Game #23: A’s score 6 in the 9th, beat Rangers 9-4

Things are just coming up A’s nowadays.

***Click here to revisit today’s game thread***

Despite some frustrating innings featuring way too many runners left on base and a couple questionable calls, the A’s were able to get it done Monday night.

Trevor Cahill

Not terrible, not amazing. Really, it was just a couple mistakes that racked up his earned runs. The first was a wild pitch in the third inning that scored Isiah Kiner-Falefa from third, and the second was hanger that resulted in a 2-run Robinson Chirinos homerin the fourth. If the veteran pitcher can continue to hold opponents to four hits for five innings, I think we can work with it. Ideally, he’s going a bit longer than 5 five innings for the bullpen’s sake — 98 pitches was a bit high. Not to mention — he also got a gift of an out when he caught Delino DeShields trying to steal third in the fifth inning.

Marcus Semien

What. A. Home. Run. On the first pitch of the 9th inning, Semien took Kevin Jepsen DEEP to left field, and the win was never in question again.

Semien also singled and scored in the third, and pulled off a nifty putout to end the fifth inning. If he keeps up hitting like this, with the occasional spark of above-average defense, we’re going to be alright.

Mark Canha

Canha went 2-for-4 with a walk and two runs tonight. He was 1-for-3 Sunday, and 1-for-3 Saturday, 1-for-3 Friday, 1-for-5 with two walks last Wednesday, and 3-for-4 last Tuesday. You can’t really ask for much more from a guy who wasn’t on the Opening Day roster.

Side note: In the 6th, Canha was called out for the most absurd interference call you will probably ever see. Matt Olson stole second, and after Chirinos failed to throw him out, he pushed MCanha, and both Canha and Olson were called out on interference. So it goes.

Bullpen

Ryan Dull, Yusmiero Petit, and Ryan Butcher beautifully held the game tied at 3 for three and a third innings (1 inning for Dull, 1.2 innings for Petit, and .2 innings for Buchter). Only Petit gave up a hit. No complaints here.

Chris Hatcher came in for the final two outs of the game. When it comes to Hatcher, you have to assume (read: hope) his days on the Major League roster are numbered. I started writing this recap when he came in, and he of course immediately had me worried I’d jinxed the game. He gave up back-to-back doubles to Adrian Beltre and and Joey Gallo, allowing a run to score. If he’s only used when the team is winning handily, and still gives us a scare, what’s the point?

Final Thought

Don’t look now, but the team has itself a 3-game win streak, and a winning record for the first time this year. Is this actually a good team? Too soon to tell — but we do know that when the pitching is solid, hitting can take the reigns. But is it headed in the right direction? Most definitely.