Oakland Heads Into All-Star Break On High Note
Jul 7, 2019, 4:47 PM | Updated: 4:48 pm
(Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
(Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
Athletics take series from Seattle to win ninth game over their last twelve contests
Home runs from multiple Oakland Athletics and a shut down bullpen helped cement a 7-4 win on Sunday as the A’s defeated the Seattle Mariners to win the three-game series.
Oakland has now won nine of their last twelve games to head into the All-Star break with a 50-41 record.
Marcus Semien, Matt Olson and Ramon Laureano all homered for the A’s on Sunday to help lead Oakland to win number 50. Seattle starting pitcher Matt Carasiti was chased after giving up five runs in the first inning, only getting one out before being lifted for a reliever. Semien finished the game with three hits while Laureano picked up two hits of his own.
Daniel Mengden gave up three runs over 5.1 innings while striking out two batters to win his fourth game of the season. The bullpen combined to throw 3.2 shut out innings as Liam Hendriks claimed his fifth save of the year.
Oakland heads into the break trailing the first place Houston Astros by 7.5 games, and trailing the second Wild Card spot by only 1.5 games.
Matt Chapman has been selected to participate in Monday night’s Home Run Derby, replacing NL MVP Christian Yelich due to injury.
Game 2: Saturday, July 6 – Mariners 6, A’s 3
Marco Gonzales hurled eight incredible innings on Saturday, striking out six batters and only allowing two runs as the Mariners defeated the Athletics 6-3.
Matt Olson and Ramon Laureano homered for Oakland, but it wasn’t enough as Chris Bassitt got knocked around for six runs over 4.1 innings of work. The Athletics struggled to get going on offense, as only three players picked up hits on Saturday afternoon (Olson, Laureano and Matt Chapman).
Game 1: Friday, July 5 – A’s 5, Mariners 2
Franklin Barreto hit his first home run of the season and Brett Anderson picked up his ninth win of the season as Oakland upended the Mariners by a final of 5-2 on Friday night.
Anderson pitched 6.1 strong innings of two-run ball while striking out four Mariner batters. The Athletics bullpen locked it down in the later innings, with Liam Hendriks finishing the game for his fourth save of the season. Robbie Grossman picked up a two RBI and Khris Davis had an RBI single to supply the A’s with run support for their pitching staff.
