Game #48: A’s Blow Late Lead, Lose in Extras

After giving up the lead in the seventh inning, the A’s lose 3-2 in the tenth. The team’s winning streak is over and their record falls to 25-23.

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The A’s had several chances to win this game, but ultimately failed to get the big hit necessary in order to put the Mariners away.

The team blew an opportunity for a big inning in the fourth, but still managed to score the first run of the game. With the heart of the order due up and nobody out, two singles and an error loaded up the bases for Oakland. What could have been a game-changing scoring opportunity was squandered, however, as Matt Chapman grounded into a run scoring double play and Stephen Piscotty grounded out to end the inning with just the one run scoring.

A small rally born from nearly nothing doubled the A’s lead in the fifth. After the bottom of the order made two quick outs to start the inning, Mark Canha was hit by pitch. Three pitches later, Canha dashed from third base to home on a single from Marcus Semien to make the game 2-0.

Despite the offense struggling, the A’s managed to hold onto their lead until the seventh inning. Trevor Cahill was excellent in his start for Oakland, striking out three while allowing just six baserunners in seven total innings pitched. He kept the Mariners offense grounded, inducing eleven ground ball outs on his day. However, with his pitch count approaching one hundred in the seventh, a full count cutter rose up too high in the zone and was hit on a line by Mike Zunino for a two run home run that tied the game up at two. The runs that scored were the first earned runs Cahill had allowed at home in twenty innings pitched.

The A’s couldn’t do anything with two-out doubles in the seventh and eighth innings, and the game soon found itself in extra innings. The A’s have thrived in these types of games all year long, but victory was not in the cards tonight. After Lou Trivino and Blake Treinen each struck out the side and walked a batter in their appearances, Yusmeiro Petit continued the reliever pattern by striking out the first batter he faced in the tenth. However, the next batter Jean Segura singled to right field, and Guillermo Heredia followed that up with a double to center to give the Mariners the lead late. Against elite reliever Edwin Diaz in the bottom half of the frame, the A’s failed to get a baserunner and lost quietly.

The A’s drop yet another game to a division rival, and their chance to match the Angels in the division standings was squandered. The A’s will need to win the next two games in order to take the series.