Game Thread #124: A’s vs. Giants

The 2021 Bay Bridge Series continues! The second installment began last night, with the Oakland A’s winning the series opener at the Coliseum over the San Francisco Giants. Now they meet again Saturday afternoon.

The A’s call on Sean Manaea for the start, which has been a risky proposition lately. The lefty is having a great year but a bad August, with disasters in each of his last three outings. In those three games, he totaled just 11 innings while allowing 15 runs.

The lineup has a change, as outfielder Seth Brown is back just one day after being sent down to the minors. Fellow outfielder Stephen Piscotty went on the injured list this morning, so Brown is back in his place. The lefty slugger is batting sixth and playing right field.

Oakland has a tough task in Giants starter Kevin Gausman, who made the All-Star team this summer and sports excellent numbers across the board, including a 2.40 ERA and 2.91 FIP. The A’s faced him twice last year with moderate success, scoring four runs in 11⅔ innings combined (including a homer by Matt Olson), with lots of strikeouts (17) but also lots of walks (6).

A’s lineup (home)

1. LF Mark Canha (R)
2. CF Starling Marte (R)
3. 1B Matt Olson (L)
4. DH Mitch Moreland (L)
5. 3B Josh Harrison (R)
6. RF Seth Brown (L)
7. C Sean Murphy (R)
8. 2B Tony Kemp (L)
9. SS Elvis Andrus (R)

• LHP Sean Manaea

“Just a day off for Matt Chapman.” - insider Martin Gallegos

Giants lineup (away)

1. CF Austin Slater (R)
2. DH Buster Posey (R)
3. 1B Brandon Belt (L)
4. LF Darin Ruf (R)
5. RF Kris Bryant (R)
6. 3B Wilmer Flores (R)
7. SS Brandon Crawford (L)
8. 2B Donovan Solano (R)
9. C Curt Casali (R)

• RHP Kevin Gausman

Let’s go Oakland!

How To Watch

• Date: Saturday, August 21
• Time: 1:07 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