A’s Bounce Back With Sweep Of Rangers
Apr 24, 2019, 4:51 PM | Updated: 4:51 pm
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
The Oakland Athletics entered their three game series against the Texas Rangers after being swept by the Toronto Blue Jays. The sweep to the Blue Jays was the third time Oakland has been swept this season.
The A’s split a rain shortened two-game series against the Rangers in Arlington last weekend. This three-game series was the first time the Rangers visited the Oakland Coliseum this season.
Game 1: Athletics 6, Rangers 1
WP: Chris Bassitt (1-0, 0.00 ERA), LP: Mike Minor (2-0, 3.21)
Stephen Piscotty opened the scoring for the A’s with his fourth home run of the season to give the A’s an early 1-0 lead. Matt Chapman followed that with a sacrifice fly to give Oakland all the scoring they needed.
Bassitt made his season debut striking out seven over five innings, picking up his first win since September 21 of last year. The only concern from his start was his four walks allowed, which inflated his pitch count to 98 through his five innings of work.
Game 2: Athletics 11, Rangers 5
WP: Frankie Montas (4-1, 3.10), LP: Lance Lynn (2-2, 6.51)
The Rangers scored first by way of a Nomar Mazara double that plated Elvis Andrus. The A’s were quick to respond in the bottom of the first, when Matt Chapman hit his seventh home run of the season to tie it at one.
The two teams exchanged runs again in the second but the A’s exploded for six runs. Ramon Laureano singled to break the tie, scoring Piscotty. Josh Phegley and Marcus Semien would hit back-to-back dobules and Khris Davis would single to cap off the inning. Oakland would add two more in the fifth to put the game away.
Game 3: Athletics 6, Rangers 5
WP: Blake Treinen (1-1, 0.68), LP: Chris Martin (0-2, 5.40)
After allowing the first run of the game, Marcus Semien hit his fourth home run of the season to give the A’s a 3-1 lead in the second inning. That lead would only hold for two innings when Mazara would homer in the third and Logan Forsythe would as well in the fourth.
The game would remain tied entering the bottom of the fifth when Chapman would hit his eighth home run of the season and second of the series. Jurickson Profar would tack on one more with a single that scored Piscotty.
The game would be tied up entering the bottom of the ninth inning when Piscotty would hit a single with one out. Davis would then fly out to right field but Piscotty would steal second with Chad Pinder at the plate. Piner would then single and drive in Piscotty to walk it off.
The A’s move to 14-13 on the season with the win on Wednesday. They have Thursday off as they travel north of the boarder to take on Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto Blue Jays for a three-game series over the weekend.
