MidValleySports.Com

By Tim Byrnes

Down 3-2 in the bottom of the 9th, the A’s used an error and timely hitting to score twice, win the game(4-3), and the series(2-1) from the AL West leading Texas Rangers.

The series win pulls the Athletics to within two games of the AL West lead at (12-13), and they maintain the best record in the American League away from home (8-5).

Athletics Batting:
The A’s are having a solid start as a team, batting in the top six in nearly every offensive category. For a team third in home runs, it’s amazing to see that they strike out among the least often in the American League(180).

The arrival of 1B Nick Kurtz yielded immediate results, as he had an RBI single in his first MLB at bat. 

Given his reputation in college and the minors, pitchers didn’t give him much to hit.

Athletics GM David Forst made it clear that Tyler Soderstrom and Brent Rooker will see time in left field to ensure Kurtz is in the lineup daily.

Batting behind Kurtz, 3B Gio Urshela was 5/6 with two doubles, raising his average 66 points. The two doubles brought him up to 10th among AL leaders. He likes the pitches he’s seeing, batting behind Kurtz.

Jacob Wilson continues to get hits in nearly every game he plays and sits 4th in AL batting average(.337) and sixth in hits(30). Mark Kotsay has started trying Wilson near the top of the batting order, and he has remained consistent. He had been occupying 6th in the order for most of the season.

Miguel Andujar continues to show why Seth Brown, the longest-tenured Athletics player, continues to sit. Having a 3/5 game has moved his average into 7th in the AL at .319, and he is exceeding expectations.

Tyler Soderstrom continues to hit the ball hard, collecting two doubles, and is still hovering near .300. He still leads MLB with nine home runs and stands second in the AL in runs batted in and total bases. His name is plastered all over the top ten in most offensive categories.

A cool observation: the Athletics are hitting over .300 as a team in the first inning, ranking third in MLB.

Athletics Pitching:
Starting pitchers in this series pitched 14 innings, giving up 19 hits, 13 earned runs, and an eye-opening eight home runs.
For a change of pace, our relievers had an outstanding series.

Near perfection as a unit, they pitched 13 innings of five hit, shutout ball and added 15 strikeouts to only four walks.
A’s closer Mason Miller has again started hitting 103mph on the radar gun and has 17 strikeouts to one walk with a zero earned run average so far this season.

These statistics are good signs: the pitching staff is 14th in ERA(4.52) and WHIP(1.45) in the American League.

Upcoming Series:
The Athletics(12-13) get the Chicago White Sox(6-19) at Sutter Health Park for a three-game weekend series. 

The A’s crushed them in Chicago, sweeping a three-game series with a 23-4 run advantage. They come to West Sacramento last in team batting average(.203) and a 4.21 team era that is near the bottom of baseball.

A’s Injured List:
SP Jeffrey Springs-Day to Day
RP Jose Leclerc-15 Day IL

Gametime:
A’s RHP Luis Severino(1-3, 3.31 ERA/1.04 WHIP)
versus
CWS RHP Sean Burke(1-3, 6.23 ERA/1.52 WHIP)
Sutter Health Park 705 pm PST