Game #95: An Errant Walk Off

For the second time in a month, Chapman was called out at home plate despite appearing safe and despite instant replay more or less showing that he was, indeed, safe. The unfortunate out call occurred in the 8th inning, just after the game got tied up at two apiece the inning prior. The fortunate outcome is that the A’s walked off on a gift final play to end the game just one inning later, rendering all of that fuss useless.

A’s win 3-2, with a little more theatrics than either of the first two games of the series. The A’s complete the sweep of the White Sox to resume their season post-All Star Break.

Game Thread #1 - Game Thread #2

In what initially appeared to be a lopsided matchup, Brett Anderson and Reynaldo Lopez matched each other for nearly seven innings. Although Anderson has quietly been one of the better starters on the season, and Lopez had a worse ERA than any other starter who kept their job throughout the entire first half, the two pitchers kept each team within a run of each other for the entirety of their starts.

On the day, Anderson pitched 6.2 innings while allowing seven hits, two runs, three strikeouts and one walk. Anderson was strong on the day, keeping the White Sox off balance and getting deep into the game in order to save some of the bullpen’s bullets. He allowed the first of his two runs on a couple of two out hits in the second inning, and the second of his two runs on a solo home run to start the top of the seventh inning.

The A’s struck back each time the White Sox tried to pull ahead, however. An error from Yoan Moncada had A’s on second and third base in the third inning, and a well-placed Matt Chapman ground out drove in the tying run. In the seventh inning, with two strikes against him, Ramon Laureano hit a mistake pitch from Lopez’ replacement for a solo home run to tie things up once more.

All told, things were tied at 2-2 entering the bottom of the ninth, after the A’s bullpen kept the White Sox at bay. Leading off the second half of the frame was Chad Pinder, pinch hitting for Robbie Grossman. He singled on a hard line drive to right field to start the inning. After Pinder was Laureano, who slapped a slow ground ball towards short that looked to be at least a force out at second base. However, shortstop Jose Rondon bungled up the throw to second, and the ball wound up rapidly rolling towards the right field bullpen. Meanwhile, Pinder never stopped running after reaching second base, and before another Chicago fielder could reach the ball, Pinder had already crossed home plate.

The A’s won on a gift walk off to complete a sweep of the White Sox to continue the team’s hot streak since the spring turned to summer. After a day off on Monday, the A’s will seek to win their fifth game in a row as the team hosts the Mariners.