Kansas City Royals Bobby Witt Jr connected for a go ahead home run in the top of the eighth inning as the run stood up and helped the Royals avoid being swept by the Oakland A’s at the Oakland Coliseum on Thu June, 2024 (AP News photo)
Thursday, June 20, 2024
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Oakland, California
Kansas City Royals 3 (42-34)
Oakland Athletics 2 (28-49)
Win: James McArthur (3-4)
Loss: Vinny Nittoli (0-1)
Save: Chris Stratton (4)
Time: 2:23
Attendance: 8,753
By Stephen Ruderman
OAKLAND–The A’s were unable to get the sweep, as the Royals hit three home runs, two by Freddy Fermin, and beat Oakland 3-2 to take the series.
It hasn’t been the best of times for the A’s. After a six-game winning streak got Oakland back to .500 on May 4, following a 20-4 blowout of the Miami Marlins, they went on to go 9-31 in their next 40 games. They then hit rock bottom with a nine-game losing streak that was snapped Tuesday night with a 7-5 win over the Royals.
The A’s won again last night 5-1 to win back-to-back games for the first time since their six-game winning streak. Thursday, they looked to make it three in a row with Mitch Spence on the mound on this cool and beautiful partly cloudy afternoon at the Coliseum.
Spence pitched a 1-2-3 top of the first inning, and the A’s came to bat in the bottom of the first against the Royals’ veteran right-hander, Seth Lugo. JJ Bleday drew a one-out walk, but Lugo got Miguel Andujar to ground to short for a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
Freddy Fermin hit a home run to left field with one out in the top of the second to give Kansas City a 1-0 lead. MJ Melendez followed Fermin’s home run with a double to left, and Dairon Blanco reached on an infield hit that hit off the glove of spence and died out in the middle in the middle of the infield.
The Royals were looking to add on, as they had runners at first and second base with one out for Garrett Hampson. Spence was then able to settle down, as Hampson popped out to second on an infield fly, and Kyle Isbel struck out swinging to end the inning.
The A’s went down 1-2-3 in the top of the second, as did the Royals in the top of the third. Zack Gelof lined a base-hit out to left-center for Oakland’s first hit of the game to lead off the bottom of the third, but Kyle McCann immediately followed that up by grounding into a double play. Aledmys Diaz singled with two outs, but he would be left at first.
The game was going along quite quickly, as it took just 35 minutes to get through the first three innings
Fermin hooked a ball down the left field line for his second home run of the game with one out in the top of the fourth to make it 2-0 Royals. Just like in the top of the second, Melendez followed up Fermin’s home run with a double, but like the top of the second, Spence escaped further damage.
Andujar singled with one out in the bottom of the fourth, but Brent Rooker grounded into Oakland’s third double play of the afternoon to end the inning. Spence and Lugo both pitched 1-2-3 innings in the fifth, and even though the game had slowed down a bit, both pitchers were on in what was a pitcher’s duel.
Spence retired the first two men he faced in the top of the sixth, but Fermin singled the other way to right for his third hit of the game, and Melendez worked a 12-pitch plate appearance into a walk. At that point, Mark Kotsay got his bullpen going, but Spence struck Blanco out looking on a cutter just off the outside to end the inning and his day.
Spence was solid this afternoon, and though the 12-pitch walk may have taken him out of this game earlier than he would have liked, he still gave the A’s everything he needed. Spence did give up six hits, but he limited the Royals to two runs over six innings, while striking out seven.
“I’m starting to get confidence in the rotation,” said Spence. “[I’m] just trying to do the best I can. If the A’s see me in the rotation, then I’ll be in the rotation.”
Max Schuemann singled off Lugo with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, and Bleday walked, and the A’s had a two-out rally going. However, Andujar flew out to left to end the inning.
The new pitcher for Oakland in the top of the seventh with Vinny Nittoli, and he struck out the first two men he faced en route to a 1-2-3 inning. Lugo also struck out the first two men he faced in the bottom of the seventh, but he wouldn’t be so lucky with two outs.
Lawrence Butler doubled, and Zack Gelof tied the game with a home run to center. The A’s were now looking to do even more. Kyle McCann drew a walk, and Kotsay had Abraham Toro pinch-hit for Aledmys Diaz. Royals Manager Matt Quataro then brought in James McArthur.
Toro ripped a double down the right field line. Right-fielder Dairon Blanco picked it up in the corner and got it in to the second-baseman, Adam Frazier. A’s Third-Base Coach Eric Martins surprisingly waved in McCann, who was thrown out by a mile at the plate by Frazier’s relay.
It was a brand-new game at 2-2 going to the eighth, as Nittoli came out for another inning. However, Bobby Witt Jr. immediately greeted Nittoli with an absolute bomb to left to put the Royals back ahead.
Schuemann walked off McArthur to start the bottom of the eighth, but he was picked off at first base. That proved to be costly for Oakland, as they got runners to the corners with two outs, but left-hander Angel Zerpa came in and got pinch-hitter Tyler Nevin to ground out to short to end the inning.
T.J. McFarland pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the ninth, and Zerpa was back out to try and convert the four-out save in the bottom of the ninth.
Lawrence Butler reached on a bobbled ground ball by Witt at short to start the inning, and Zack Gelof was called out on a slider right at the knees by Home Plate Umpire D.J. Reyburn for the first out. Kotsay then brought up Shea Langiliers to pinch-hit for catcher Kyle McCann, and even though Gelof was the one called out, McCann had some words for Reyburn from the dugout and was promptly ejected.
“The zone was good; DJ was doing a good job all day,” said Kotsay. “It’s just the emotion of the game.”
Langeliers singled Butler over to second, and that prompted Quatato to bring in Chris Stratton. The A’s were in perfect position, as they had runners at first and second—the tying run at second, and the winning run at first—with one out. However, Stratton got pinch-hitter Daz Cameron and Max Schuemann to both fly out, and the Royals held on to win 3-2.
James McArthur got the win; Vinny Nittoli took the loss; and Chris Stratton picked up his fourth save of the year.
The A’s fall to 28-49, and they will welcome the Minnesota Twins to the Coliseum for three starting Friday night. Joey Ested (2-2, 5.97 ERA) will make the start for Oakland in the series opener Friday night, and he will be opposed by Chris Paddock (5-3, 5.25 ERA). First pitch will be at 6:40 p.m.
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