Oakland A’s first baseman Tyler Soderstrom (left) dives towards first base to beat the Arizona Diamondback runner Corbin Carroll (7) to first base in the bottom of the seventh inning at Chase Field in Phoenix on Sat Jun 29, 2024 (AP News photo)
By Barbara Mason
After an impressive offensive display in last night’s game, the Oakland A’s (30-55) offense today was equally unimpressive. They only managed two hits the entire game getting shutout by the Arizona Diamondbacks (39-43) 3-0. The pitching was terrible allowing ten hits and three runs in 3 1/3 innings. They still have the opportunity to win this series if they can get get their bats going in game three.
Game recap: Although the A’s did fall behind early as in Friday night’s game, there was no reason for alarm. This team has proven that they can comeback as they did in last night’s game. The Diamondbacks took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Ketel Marte singled Eugenio Suarez home for the early lead. With so much game left there was still a lot of baseball to be played. Oakland needed their offense to get this game on track.
Arizona did not back down scoring a run in the third and fourth innings. Jake McCarthy singled Christian Walker home and in the fourth inning Lourdes Jose Gurriel Jr doubled Herrera home and the Diamondbacks had a strangle hold on this game and Oakland could not do much about it.
The A’s bats remained silent through the entire game with only twp hits, one in the first inning and one hit in the seventh inning. It was such a stark contrast from what we saw last night. In game one, they had 14 and in today’s game a complete shutdown with the two hits.
Brent Rooker and Miguel Andujar had a single hit apiece but that was it offensively for Oakland. Friday night seven batters for the A’s were hitting and today only Rooker and Andujar. Consistency has been a real problem for Oakland this season and the game today was no different.
The good news is that the rubber game Sunday is a new start and could very well bring the A’ a series win. A’s pitcher Luis Medina will do his best to make that happen. His win-loss record is not great 1-3 and his ERA is 5.25. Arizona has also struggled on the mound this season. They will send Brandon Pfaadt (3-6, ERA 4.45) to start as they will be looking to take the series as well.
It was not a great outing for Hogan Harris in game two. He only lasted 3 1/3 innings allowing 10 hits and three runs and had only three strikeouts. On the other hand the Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen returned from IR holding the A’s to a single hit in six innings for the 3-0 win. Gallen threw 77 pitches, 50 strikes striking out seven A’s. Ketel Marte had another solid game with three hits which put the stops on a three-game losing streak for Arizona.
Game notes: After a banner night Friday night the A’s took on the Diamondbacks in game two of their series. There was not much that Oakland could not do Friday night in game one from hitting, to defense to pitching; it was magic and the team needed to keep the ball rolling into the second game of the series.
They have suffered setbacks far too often in the past and ended up repeating an old pattern Saturday with no run production and no hitting. Hogan Harris took the mound for the A’s and couldn’t keep this winning streak alive in the loss. The Diamondbacks assigned Gallen who made his first start since May coming off the IL and wound up shutting out the A’s in six innings pitched.
Sunday afternoon, the A’s will be looking to win this series. They will need a lot more then two hits to do it and they will need Luis Medina to set the stage. Medina will be challenged with a very solid and deep Arizona roster. First pitch for game three is scheduled for 1:10 PM.
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