildness in the bottom of the third to go ahead, 2-0. Max Scheumann led off with a four pitch walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. JJ Bleday filled the void at first by drawing another walk.

Then Miguel Andújar delayed his swing to send an opposite field single to right that drove in Schuemann and sent Bleday to third. Brent Rooker’s single to left brought in Bleday with the second tally. Andújar further burnished his credentials by throwing Salvador Pérez at second when the KC catcher tried to stretch his lead off single to left. It was an excellent night for Andújar, who went three for five, boosting his batting average to .330.

Wildness cost Medina as well. He walked Nelson Velásquez to begin the visitors’ fifth. A wild pitch to Kyle Isbel, the next batter, gave Velásquez second base as a gift, and he scored on Bobby Witt, Jr.’s down the line double to left. Witt got halfway to the plate on another wild pitch, but Medina got Vinny Pasquantino to fly out to center, allowing the A’s to escape the episode still leading, but now by a thread, 2-1.

The green and gold tacked on. another two runs with Schreiber on the mound in the seventh. He walked Schuemann with one down. Bleday forced him at second but beat the throw to first. Kansas City claimed that Schuemann had committed a baseline violation, but the review crew in New York disagreed. Back to back singles by Andújar and Nevuins brought them home.

It looked as though Zack Gelof hadn’t completely broken out of his slump when he faced Altavilla in the bottom of the eighth. The A’s second sacker had whiffed twice and grounded out in three at bats, he took a 2-1 offering 434 feet deep to center for his second home run in two days and seventh for the season, making it a 5-2 lead for the A’s and ending Altavilla’s night.

Who’d have thought it? The A’s will go for the sweep Thursday, at 12:37 sending Mitch Spence (4-3, 3.95) against Seth Lugo (10-2, 2.40).

Geloff’s three run homer crucial as A’s end 9 game skid against Royals 7-5 at Coliseum

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Oakland A’s Zack Geloff connects for a three run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning against the Kansas City Royals at the Oakland Coliseum on Tue Jun 18, 2024 (AP News photo)

Kansas City (41-23). 020 010 020. 5. 7. 2

Athletics (27-48). 202 300 00x 7 11. 1

Time: 2:16

Attendance: 7,013

Tuesday, June 18, 2024

By Lewis Rubman

OAKLAND–Before the game began on this warm and breezy Tuesday evening, the Coliseum observed a moment of silence to reflect on the death this afternoon at the age of 93 of baseball inmortal Willie Mays.

The barnstorming Athletics had returned to their temporary base camp in Oakland after a disastrous tour of San Diego and Minneapolis-St. Paul in which they extended their two game losing streak to a season high nine, just in time to put a halt that free fall, defeating the Kansas City Royals, 7-5, in a game that almost slipped away from them at the end.

The Athletics had engaged in a flurry of transactions earlier in the day. They recalled outfielder Lawrence Butler, who started tonight’s contest in right field, batting eighth, from Las Vegas. He went one for three, with a double and a run scored. They also promoted Tyler Nevin from the Aviators. He, too, was in today’s lineup, playing third and batting in the seventh position. He, too, went one for three with a two bagger. Those additions had their counterpoint in JD Davis’s designation for assignment and outright release of the perennial prospect Seth Brown.

Southpaw Hogan Harris (0-0 2.49 at game time) had gone five innings in his most recent start, six days earlier in Petco Park, where he left with a no decision after allowing three runs, only one of which was earned, in a 5-4 loss to the Padres. He lasted five innings and gave up three runs, two of them unearned, again this evening. He allowed four hits, one for the distance, and two free passes. 62 or his 100 pitches were considered strikes. Harris got the win, his first of the year, and now is 1-0. 2.37. Vinny Nittalli replaced him to start the sixth and set the side down in order before yielding to Austin Adams for the seventh, who benefited from The Curse of the Leadoff Double, stranding pinch hitter Adam Frazier on second by retiring his next three batters in order. Lucas Erceg, who returned from the IL last Wednesday, took over in the eighth. He was less successful, getting touched for two runs in two thirds an inning. Scott Alexander and Mason Millere kept the Royals at bay for the rest of the game.

