A’s squander opportunity to earn a four-game sweep
Just when the A’s were coasting towards a four-game sweep over their divisional rival Los Angeles Angels, the Angels flipped Sunday afternoons game on its head.
In the final game of the 2024 season between the two teams, the Angels stole the 8-6 victory thanks to eight unanswered runs. The A’s still took 3⁄4 over the Halos in their home ballpark but one still can’t help but feel like today was a little underwhelming. Sloppy pitching and a disappearing act from the A’s offense can be the two biggest culprits to blame.
The A’s drew first blood in the third inning starting with the bottom of their order. After a Tyler Nevin lead-off double, Lawrence Butler put runners on the corners smacking a single. With one out, Miguel Andujar stepped up next sending a sharp ground ball to second baseman Brandon Drury but instead of it being a taylor-made double play, the ball slipped right underneath Drury’s glove.
The A's scored the first run of the game on an error from Brandon Drury that would've easily ended the inning on a double play had he come up with it. pic.twitter.com/wug6kJG33m
— Brent Maguire (@bmags94) July 28, 2024
The Angels had a perfect opportunity to escape the threat but instead, the party was just getting started for the A’s. JJ Bleday walked to set up the bases loaded for the red-hot Brent Rooker, and Rooker wasted no time with a bases clearing double.
Bases loaded with Brent Rooker coming to the plate?
— Uprooted (@uprootedoakland) July 28, 2024
ANGELS, YOU’RE ROOKED. #Athletics pic.twitter.com/n7B1xJ6SJw
Two batters later Abraham Toro lined a single up the middle to score Rooker and officially knock Jose Soriano out of the game. Soriano came into Sundays outing pitching well over his last six starts but today was a completely different story. Kyle McCann lined a double into the left-center gap against reliever Jose Marte to grow the lead to 6-0 and end the third-inning rally.
The Angels would respond in the bottom half loading the bases with no outs against Osvaldo Bido. Bido induced a fielders choice and strikeout to temporarily limit the damage to just one, but Willie Calhoun got the Halos right back into the game with a two-out two-run knock.
Then in the fourth, the Angels would load the bases again but do far more damage. Bido walked three batters and immediately paid the repercussions when Taylor Ward sent a grand slam to left field. The Halos took the lead 7-6 and Bido wouldn’t throw another pitch.
His final line ends at: 3.2 IP, six hits, seven earned runs, four walks and six strikeouts.
In the fifth, a double and a pair of walks surrendered by Michel Otanez loaded the bases for a third straight inning. Jo Adell popped out for the second out and Mark Kotsay inserted Scott Alexander for the lefty-lefty showdown against Nolan Schanuel but Alexander plunked him on the back; 8-6 Angels. A’s pitchers conceded seven walks and two hit by pitches Sunday afternoon.
While the Angels seemed to have traffic on the bases in every inning, the A’s offense went silent after their six-run third.
A two-out Bleday single in the fourth would be the A’s last hit and baserunner of the game as their final 16 batters were retired in order. Angels pitchers also struck out the side in the sixth and eighth innings totaling 11 punch-outs on the evening
Even with the loss, the A’s still finish 8-5 against the Angels on the season. They’re now 7-3 since the All-Star Break and will get their first day-off since then tomorrow.
On Tuesday, the A’s are back in the Bay Area facing off against the San Francisco Giants for a two-game set at Oracle Park. JP Sears is scheduled to face off against Robby Ray at 6:45 PM PDT. The Giants are coming off of a four-game sweep of their own defeating the Colorado Rockies soundly at home this weekend.
