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Welcome to a win streak! The A’s have taken win #7 in a row as they beat the Dodgers in Hohokam Stadium behind a good crowd of nearly 8,000, by the score of 5-1. The game was won on the strength of a Matt Chapman home run, a two-hit afternoon by Ramon Laureano, a scoreless, one-hit, four-inning start by Mike Fiers (who struck out four; including the side in the second), and near-perfect relief work by Diekman, Soria, Gossett, James Kaprielian and Grant Holmes.
*** Click here to revisit today’s Game Thread! ***
The A’s got on the board early in this one in the bottom of the first where with one out, Matt Chapman smoked a solo home run to right field to give the A’s the early 1-0 lead.
Bat Chapman has entered the chat #RootedInOakland pic.twitter.com/yJ65aIAFVg
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) March 5, 2020
Matt Olson walked and Laureano singled to put two more on, but they couldn’t add on in the inning. They did double up in the third inning; however, on a Marcus Semien single, a Chapman walk, a productive groundout, and a sacrifice fly by Mark Canha.
Joakim Soria made a great play in the sixth on a ball off his right cleat and the ball popped up in the air, he had to wait for it to come down and made the play at first.
The A’s added on in their half of the inning as Canha walked and his pinch-runner Buddy Reed, stole a base in front of Laureano’s single. Laureano was replaced by Skye Bolt. Robbie Grossman doubled in Reed to give the A’s the 3-1 lead. With Carlos Perez grounding to shortstop, Bolt with his speed, ran home to score the A’s fourth run and a Franklin Barreto single (he’s been on a streak this week!) scored the 5th. (He was also thrown out on the play.) Seth Brown hit his fifth double of the spring.
The A’s didn’t need 5 runs; they only needed two, thanks to their stellar piching line today, as they keep preparing for the real season.
In injury news, A.J. Puk is visiting Dr. ElAttrache today to check on his shoulder. In typical A’s injury news, that could mean he’s out for the season, or he’s missing a start. You really can’t tell.
Melvin: A.J. Puk is seeing Dr. Neil ElAttrache today about his mild shoulder soreness. “This was on the docket either way.” If cleared Puk could still start playing catch in the next few days. #Athletics
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) March 5, 2020
The A’s host the Reds tomorrow at 12:05PM. We’ll see you back here with all the action!