Kansas City sent Alec Marsh, their second round choice in the 2019 draft, to the mound. His first big league appearance was last June 30, and he finished that season at 3-9,5.69. He had a decent 5-3, 3.63 record this year when he threw the first of his 76 pitches. He left, trailing 7-2. All seven runs were earned; they came on seven hits, one of them a home run, and two walks. He logged four strikeouts.He was the losing pitcher; his won-lost record fell to 5-4 while his ERA ballooned to 4.37.

The A’s jumped out ahead in their half of the opening frame. JJ Bleday followed Max Schuemann’s leadoff walk with a double to center that drove the Athletics’ shortstop home. Miguel Andújar’s fly to right allowed Bleday to advance to third, whence he scored on Brent Rooker’s sacrifice fly to left.

Schuemann, whose base on balls had opened the gates for the A’s two tallies, opened them for KC’s two tying runs in the top of the second. He let a two out grounder by Freddy Fermín past him for an error. On the next pitch, Nick Lofton took a 92mph four seamer 394 feet deep that just got past Bleday’s glove and into the alley behind the NBC Sports California sign in center to tie the score at two. They went ahead in their next turn at bat. Zacl Gelof led off with a single to left, stole second, and moved on to third on Schuemann’s infield single. Bleday then banged his second consecutive two bagger, this one too rith, plating Gelof and advancing Schuemann to third. He came home on Andújar’s single to the left side of the infield. Marsh proceeded to fan the next three Athletics he faced. Bobby Witt, Jr. made nice plays on the two infield hits, but who ever said baseball was fair?

There was nothing tainted in the three runs the Athletics scored in the fourth and what drove Marsh to the showers. KC’s starter walked Nevin. Butler smacked a double to left center that put two runners in scoring position. Gelof, who seems to be emerging from his slump, then deposited a three run four bagger into the second level seats in left field for his sixth home run of the year. That’s when Sam Long relieved Marsh and, in spite of a single by Andújar and a double by Rooker, ended the inning without further scoring.

Dan Altavilla worked a scoreless bottom of the fifth, in which Nevin celebrated his return to the show with a double to right.

The Royals managed a pair of runs off Erceg in the top of the eighth, loading the bases on singles by Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Pérez and a walk to pinch hitter MJ Meléndez followed by an RBI groundout by Fermín and another by Lofton. That brought in Scott Alexander to put out the fire.

After Alexander put the Royals down 1,2,3 in the top of the ninth, it was Miller time. Mason Miller, who had blown a save in his last appearance, earned his 13th save with a perfect frame.

We’ll see Wednesday, if the A’s have mended their ways or if this was just a momentary halt in their collapse. Luis Medina (0-2,5.87) is scheduled to throw the first pitch at 6:40. The Royals’ Cole Ragans (4-4, 3.14) will take the mound for Kansas City.

Oakland A’s podcast with Augie Mesenburg: A’s injury updates; Oakland opens up series with Royals Tuesday

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Oakland A’s outfielder Esteury Ruiz who hit a home run on Wed Apr 17, 2024 against the St Louis Cardinals remains out with a left wrist sprain (AP file photo)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Augie:

#1 Augie The A’s added LHP Brady Basso as a 27th man during Sunday’s doubleheader against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Basso is a number 18 MLB pipeline. Basso had started in 11 minor league games and has an 5.01 ERA with 54 strikeouts and 13 walks.

#2 Ross Stripling who has a right elbow flexor strain. Stripling whose on a throwing program will work on throwing for more distance and will not be ready until he can throw off the mound.

#3 A’s pitcher Kyle Mueller who has left shoulder tendinitis started his throwing program since Jun 6th. Mueller’s next step is to throw off the mound and there is no sure time when that is supposed to take place. Mueller preformed well in relief had an 3.48 ERA in 13 games.

