Athletics Week In Review: 7/30-8/5

by Andrew Pasquini – Sports 1140 KHTK

The Oakland Athletics carried their hot month of July into August, sweeping both the Blue Jays and Tigers. The current six game win streak pushes their record to 67-46 and the A’s are 33-10 since June 16th, which is the best record in baseball in that span.

Game results:

Monday: Toronto, W 10-1

Tuesday: Toronto, W 6-2

Wednesday: Toronto, W 8-3

Friday: Detroit, W 1-0 (13 innings)

Saturday: Detroit, W 2-1

Sunday: Detroit, W 6-0

Hitter of the week: Matt Chapman

Chapman finished the week 6-for-27 with an OBP of .333 of the week. While the hits were scarce, the power was there for Chapman as he finished with two home runs, a double, and a triple, slugging .555 for the week. His best game of the week was Saturday when he finished the game 2-for-4 with triple and a home run in the third inning. On the season, Chapman is slashing .271/.362/.493 with fifteen home runs and 38 RBIs.

Pitcher of the week: Trevor Cahill

Cahill made two starts this week, one on Tuesday against Toronto and the other Sunday against Detroit. In those two starts, Cahill yielded two earned runs in twelve innings striking out sixteen and only walking one. With his two starts this week, Cahill lowered his ERA on the season from 3.43 to 3.12 and his batting average against from .218 to .213.

Win of the week: Friday against Detroit

It may have taken thirteen innings but the Athletics were able to hold the Tigers scoreless to win 1-0. Brett Anderson went seven full innings, the first Athletics pitcher to do so since July 4, allowing only two hits. The bullpen would allow only four base runners over the next six innings keeping the score tied at zero. Nick Martini would lead off the bottom of the thirteenth with a walk and Jonathan Lucroy would single with two outs, setting up runners at first and second for rookie Ramon Laureano. Frdia was Laureano’s first career big league game and entered the thirteenth inning 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. Laureano would line one over Tigers right fielder Nick Castellanos’ head for his first career hit and would drive in Martini for the game-winning run.

Play of the week: Laureano’s walk-off single

What a way to start a career!#RootedInOakland pic.twitter.com/uWIScO3Jly

— Oakland Athletics 🌳🐘⚾️ (@Athletics) August 4, 2018

The Athletics current six-game win streak pushed them into the second AL Wild Card spot past Seattle and only three games behind the Yankees for the top Wild Card spot. They also made up two games on the Astros and only trail by four games in the American League West. The Athletics finish their eight-game home stand with a two game series against the Dodgers before they travel to Anaheim for three against the Angels.

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