Offense powers A’s past Pirates 11-2

The Oakland Athletics snapped a five-game losing streak with an 11-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Tuesday night. The win snapped a 15-game road losing streak.

The Pirates jumped out to an early lead in the first as Tucupita Marcana scored as Jace Peterson booted a grounder from Jack Suwinski. The A’s answered back quickly though in the second as Shea Langeliers sent his eighth home run over the wall in center to tie the game.

Oakland took the lead in the third as Ryan Noda led off the inning with a double and then scored on a two-bagger by Seth Brown to make it 2-1.

The Pirates threatened in the bottom of the fourth with two back-to-back singles from Ke’Bryan Hayes and Rodolfo Castro, but James Kaprielian got Austin Hedges to line out and Marcano to ground out to end the inning.

Pittsburgh tied the game in the fifth as as they loaded the bases against Kaprielian with one out. Josh Palacios brought home the tying run with a ground out and Kaprielian got Ke’Bryan Hayes to ground out to escape with no further damage.

Once again, the A’s answered back in the sixth. Aledmys Diaz led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a walk by JJ Bleday. Both runners moved up 90 feet on a ground out by Langeliers before Peterson brought home Diaz with a single to right to put Oakland back in front 3-2.

The A’s weren’t finished as Jonah Bride singled home Bleday to make it 4-2. Esteury Ruiz reached on a throwing error to reload the bases and Noda made it 5-2 with a chopper back to the mound where no one covered first base.

Kaprielian retired the side in order in the sixth before exiting. He allowed four hits, two runs (one earned) over six innings. It wasn’t pretty as he issued a season-high five walks, but he did the job limiting the damage.

Oakland continued to add on in the eighth against the Pirates’ bullpen. Langeliers walked to begin the inning and then came around to score on a homer by Peterson to make it 7-2. Jonah Bride then doubled and scored on a two-run home run by Brent Rooker.

Peterson homered again in the ninth, a two-run shot that extended the lead to 11-2.

This was a big night for the A’s offense who banged out 15 hits. They were 7-for-16 with runners in scoring position. Peterson led the way offensively with five hits, including two home runs.

The A’s will try to steal the series tomorrow with LHP Hogan Harris on the mound. He will face RHP Roansy Contreras.