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Game Thread #25: Oakland A’s vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

Payback in Oakland?

By Alex Hall

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Colorado Rockies v Oakland Athletics Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images

The Oakland A’s trip to Arizona went exactly as you would expect a journey to 110+ degree temperatures to go — poorly and sluggishly. The green and gold scored four total runs in two losses to the Diamondbacks, and one of those runs was unearned.

The two teams now shift to Oakland for the second half of their home-and-away season series. The A’s lineup will look to get back on track against right-hander Merrill Kelly, who put in an average performance as a rookie last year and is off to a great start this summer including a 1.71 ERA in four starts. He’ll be part of a Kelly-Kelly battery along with unrelated catcher Carson.

Meanwhile, Oakland will turn to rookie Jesús Luzardo after seeing their pitching staff give up 10 runs last night. The lefty finally had a bad game last time out, against the Giants, allowing six runs and getting pulled in the 4th inning.

Oakland’s offense put up 30 runs in three games against the Giants last weekend, but so far they’ve gone 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position against the D’Backs. One goal would be to jump on the starter early, rather than letting the other team build a lead and forcing themselves to mount a comeback against the bullpen — even though they’d been adept at doing just that when needed.

In other news, my cardboard cutout has arrived at the Coliseum and is reportedly sitting in section 113, along with one for my brother and one for my dog. Little Sonny Greyhound always did want to see a baseball game, probably (citation needed).

First pitch is 6:40 p.m., with the following options to watch or listen:

  • TV: NBC Sports California
  • Radio: 960 AM
  • Online video stream: fuboTV
  • Online audio stream: iHeartRadio

A’s lineup (home)

  1. SS Marcus Semien (R)
  2. CF Ramon Laureano (R)
  3. 1B Matt Olson (L)
  4. 3B Matt Chapman (R)
  5. DH Mark Canha (R)
  6. LF Robbie Grossman (S)
  7. RF Stephen Piscotty (R)
  8. 2B Tony Kemp (L)
  9. C Sean Murphy (R)
  • Jesús Luzardo, LHP

The full first-string lineup.

D’Backs lineup (away)

  1. LF Tim Locastro (R)
  2. 2B Ketel Marte (S)
  3. CF Starling Marte (R)
  4. 1B Christian Walker (R)
  5. 3B Eduardo Escobar (S)
  6. RF Kole Calhoun (L)
  7. SS Nick Ahmed (R)
  8. DH Kevin Cron (R)
  9. C Carson Kelly (R)
  • Merrill Kelly, RHP

No David Peralta against the lefty pitcher, so the speedy Locastro is in there instead.

Let’s Go Oakland!

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