#4 The A’s are really missing Esteury Ruiz in the line up. Ruiz as you may recall led the American League in stolen bases last season. This season it seems like Ruiz who got sent down at the beginning of the season and then was brought back up has been suffering from a left wrist strain. Ruiz’ return to the line up is still no known.

#5 The A’s open a three game series with the Kansas City Royals starting Tuesday night at the Oakland Coliseum. The A’s are on a nine game losing streak and recently were swept in a four game series against the Minnesota Twins. The Royals are second in the AL Central and have lost six of their last ten games. How do you see these two teams matching up for this series?

Augie Mesenburg is a podcast contributor at http://www.sportsradioservice.com and is a reporter for 1080 KWAI Honolulu

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: JD Davis designated for assignment; Soderstrom has got his swing going

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Oakland A’s third baseman JD Davis (5) was given re-assignment and outfielder Lawrence Butler was called up from triple A Las Vegas on Mon Jun 17, 2024 (AP News photo)

On That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1 Amaury, the Oakland A’s are coming off a four game swept by the Minnesota Twins. Which included a doubleheader on Sunday which they got close in the second game of the doubleheader losing by a run 8-7.

#2 The A’s doubleheader sweep in Minneapolis handed the A’s their ninth straight loss and you knew changes would be eminent as the A’s announced on Monday they have designated third baseman JD Davis for assignment. The A’s have recalled Lawrence Butler from Triple A Sacramento.

#3 Davis journey to Oakland started when he won an arbitration case against the San Francisco Giants for $6.9 million. Under baseball rules arbitration isn’t fully guaranteed until opening day or unless Davis and the Giants had agreed to terms. The Giants had elected to release Davis and paid him $1.1 million upon his release while they had signed third baseman Matt Chapman.

#4 A’s first baseman Tyler Soderstrom who has been seeing the ball well has hit five solo home runs and is making good contact. Soderstrom is hitting .250, 21 hits and five home runs.

#5 Amaury talk about the series coming up as the A’s host the Kansas City Royals. Despite the Royals having lost six of their last ten games they’re a team to be on guard for they have it good on both hitting and pitching. Starting pitcher for the Royals RHP Alex March (5-3, ERA 3.63) for the A’s LHP Hogan Harris (0-0, ERA 2.49) first pitch 6:40pm PT.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the lead play by play voice on the Oakland A’s Spanish radio network at 1010 KIQI San Francisco and 990 KATD Pittsburg and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara Mason: A’s get day off after doubleheader Sunday in Minnesota

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Oakland A’s pitcher Joey Estes (68) delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins in the bottom of first inning in the second game of the doubleheader at Target Field in Minneapolis on Sun Jun 16, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara Mason:

#1 The Minnesota Twins Carolos Correa took Oakland A’s pitching yard twice in the 6-2 win of the front game of a doubleheader at Target Field in Minneapolis.

#2 The Twins Royce Lewis and Carlos Santana also provided home run help with two hits a piece. The Twins did most of their damage scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning.

#3 For the A’s in first game they got a home run out Daz Cameron but the A’s just couldn’t get enough run support and lost it by four runs 6-2.

#4 In the second game of the doubleheader the A’s continued their losing streak extending it to nine games and were swept in the four games by the Twins. The A’s came close in game two but just couldn’t seal the deal with an 8-7 loss.

#5 A’s return to the Coliseum to open a three game series with the Kansas City Royals Tuesday night. Starting pitcher for the Royals Alec March (5-3, ERA 3.63) and for the A’s Hogan Harris (0-0, ERA 2.49) first pitch at 6:40pm PT.

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

A’s Get Swept By the Minnesota Twins 8-7 In An Offensive Marathon

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Oakland A’s third base coach Eric Martins (3) congratulates JJ Bleday (33) for his top of the third inning solo home run in the second game of the doubleheader against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field in Minneapolis on Sun Jun 18, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Oakland A’s (26-48) fought back in game four of their series with the Minnesota Twins (40-32) tying this game up three times. They hit a couple of home runs and finished the game with 11 hits. Tyler Soderstrom has shown up beautifully.

