Athletics Nation - Game #14: A's vs. RangersAn SB Nation blog for Oakland Athletics fanshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47025/an-fave.png2017-04-18T22:03:23-07:00http://www.athleticsnation.com/rss/stream/151170352017-04-18T22:03:23-07:002017-04-18T22:03:23-07:00Game #14: Triggs Dazzles Again in 4-2 Win
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<figcaption>Weeeeeee! | Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Another error set up 2 more unearned runs, but Triggs’ great pitching kept the A’s poised to mount a comeback and win 4-2.</p> <p id="wk7HaQ">The big story tonight is that Andrew Triggs posted his third consecutive start giving up 0 earned runs. The A’s would need this performance to overcome 2 unearned runs and snap their 4 game losing streak. All the offense in the game came in the 6th inning.</p>
<h3 id="duNrbg">Innings 1-5: Pitchers’ Duel</h3>
<p id="cX52V3">Both pitchers were great through the first 5 innings (and really, Triggs was good in the 6th as well, but we’ll get to that). We had a bona fide pitching duel, with both pitchers commanding all their offerings and averaging only about 10 pitches per inning. Yu Darvish repeatedly got the A’s to swing at bad pitches early in the count, while Andrew Triggs looked dominant against both lefties and righties. His offspeed stuff had tons of late movement and he was able consistently land all of his pitches right on the corner. </p>
<p id="nopT5L">I also want to make sure I give credit to Bruce Maxwell, who called an excellent game all night. He had Triggs doing to the Rangers what AJ Griffin did to the A’s last night, changing up speeds and switching locations left and right to constantly keep the hitters off balance. Maxwell was similarly great once the relievers came in and overall deserves a lot of credit for the win tonight.</p>
<h3 id="JQ1XxG">6th Inning: Same preventable runs, new ending</h3>
<p id="9XkgZJ">Yonder Alonso made a couple of excellent defensive plays through the first few innings, but unfortunately the third time was the harm. He clanked a groundball from Jurickson Profar to give the A’s an error in their 11th consecutive game. Of course it came to hurt us - Profar advanced to second on a wild pitch (that maybe could have been ruled a passed ball) and then scored off an Elvis Andrus single where there may have been a play at the plate had Jaff Decker not bobbled the ball. The defensive trainwreck was not complete - Andrus promptly stole second and third like it was nothing, then scored by sliding into home on an ill-advised fielders choice by Rosales (who should have just gone for the sure out at first). 2-0 Rangers, both runs completely preventable.</p>
<p id="bn0el3">This time, though, the A’s didn’t let the error mark the end. Yu Darvish started to falter in the bottom of the 6th inning and the A’s were ready to pounce. Plouffe lead off with a walk. After Maxwell was robbed of a single by the diving Profar, Adam Rosales blasted a home run to left field to tie the game at 2. The A’s finally got the big hit they have been missing so sorely these last few games. Jaff Decker followed up with a booming double and Alonso walked after a long at-bat. After Yu Darvish looked untouchable through 5 innings, the A’s put up good, long at-bats and knocked him out with one out in the 6th.</p>
<p id="jbZHod">Tony Barnette came in to try and close out the inning for Texas with two men on base - and promptly proceeded to walk Jed Lowrie and give up a sac fly to Khris Davis to put the A’s on top 3-2. After another pitching change, Ryon Healy came in to pinch hit for Stephen Vogt. It was his second night in a row pinch hitting, and got his second hit in a row - a little flare single that we’ve mostly been on the receiving end of this season. The A’s left the inning on top 4-2, the result of good, patient offense with walks and solid contact.</p>
<p id="gr5vr6">That would be all the runs they needed. Bob Melvin turned to the bullpen in the 7th even though Triggs had only thrown 76 pitches. This made me nervous, but ultimately worked out quite well. Sean Doolittle pitched a clean 7th and got the first out of the 8th before Ryan Dull came in to shut down a couple of righties. Santiago Casilla came in and very, very slowly closed out the 9th with another 1-2-3 inning.</p>
<p id="5C71ji">The A’s tie the series 1-1 and snap their 4-game losing streak. They face Texas in the final game of the series tomorrow at 12:35.</p>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2017/4/18/15353512/game-14-triggs-dazzles-again-in-4-2-winJeremy S. Johnson2017-04-18T20:38:03-07:002017-04-18T20:38:03-07:00Game Thread #14: A's vs. Rangers (2)
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<p>runs plz</p> <p>More completely preventable runs given up by the A's. 2-0 Rangers entering the bottom of the 7th. Maybe offense time?</p>
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<p>RALLYRALLYRALLY</p>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2017/4/18/15353116/game-thread-14-as-vs-rangers-2Jeremy S. Johnson2017-04-18T18:35:02-07:002017-04-18T18:35:02-07:00Game Thread #14: A's vs. Rangers
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<figcaption>The ball traveled 3 feet in the air before landing. | Andrew Villa-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The A's are looking to snap a 4-game losing streak, so at least it's Yu Darvish on the mound for Texas today.</p> <p>Hello everyone! After yesterday's snoozer, virtually any signs of life today will be an improvement for the A's. Fortunately they're taking on their long-time punching bag, Yu Darvish. Darvish is a good pitcher who has had a tremendously bad track record against Oakland - a kind of reverse Wade Miley.</p>
<p>On the mound for Oakland is Andrew Triggs, who, in a completely predictable turn of events, has the best FIP of any of our starters a couple weeks into the season. We'll see if the righty with the wonky arm slot can silence the Rangers offense after a game where they capitalized on seemingly any sign of weakness from Oakland pitching.</p>
<p>Other than Rajai Davis, we managed to cram all of the veterans into this lineup while leaving out Chad Pinder and Ryon Healy. With a deeper bench, though, the A's finally have some pinch hitting options. So we may see them yet. And Bruce Maxwell is behind the dish!</p>
<h3>Today's Lineups</h3>
<div class="pane sports_data_widget lineup clearfix"><div class="lineup"><table class="zebra" cellspacing="0"> <thead> <tr> <th align="left">TEXAS RANGERS</th> <th align="left">OAKLAND A'S</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td class="td-last td-name">Carlos Gomez - CF</td> <td class="td-first td-name">Jaff Decker - CF</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="td-last td-name">Elvis Andrus - SS</td> <td class="td-first td-name">Yonder Alonso - 1B</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="td-last td-name">Nomar Mazara - RF</td> <td class="td-first td-name">Jed Lowrie - 2B</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="td-last td-name">Mike Napoli - 1B</td> <td class="td-first td-name">Khris Davis - LF</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="td-last td-name">Rougned Odor - 2B</td> <td class="td-first td-name">Stephen Vogt - DH</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="td-last td-name">Jonathan Lucroy - C</td> <td class="td-first td-name">Matt Joyce - RF</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="td-last td-name">Shin-Soo Choo - DH</td> <td class="td-first td-name">Trevor Plouffe - 3B</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="td-last td-name">Joey Gallo - 3B</td> <td class="td-first td-name">Bruce Maxwell - C</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="td-last td-name">Jurickson Profar - LF</td> <td class="td-first td-name">Adam Rosales - SS</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="td-last td-name"></td> <td class="td-first td-name"></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="td-last td-name">Yu Darvish - RHP</td> <td class="td-first td-name">Andrew Triggs - RHP</td> </tr> </tbody> </table></div></div>
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<p>Game time is 7:05 PT. Go A's!</p>
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2017/4/18/15350214/game-thread-14-as-vs-rangersJeremy S. Johnson