Game #57: A’s Rally (Twice) but Ultimately Lose in 11 innings

It took almost 5 hours and two comebacks to decide the outcome, but ultimately the A’s couldn’t overcome the Angels offense, losing 12-7 in 11 innings and dropping the series, two games to one. The A’s trailed 2-0, 3-1, 5-1, 7-5, before dramatically tying the game in the bottom of the ninth. The A’s pitching staff walked nine batters, hit three and watched two of their best relievers, Blake Treinen and Lou Trivino combine to allow 7 runs (six earned) between them.

Game Preview/GameThread #1 + GameThread #2 + GameThread #3

Rough Opener
Liam Hendricks got the call to open for the A’s in today’s afternoon contest from the Coliseum. After mowing down the Angels in relief in two high leverage innings (33 pitches) last night, less than 14 hours later, Hendricks struggled in the first inning.

Angels Jump Out Early
A one out hit hit from Tommy La Stella (hitting .375 in day games) and back to back walks to Shohie Othani (questionable check swing call from third base umpire, James Hoye) and Jonathan Lucroy loaded the bases for Kole Calhoun. Hendricks dug down deep and induced a harmless fly ball from Calhoun and it looked like the A’s would dodge a bullet against the Trout-less and Pujol-less starting line-up from the Angels...Except the next batter, a guy named, Cesar Puello, a journeyman minor leaguer with his 8th organization, had different plans.

The A’s got one back in the 3rd inning courtesy of Marcus Semien:

Angels outfielder, Brian Goodwin knocked in a third run for the Halos off A’s starter, reliever, Daniel Mengden, to give the Angels a 3-1 advantage after five innings. Mengden pitched fairly well today, following “opener” Liam Hendricks, allowing only one run on four hits and striking out six through 4 1/3 innings of work. He nemesis again was his wildness, walking three and throwing 87 pitches through only 4 ¹⁄₃ innings of work.

A’s Relievers Struggle
Ryan Buchter replaced Mengden in the top of the sixth inning with one out and promptly gave up a single to La Stella (I was frantically waving my arms at the A’s pitching staff in the pregame write-up, don’t pitch to do this guy during the day!!!) and allowed a walk to Othani. Fortunately for the A’s, right before Buchter’s walk to Othani, Angels manager Brad Ausmus (don’t you kind of miss Mike Scioscia?) unwisely sent Fletcher to third on a 2-2 pitch and Hundley-Chapman were able to nab him trying to steal for out number two. After the walk to Othani, BoMel summoned the bullpen once again, bringing in Yusmeiro Petit. Petit got Jonathan Lucroy to pop up to end the threat and keep the A’s in the ballgame.

Angels “No-Namers” Come Through
Unfortunately, the Angels would heat their offense back up in the top of the seventh inning of Petit. Kalhoun reached on an infield single and then the afore mentioned minor league journeyman, Ceser Puello, took Petit deep to extend the Angels lead to 5-1.
An Angels line-up with no Mike Trout, Albert Pujols or Andrelton Simmons and featuring names like Puello, Walsh and Rengifo tagged the A’s for twelve runs on sixteen hits on the day. Not a good performance for the Oakland pitching staff.

A’s Offense Scratches for Two in the 7th
Oakland loaded the bases with nobody out in the 7th...Unfortunately, they traded two runs for two outs to keep the rally at just two scored but cutting the lead to 5-3.

Wei-Chung Wang Delivers Again
The A’s brought up the lefthanded reliever from Las Vegas earlier this week and he threw two scoreless innings on Tuesday night. On Wednesday afternoon, he pitched a clean 8th inning to set up the A’s (first) comeback

Olson “Tells it Goodbye”
Matt Olson has been a big reason for the A’s recent hot streak and today he delivered a key hit once again, doing this in the 8th inning with a runner on:

Treinen gives up two runs in the 9th
With the score tied, the A’s brought in closer, Blake Treinen. It was a strange inning to say the least. Treinen hit Kole Calhoun on a 0-2 pitch. Calhoun would be tagged out a batter later on this play

The mental error by Calhoun wouldn’t stop the Angels from getting to Treinen however.
A Luis Rengifo double with two outs (the Angels had 5 two out RBI’s on the day) plated Brian Goodwin to give the Angels the lead, 6-5. Treinen then allowed a bloop single to Jared Walsh, a part-time pitcher and part-time first basemen, to give the Halos a two run lead, 7-5.

A’s Offense Comes Back (Again)
Mark Canha lead-off the bottom of the ninth with a solo homer, his ninth home run on the season. Down by a run with nobody out, Jurickson Profar doubled to put the tying run in scoring position. A Ramon Laureano infield single put runners on the corners and Josh Phegley produced a SAC Fly RBI to tie the game at 7.

Teams Trade Zeroes in the 10th Inning
The A’s had a chance in the bottom of the inning as Piscotty singled with two out and Mark Canha also singled to put the winning run in scoring position for Jurickson Profar. Profar worked the count to 3-2 before innocently flying out to centerfield.

Wheels Fall off the A’s Wagon in the 11th
Lou Trivino pitched a perfect 10th inning. In the 11th, he ran into trouble. A hit batsmen, a rare Matt Olson error and a couple of soft singles batted the Angels around in the inning. When all the dust settled, Aaron Brooks was on the mound and the Angels had scored 5 runs to go ahead 12-7.

Good News
The last two days have been ugly, but the A’s are still 7-2 so far on the 12 game homestand. The A’s will enjoy a much needed day off tomorrow before regrouping to face the Springer-less and Correa-less Astros over the weekend in Oakland with a chance to cut into the AL West Division lead that Houston currently has over the A’s.