He has hit four home runs in a seven-game span. He shares that milestone with some heavy hitters the likes of Jose Canseco, Reggie Jackson, Jimmie Fox and Mickey Cochrane. This is the A’s ninth loss in a row the longest this season coming up short in this one 8-7 another one-run loss.

Sunday evening the A’s played the second game of their double header with the Twins and couldn’t avoid the sweep getting edged by one run. Oakland had a loss in the first game 6-2 of the doubleheader and the A’s ended up dropping all four games. The A’s are on a nine game losing streak and return back to the Coliseum on Tuesday night.

Game recap: Joey Estes took the mound for game four with a 5.97 ERA. The Twins Chris Paddack was on the hill for Minnesota. Neither pitcher lasted long in a marathon of hits for both teams in the early innings. Estes went 2.2 innings allowing eight hits, six earned runs and only two strikeouts. Paddack went 2.1 innings allowing five hits, five earned runs and no strikeouts. Not a great outing for either pitcher.

Royce Lewis got this game going hitting the first home run of the game, a two-run shot in the first inning to take the early 2-0 lead. The second inning was a wild affair with each team scoring three runs.

In the top of the second, Seth Brown doubled reaching third on two errors by the Twins that allowed Daz Cameron and Tyler Soderstrom to score. Zack Gelof came to the plate and he also hit a double and Seth Brown scored giving the A’s a 3-2 lead. That lead was short-lived when Trevor Larnach hit a three run home run taking back the lead 5-3.

The A’s apparently wanted in on the action hitting two home runs in the third inning. JJ Bleday and Tyler Soderstrom both hit solo home runs to tie up this game at five apiece. Minnesota took back the lead in the bottom of the third off an Austin Martin double and Carlos Santana scored for a 6-5 Twins lead. Both teams were enjoying a great offensive effort.

Minnesota would tack on another run in the 6th inning. Carlos Correa who was having an incredible series singled Royce Lewis home extending their lead to 7-5. Again Oakland would have to play catchup. The A’s made up those two runs tying the game back up at seven in the seventh inning. Tyler Soderstrom singled JJ Bleday home and Shea Langeliers singled Miguel Andujar home and it was a whole new ball game.

In the bottom of the eighth once again the tie was broken when the Twins Jose Miranda homered for Minnesota’s third home run of the game. The Twins had taken back the lead in this see-saw game. Through eight innings the Twins had 14 hits and the A’s had 11. There had been three ties in this game in a most productive offensive effort for both teams. The A’s could not muster any offense in the ninth inning and lost their ninth game in a row 8-7.

The hitting that we saw from Oakland was encouraging with the 11 hits but the team has lost so many one run games in the late innings lately. Having to come from behind so often is discouraging for this team. Oakland has now figured out a way to get back into games and now they need to close out those games.

Oakland will have the day off . They begin a three-game series Tuesday against the Kansas City Royals at the Coliseum. Probable pitchers will be Hogan Harris for the A’s with a record of 0-0, 2.49 ERA and Alec March for the Royals with a record of 5-3, 3.63 ERA. First pitch for the Tuesday matchup is scheduled for 6:40 PM.

A’s Lose Game Three To Twins 6-2 In First Game of Double Header

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Oakland A’s hitter Max Scheumann is frustrated after striking out against the Minnesota Twins in the top of the fifth inning at Target Field in Minneapolis during the front game of a doubleheader on Sun Jun 16, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Oakland A’s (26-47) lost their eighth game in a row against the Minnesota Twins (39-32) 6-2. Starting pitcher J.P. Sears gave up six hits two of them home runs, four earned runs with only a single strikeout. The Twins starter Bailey Ober went 6.1 innings allowing six hits and one run with eight strikeouts. Oakland will be looking to avoid a sweep in this double header with first pitch at 4:40 PM.

