Game #153: A’s vs. Royals

The A’s take on the Royals in the rubber match of this three game home series. The Royals come into today’s game with a record of 56-96, looking to avoid a 100 loss season. The A’s meanwhile are thirty games over .500 with a record of 91-61 with ten games left to play (100 wins is still a mathematical possibility!).

Today’s Line-ups from RingCentral Coliseum

Mmmm...Victories
Homer Bailey has won six games for the A’s since being acquired from the Royals mid-season. Those six wins by Bailey, match the most by an Athletic acquired in an in-season trade over the last 20 years since Jon Lester who also had 6 wins in 2014. (A’s GameNotes)
Today, he pitches opposite Royals pitcher, Danny “Duff Beer” Duffy.
Doh!

Magic Numbers
The A’s magic number to clinch a wild card playoff spot is at 9 games (combination of A’s victories and Rays defeats). The Astros can clinch the A.L. West and eliminate the A’s from that title with a combination of 3 wins and/or A’s losses.

Broken Records (courtesy of A’s PR Team)
Matt Chapman has a career-high 34 home runs, which is an Athletics franchise record for home runs as a third baseman…Liam Hendriks broke the Athletics record for strikeouts as a reliever last night with his 116th…tops the mark of 115 set by Rollie Fingers in 1975…Matt Olson leads the American League in home runs (8) and extra base hits in September (14) and is tied for the lead in RBI (18)…has the most September home runs (26) and RBI (59) in the majors over the last three years…Marcus Semien ranks fifth in Oakland history in runs scored (117), seventh in total bases (320) and tied for seventh in extra base hits (76).

It is a beautiful day for baseball, the football lines are beginning to fade off the Coliseum grass and the A’s have a chance to take a step closer towards the playoffs...

Let’s Go Oak-Land!!!