A’s Return From Hiatus, Drop Series To Padres
Sep 6, 2020, 4:15 PM | Updated: 4:15 pm
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Oakland’s return from a six-day COVID-19 related hiatus resulted in a series loss to San Diego
The Oakland Athletics returned to action this weekend after almost a week long hiatus, dropping two-of-three games against the red-hot San Diego Padres.
After last Saturday’s loss to the Houston Astros, the A’s reported that a member of the traveling part had tested positive for COVID-19, resulting in the cancellation of Sunday’s series finale and the entire upcoming three-game set against the Seattle Mariners.
Finally, the green-and-gold returned to the field on Friday afternoon, falling 7-0 to a Padres team that looks primed for a postseason run.
The A’s offense would wake up on Saturday afternoon, with Ramon Laureano’s two-run home run and three hits from Matt Olson leading the way to an 8-4 win.
Sean Manaea (3-2) provided Oakland with a strong start, tossing five innings of one-run ball while striking out five Padres en route to his third win of the season.
Sunday afternoon’s rubber-match between A’s righty Mike Fiers and Padres starter Garrett Richards had a little bit of everything.
Richards went seven-innings, striking out nine batters while allowing three runs. Fiers allowed three runs and struck out four batters over five-innings of work.
The A’s took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, courtesy of an RBI single from Matt Olson.
San Diego would respond, scoring two runs in the third-inning and adding another in the fourth-inning to take a 3-2 lead. The Padres scored two-runs in the top of the seventh-inning after star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. drilled his league-leading 15th home run of the season to push the lead to 5-2.
Oakland got a run back in the bottom half of the inning after Sean Murphy hit his third home run of the season.
The Padres bullpen would lockdown the final six outs to seal a 5-3 win and series victory over the Athletics.
Coming Up
Oakland (23-14) will face the Houston Astros on Monday evening in the first game of a pivotal five-game set.
As of Sunday evening, the Athletics hold a three-game lead (pending the results of Sunday’s Astros-Angels game) with only 23 games remaining in the shortened season.
Be sure to tune in for all of the action right here on Sports 1140 KHTK, with first-pitch coming at 6:00pm PST.