Game recap: Game Three in the first of the double header opened up at 10:40 AM under partly cloudy skies and a high of 87 degrees. The weather report was favorable calling for no rain until early tomorrow morning. There would be no rain but but it was humid with a heat advisory calling for 87 degrees feeling more like 93 degrees during the game.

It was not the start that Oakland had envisioned after taking a 4-0 lead in the first inning of Friday’s game. The Twins Carlos Correa continued to hit as he has all series getting this game underway in the first inning knocking a two run home run out of the park for a 2-0 Twins lead. Minnesota would add to their lead when Royce Lewis hit a solo homer in the same inning for a 3-0 advantage.

Carlos Correa hit his second home run of the day in the fourth inning, a solo shot, and Minnesota was again on the scoreboard leading 4-0. Correa is 18 of 30 with three home runs in the past seven days. This guy is on a roll. In the seventh inning Carlos Santana hit a two-run home run. Everything was working for the Twins in this game.

Oakland did hit a solo home run in the seventh inning. Daz Cameron homered to left for a solo but again the A’s were leaning heavily on hitting home runs and when you are losing, solo home runs don’t make of an impact. Going into the eighth inning the A’s were losing 6-1. Oakland would one more run in this game in the ninth inning. Kyle McCann singled J.D. Davis home for a final score of 6-2 in favor of the Twins. Minneapolis will be looking for a sweep in the second game of the double header.

The A’s had nine hits in this game, the Twins had 12. Oakland left too many runners stranded something that has hurt them all season as they lost their eighth straight game.

It was a rough outing for J.P. Sears who allowed two home runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings. The lefty had allowed eight home runs in his first 14 starts this season. He had not allowed a single home run in his past five starts so this was not a great start for him.

The Twins starting pitcher Bailey Ober had a nice game going 6.1 innings allowing six hits, one run with eight strikeouts.

Game notes: Sunday afternoon the A’s got knocked off by the Twins in the front game of a double header after game three was rained out Saturday at Target Field. JP Sears pitched for 4.1 innings giving up nine hits, four runs, four hits and four walks. Sears struck out one batter.

In Friday nights game, the Twins won the game in another walk off 6-5. Oakland is no doubt sick of walk-offs ad nauseam. They lost two games in a row to the Padres Tuesday and Wednesday evening in walk offs after tying up the game in game two in the eighth inning and in game three leading 4-2 going into the bottom of the eighth inning. It has been a rough stretch for the Oakland A’s who desperately needed hits late in games never seem to materialize.

The second game of this double header is slated to begin at 4:40 PM. The A’s will be looking to avoid the sweep in this game. Joey Estes will take the mound for the A’s with a 4.78 ERA and a 2-2 win/loss record. Chris Paddack gets the nod for the Twins with a 4.70 ERA and a winning 5-3 record.

A’s-Twins rained out; playing two on Sunday

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Minnesota Twins Target Field in Minneapolis was inudated with rain forcing the cancelation of the Oakland A’s-Twins Sat Jun 15, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum

Saturday, June 15, 2024

MINNEAPOLIS – Though Saturday morning’s rain had let up by the scheduled start time of 1:10 p.m., more showers were on the way, and the AL game between the Oakland Athletics and Minnesota Twins was postponed.

The game has been rescheduled as part of a day-night split admission doubleheader for Father’s Day on Sunday at Target Field. The first game will start at 1:10 p.m. (11 a.m. Pacific) and the second game is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. (4:40 p.m. Pacific).

Though it was not raining when the decision to call the game was made at 1:45 p.m., rain resumed falling by 2 p.m., as the National Weather Service reported at radar indicated a storm was approaching the Twin Cities.

For the re-scheduled double-header, the Athletics are expected to start right-hander Joey Estes (2-2,4.78) in the first game, and left-hander JP Sears (4-5, 5.02) in the second game. Then Twins are expected to go with a pair of right-handers – Bailey Ober (5-4, 5.13) and Chris Paddack (5-3, 4.79).

