The long-ball kills A’s today
The Oakland Athletics faced the American League East-leading Baltimore Orioles today at beautiful Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Mark Kotsay sent lefty JP Sears to the mound today. To face lefty Cole Irvin for the Orioles.
Both pitchers were perfect through three innings, facing the minimum without a baserunner. With one out in the top of the fourth, Tyler Nevin got the first hit of the game with a base hit to centerfield. But Irvin was able to retire the side with no real damage.
Gunnar Henderson led off the fourth for Baltimore with their first hit of the day, then stole his sixth base of the season. With one out, and Henderson on second, Sears struck Mountcastle out swinging. But then Anthony Santander doubled down the third base line to score Henderson easily. Jordan Westburg singled to drive in Santander. Cedric Mullins then squibbed a ball into the outfield grass that Max Schuemann was able to grab, but he did not have a play on the speedy Mullins. James McCann singled to drive in Westburg and move Mullins to third. What looked like smooth sailing for Sears crumbled into a 3-run inning for the O’s.
Sears fanned the first two Orioles batters of the inning, but then the next two batters, Adley Rutschman and Ryan Mountcastle homered back-to-back to bring the score to 5-0.
Esteury Ruiz singled with two down in the sixth but was stranded there. Sears had a shutdown inning in the bottom of the sixth with his eighth strikeout and two easy fly outs. Brent Rooker hit a rocket up the middle that ricocheted off Irvin, for a single. But as Langeliers double play ball shut that down.
With one out in the seventh, Sears walked Jorge Mateo. Mateo stole second and then Gunnar Henderson turned on a Sears sweeper and pulled it straight down the line into the bleachers for a two-run homer. Henderson’s ninth homer of the season brought the score to 7-0 and sent Sears to the showers. Righty Michael Kelly replaced Sears.
Mike Baumann replaced Irvin in the top of the eighth. Schuemann was hit on the hand with a pitch and then Hernaiz singled. But a Ruiz K and a Nevin pop out shut down the rally. Kelly shut down the O’s in the eighth leading to the A’s last licks against the Orioles reliever Dylan Tate. Not a save situation, so the O’s did not use their closer but instead gave Tate his tenth relief appearance. The A’s could not score, and the game ended 7-0, handing Sears his second loss of the season.
First pitch for tomorrow's series rubber match is 10:35 am PDT.
