Game Thread #36: A’s vs. Angels

It’s a great day for a ballgame; let’s play two! The A’s are doing just that against the Angels on Saturday at the Coliseum, and Oakland won the first game in dramatic fashion. Trailing by two runs in the bottom of the 9th, with two out, rookie Luis Barrera hit a three-run walk-off homer, his first career dinger. Last-minute comeback!

They’ll ride that momentum into the nightcap, with rookie pitcher Adam Oller on the mound. The right-hander was called up specially for this occasion, as the 27th man for the doubleheader, and he’ll return to the minors after the game. He made three starts in the majors for Oakland last month, but got knocked around for 12 earned runs in 9⅔ innings total.

The Halos lineup entered the series leading the majors in scoring, but the A’s pitching staff limited them to five runs total through the first two contests (Monday and earlier today). However, it took Oakland’s own hitters until the 16th inning of the series to score at all (shutout Monday, finally scored in the 7th this afternoon), so it’s been a quiet week for everybody so far.

A’s lineup (home)

1. 2B Tony Kemp (L)
2. 3B Sheldon Neuse (R)
3. DH Jed Lowrie (S)
4. CF Ramon Laureano (R)
5. C Sean Murphy (R)
6. LF Seth Brown (L)
7. 1B Christian Bethancourt (R)
8. RF Luis Barrera (L)
9. SS Kevin Smith (R)

• RHP Adam Oller

Angels lineup (away)

1. RF Taylor Ward (R)
2. CF Mike Trout (R)
3. DH Shohei Ohtani (L)
4. 3B Anthony Rendon (R)
5. 1B Jared Walsh (L)
6. 2B Luis Rengifo (S)
7. C Chad Wallach (R)
8. LF Tyler Wade (L)
9. SS Andrew Velazquez (S)

• RHP Michael Lorenzen

How to watch/listen

• Date: Saturday, May 14
• Time: 6:40 p.m. PT
• TV: NBC Sports California
• Radio: 960 AM
• Streaming (listen): A’s Cast