After Saturday’s storm system rolled through the Twin Cities on Saturday, an extreme heat advisory is issued for Sunday, A daytime high of 92 degrees is in the forecast, with a heat index of 100.

The Athletics are looking to snap a seven-game losing streak – 10 of their last 12 and 13 of their last 16. Oakland dropped a heartbreaker on Friday, losing 6-5 in 10 innings to the Twins. The A’s have been walked off in three of their last four games.

Oakland has two positive notes from Friday – Shea Longeliers hit the A’s first grand slam of the season, and leads MLB catchers with 13 home runs. Closer Mason Miller is tied for 10th in saves with 12, tops for MLB rookies. Miller’s 12 saves is fourth-best by an Oakland reliever.

Kepler, Twins outlast A’s 6-5 in 10 innings; Oakland losing streak reaches 7

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Minnesota Twins Max Kepler gets doused with ice cold water from his teammates after getting the walk off hit in the tenth inning against the Oakland A’s at Target Field in Minneapolis on Fri Jun 14, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum

Friday, June 14, 2024

MINNEAPOLIS – Victories have been tough to come by for Oakland of late, and Friday’s 6-5 loss to the Minnesota Twins at Target Field was another tough loss to swallow.

Max Kepler delivered a single to right in the bottom of the 10th inning, driving in designated runner Austin Martin with the winning run, sending the Athletics to their 10th defeat in their last 12 games. It’s Oakland’s seventh consecutive loss.

“It’s a tough loss,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. “These guys are giving everything they have in terms of execution and making plays. But we’ve got to make plays because we’re costing ourselves wins.

“When we were winning games and closing games out, we were executing fundamentally and playing good defense. We were holding onto leads, something we haven’t done in the last 12 days.”

The A’s took a 5-4 lead in the seventh when JJ Bleday was hit by a pitch with one out and scored on Brent Rooker’s triple to center. Minnesota tied the game again at 5-5 in the bottom of the eighth on a bases-loaded RBI walk to Carlos Santana.

The Twins loaded the bases with one out when Correa reached on an infield error, Max Kepler was hit by a pitch and Jose Miranda drew a walk prior to Santana’s base-on-balls off A’s closer Mason Miller, who then retired the Twins in order in the ninth, sending the game to extra innings.

“That was a tough spot to bring Mason in. The walk is something he hasn’t done much in the past,” Kotsay said. “After that walk, he got the last two outs and got out of a big jam. Mason’s ninth inning was solid. At that point, his job is done and anything can happen in extra innings.”

Oakland jumped to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first on Shea Langelier’s two-out grand slam off Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson. Max Schuemann and Bleday drew walks to open the inning, and Miguel Andujar reached on an infield single, setting up Langelier’s 13th home run of the season.

“You just try to come through in certain situations and try to put up crooked numbers,” Langelier said. “It did feel good to get that one there.”

The Twins got a run back in the second when Santana singled and scored on a triple to center by Byron Buxton. Minnesota tied the game at 4-4 on Kepler’s three-run homer that traveled 426 feet to right-center.

Mitch Spence worked the first 5 2/3 innings for Oakland, giving up four runs on nine hits while striking out three with a walk. Miller was tagged with a blown save in his 1 2/3 innings, and Scott Alexander (0-2) took the loss.

The Twins used five pitchers – Jhoan Duran (2-2) threw a scoreless ninth and 10th innings for the win in front of the Twins’ largest crowd of the season – 35,631.

On the A’s recent lack of success, Langeliers concluded, “We’ve just got to stay together. This is a close-knit bunch of guys and it’s all about camaraderie and team chemistry. We have each other’s backs and we fight for each other.

“Baseball is tough and things aren’t quite going our way right now. We’ll stay together and grind our way through this.”

The A’s and Twins meet again Saturday at 11:10 Pacific. Joey Estes (2-2, 4.78) starts for Oakland while Minnesota counters with Bailey Ober (5-4, 5.13) in a battle of right-handers.