{"id":95642,"date":"2026-04-07T13:17:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T20:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/?p=95642"},"modified":"2026-04-08T11:30:04","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T18:30:04","slug":"athletics-notes-astros-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/midvalleysports.com\/?p=95642","title":{"rendered":"Athletics Notes: Astros Series"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

By Tim Byrnes <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know it to be a fact\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sun is shining just a little brighter in the Sacramento Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n

The Athletics concluded their first series win over the Houston Astros (2-1), and the difference in the trajectory of the franchise was obvious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Things have been far from normal at the plate for nearly everyon but catcher Shea Langeliers and the team desperately needed to change course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The series started with a solid 11-4 win on Friday night, when everybody got a chance to eat at the plate. While third baseman Max Muncy may be struggling at the hot corner, a little this season, he has been hitting the ball extremely hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Muncy went 3-for-4, with three RBI\u2019s and what is really impressive about his hitting right now, is the speed off the bat. He hit a single (110), a double (104.9), and a solo home run (101.7) off the bat, and even when he hit into a double play, it exited at 103mph so he’s crushing the ball right now.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Currently batting seventh in the order, maybe moving him up in the order, closer to Brent Rooker, and Tyler Soderstrom could give him more RBI opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Muncy batted .538 this weekend and led the Athletics at the plate but he had a lot of help. They batted around in the fourth inning, with Lawrence Butler hitting a three-run bomb, and the A\u2019s had baserunners in every inning but the seventh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Butler added two singles and had four RBI\u2019s in the opener. Soderstrom went 2-for-4 with a double, Jacob Wilson singled twice, and Wilson has hit .333 with seven hits in his last five games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starter Jeffrey Springs (1-0, 2.38) went six innings, allowing just one earned run and struck out seven to become the first dominant start for the rotation this season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The A’s reverted back to their old ways Saturday, losing 11-0, and the contrast at the plate was startling. Back to starting at-bats off (0-2), and striking out 13 times, the team couldn’t take advantage of the warm air, but the Astros sure did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Athletics Starter Luis Morales was absolutely horrible again, and after he allowed 15-of-21 batters he faced to reach base, he was optioned to AAA Las Vegas. Morales lasted just three innings, allowing five earned runs on eight hits and five walks. Four of the walks were on four pitches, which illustrated his inability to place his pitches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A\u2019s pitching is contagious and reliever Elvis Alvarado allowed two runs in two innings. Hogan Harris, our best arm in the bullpen, let Houston bat around, and he allowed three runs. Luis Medina gave up a dinger in the eighth to cap the shutout and awful day on the bump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Athletics bats scattered five hits and afterward Rooker rearranged some furniture in the locker room, smashing a chair all \u201cHulk-like\u201d, as he later explained, and did it change anything?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

YES!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The A\u2019s refused to lose the finale, or the series, defeating Houston 12-10 in 10 innings. Rooker crushed a 2-0 pitch over the left field fence at Sutter Health Park, for a three-run walk off home run, his second on the day. He hit his 100th dinger for the Athletics in the seventh and totaled six RBI\u2019s on the day. Everyone had at least one hit in the rubber game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nick Kurtz reached base in his first five at-bats, with a single, double, and three walks and is beginning to look comfortable again. He actually smiled!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tyler Soderstrom had a bases-clearing triple, with some help from the No-Cal sunshine, and added two walks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jacob Wilson and Shea Langeliers each had two hits. Langeliers has cooled off, but it is more that pitchers are avoiding him after his hot start. The finale was over four hours long and he showed some grit playing catcher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starter Jacob Lopez lasted only four innings, giving up three earned, and getting a no-decision. Relievers gave up lead after lead, with Scott Barlow being the biggest culprit. After being given a four-run lead in the eighth, he failed to register an out, and gave the runs right back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Athletics travel to New York to play the Yankees.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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