Game Thread #20: A's at Orioles

I’m pretty sure the Oakland A’s won the World Series last weekend, so, I assume today must be Opening Day of 2022?

Oh, it’s still April of 2021. But good news! The 11-game win streak is real, not just a wonderful dream, and it’s still going as we enter Friday. The A’s are back on the road after a perfect homestand, and the first stop is Baltimore to face the rebuilding Orioles.

Oakland sends Cole Irvin to the mound for his fourth start of the year. He got roughed up twice by the Astros but then delivered six shutout innings against the Tigers in his most recent start on Saturday, so he’ll look to continue that momentum against another sub-.500 opponent.

The A’s lineup is rolling, having scored 71 runs over their 11-game streak, an average of 6.5 per contest. They’ll face right-hander Jorge Lopez, who also got knocked around twice but improved in his latest outing. However, since the beginning of 2020 he’s served up a dozen homers in 53 innings, which is a precarious matchup against a powerful Oakland club that’s averaging two dingers per game during their streak.

A’s lineup (away)

1. CF Ramon Laureano (R)
2. 2B Jed Lowrie (S)
3. 1B Matt Olson (L)
4. 3B Matt Chapman (R)
5. DH Mitch Moreland (L)
6. C Sean Murphy (R)
7. LF Seth Brown (L)
8. RF Stephen Piscotty (R)
9. SS Elvis Andrus (R)

• LHP Cole Irvin

No news about Mark Canha, so presumably just a day off.

Orioles lineup (home)

1. CF Cedric Mullins (L)
2. LF Austin Hays (R)
3. 1B Trey Mancini (R)
4. 3B Maikel Franco (R)
5. RF DJ Stewart (L)
6. DH Ryan Mountcastle (R)
7. C Pedro Severino (R)
8. SS Freddy Galvis (S)
9. 2B Ramon Urias (R)

• RHP Jorge Lopez

Let’s Go Oakland!

How To Watch

• Date: Friday, April 23
• Time: 4:05 p.m. PT
• TV (local): NBC Sports California
• Radio: 960 AM (more listings here)
• Streaming (watch): NBCS website (with cable sub)
• Streaming (listen): A’s Cast