Alvarez 3-4 night not enough
The Oakland Athletics played game two of the three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels at Angels Stadium in Anaheim tonight. Mitch Spence got the start tonight against Tyler Anderson for the Angels.
Angels DH Willie Calhoun got the first hit off Spence in the bottom of the second lining a ground rule double into the right field bleachers, but the A’s defense stood firm and kept him at second base.
Armando Alvarez got his first big league hit to start off the third inning. He took a four-seam-fastball down the right field line for a double.
First MLB hit ✅
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) June 26, 2024
First MLB double ✅ pic.twitter.com/2A4YtVg0xE
Max Schuemann walked, and Daz Cameron struck out swinging. JJ Bleday singled and was thrown out stretching it to a double, but not before driving in Alvarez for the first run of the game and moving Schuemann to third. Miguel Andujar walked, as did Brent Rooker to load the bases. Behind in the count 1-2, Anderson plunked Tyler Nevin to drive in the second run of the game. But Shea Langeliers grounded out to end the rally.
Armando Alvarez got his second hit of the game and of his career in the top of the fourth. Cameron doubled, apparently scoring Alvarez but after an umpire meeting, they determined that it was a ground rule double and that sent Alvarez back to third. A Bleday fly out ended the inning and stranded the runners in scoring position.
Taylor Ward doubled off Spence to open the bottom of the fourth. Calhoun singled to move Ward to third. Logan O’Hoppe singled to drive in Ward. Spence hit Zack Neto with a pitch to load the bases. A Mitch Moniak grand slam cleared the bases and gave the Halos a 5-2 lead.
Brent Rooker launched his fourteenth homer of the season in the top of the fifth inning to bring the A’s one run closer, 5-3. That was Rook’s 45th RBI, right at the midpoint of the season. Tyler Nevin walked.
Rook absolutely crushed it pic.twitter.com/cFKxc02pYP
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) June 26, 2024
Mitch Moniak walked to open the inning and moved to second on a Spence wild pitch. Jo Adell doubled down the left field line to score Moniak. That sent Kotsay to the mound to end Spence’s night. T.J. McFarland came in to try to end the inning without any more damage. Spence’s final line: 5 1/3 innings, giving up eight hits, six earned runs, one walk and six strikeouts. McFarland got Nolan Schanuel to ground out to end the inning stranding Adell at third.
Sean Newcomb entered the game to pitch the seventh inning. With one down, Taylor Ward launched a 407 ft homer to left field to increase the lead to 7-3.
Shea Langeliers led off the eighth reaching first on an error. Zack Gelof singled moving Langeliers to second. Armando Alvarez singled for his third hit of the night, scoring Langeliers. Adell misplayed the ball allowing Alvarez to move to second and Gelof to third. Lawrence Butler pinch hit for Schuemann and hit a sacrifice liner to centerfield to score Gelof. Alvarez moved to third on an errant pickoff attempt. Cameron walked. JJ Bleday grounded into a double play to end the inning. But not before two scored, bringing the score to 7-5 in the middle of the eighth.
Newcomb walked Zack Neto to open the bottom of the eighth and stole second on a Kevin Pillar strikeout. Scott Alexander replaced Newcomb. He intentionally walked Adell. Adell was called out on runner’s interference and then Schanuel lined out to end the inning.
Angels closer Carlos Estévez entered the game in the ninth to shut the door on the victory. Andujar K’d for the first out of the inning. Brent Rooker grounded out to shortstop Neto for the second out. Down to their last out, Tyler Soderstrom singled to right field. Langeliers struck out to end the game.
