Oakland A’s tie MLB record with homers in 24 straight road games

The Oakland A’s tied an MLB record on Saturday by homering in their 24th straight road game, the team announced. The feat was also achieved by the Orioles back in 1996.

The historic dinger came off the bat of Stephen Piscotty, against former A’s prospect Dylan Covey. For good measure, Matt Olson later added another long ball.

The A’s have been offensive monsters on the road this season. Entering the day their 65 homers (now 67) led MLB by a wide margin, with the Red Sox next at 57 (in 200+ extra plate appearances) followed by the Astros (55, in 200 more PAs) and Yankees (55, in 100+ fewer PAs). Boston and Houston are at home on Saturday, and New York is on the road but yet to hit one through five innings. The A’s 118 wRC+ on the road is second behind only the Astros (128).

Of course, the problem has come at home. The A’s 84 wRC+ at the Coliseum ranks 27th among home teams, and their 36 homers are tied for 20th. They’ve hit nearly twice as many dingers on the road in slightly fewer plate appearances.

Here’s the full streak:

4/29 (HOU): Pinder
5/1 (SEA): Lowrie
5/2 (SEA): Lowrie, Canha
5/3 (SEA): Piscotty
5/11 (NYY): Khrush, Chapman, Lowrie, Joyce
5/12 (NYY): Khrush
5/13 (NYY): Canha
5/14 (BOS): Joyce, Olson, Khrush
5/15 (BOS): Piscotty
5/16 (BOS): Semien, Joyce, Olson
5/17 (TOR): Khrush, Olson, Chapman
5/18 (TOR): Fowler
5/19 (TOR): Pinder
5/20 (TOR): Semien
6/1 (KCR): Olson (2), Fowler (2)
6/2 (KCR): Maxwell
6/3 (KCR): Olson
6/5 (TEX): Khrush
6/6 (TEX): Khrush
6/19 (SDP): Piscotty, Lowrie
6/20 (SDP): Barreto, Phegley, Canha, Olson, Lowrie
6/22 (CHW): Barreto (2)
6/22 (CHW): Olson
6/23 (CHW): Piscotty, Olson

The A’s have one more game in Chicago’s bandbox ballpark on Sunday. They’ll face lefty starter Carlos Rodon, who is averaging a homer per start this year (through three starts) and has allowed 49 dingers in 390 career innings (around a league average rate). Let’s go for the record!