The Athletics dug themselves into a hole almost immediately Friday night in West Sacramento, and the Miami Marlins never let them out. A six-run first inning set the tone in a 12-5 loss for the A’s, who also gave up five home runs in the series opener.
Jack Perkins was hit hard from the jump. Miami’s first three batters all singled to load the bases, and Xavier Edwards then drew a walk to force in the first run.
Shea Langeliers’ passed ball, his sixth of the season, brought in another. Then Heriberto Hernandez turned on one for a three-run homer to center, his ninth of the year, before Jakob Marsee added a solo shot to right with two outs for a 6-0 Marlins lead.
The A’s had a chance to answer right away. Nick Kurtz and Lawrence Butler singled in the bottom of the first to put two on with one out, but Tyler Phillips worked out of the jam. Miami tacked on another run in the second on Edwards’ sacrifice fly, pushing the margin to 7-0.
Perkins did settle in briefly, striking out the side in the third, and the A’s finally got on the board in that inning. Alika Williams doubled to lead off, and Kurtz followed with his 20th home run of the season - a 457-foot blast to center that cut into the deficit.
Still, the early damage was massive. Perkins was charged with seven runs on seven hits and four walks in 3 2/3 innings, though he did pile up eight strikeouts. Jose Suarez came on with the bases loaded and two outs in the fourth and kept the game from getting even uglier, getting Griffin Conine to line out to Kurtz for a run-saving catch.
That same fourth inning turned into the A’s best push of the night. Joshua Kuroda-Grauer and Carlos Cortes singled, Henry Bolte walked, and Jeff McNeil ripped a bases-clearing double into the left-center gap to pull Oakland within two. Phillips was done after 3 1/3 innings, having allowed five runs on seven hits, and Miami turned to Michael Petersen to stop the bleeding.
The Marlins did just that. Petersen retired Jonah Heim and Colby Thomas to end the threat, and Langeliers also left the game with a left thumb injury. Thomas later made up for the strikeout with a diving catch in left field, helping Suarez get through a scoreless fifth.
Oakland had another chance in the fifth when Cortes and Bolte singled with one out against Tyler Zuber, but the rally fizzled and the A’s came away empty again with runners in scoring position. Miami then grabbed control back for good in the sixth when Kyle Stowers launched a solo homer to right off Justin Sterner, his ninth of the season.
Stowers kept going. He added his second homer of the game and fourth hit in the eighth, taking Mason Barnett deep to make it 10-5. In the ninth, Owen Caissie finished the scoring with a two-run homer off Barnett, his 11th of the season.
The Marlins bullpen shut the door over the final three innings, and the A’s were left with a lopsided loss after the night’s early avalanche. Oakland will try to even the series Saturday behind Aaron Civale, who is still looking for his first win since returning from the injured list. Miami will counter with Sandy Alcantara, who is 9-4 with a 4.20 ERA in 18 starts this season.
In Other News...
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Shea Langeliers has become one of the more obvious extension candidates on the Athletics roster, which is exactly the kind of development clubs hope to see when a young core starts taking shape. The catcher has already reached 20 home runs and has now put together four straight seasons with that kind of power, all while playing on a one-year, $5.25 million deal that keeps him affordable for the time being.
For the As, the appeal is easy to see: a productive catcher in his prime years, under team control now, and potentially worth securing before the price tag climbs. The organization has already shown a willingness to lock up younger pieces, and Langeliers fits the same broad logic, even if the timing and terms of any next move are still to be determined. [Read more 🡒]
A's Bullpen Squeeze Just Forced Another Tough Roster Decision
The Athletics bullpen has been living on the edge for a while, and the latest roster move only underscores how thin the margin has become. With injuries continuing to chip away at the staff, the club is trying to piece together enough reliable arms to get through games now while also keeping one eye on the trade deadline and the kind of help that could stabilize the group.
For the moment, the left-handed depth chart is especially tight, with Jose Suarez and Hogan Harris carrying most of that burden in different ways. Suarez has been used more in long relief, while Harris is not the sort of arm the As can lean on every day, which is why the front office is likely keeping close tabs on both internal options and outside names as it weighs how aggressively to address the bullpen before the deadline. [Read more 🡒]
Athletics Bullpen Problem Could Force One Deadline Move Into Focus
With the trade deadline approaching and a postseason race still in view, the Athletics are weighing whether their bullpen needs a real upgrade. Injuries have already thinned the rotation, including ace Luis Severino, which has only added pressure on a relief group that has not been steady enough overall despite carrying multiple left-handers.
That is why a veteran arm is starting to look like the kind of move Oakland may have to make if it wants to stay in the chase. The Mets are expected to be sellers, which puts a left-handed reliever on the market at the right time for a club that needs more reliability late in games, even if the A's already have some southpaw depth on hand. [Read more 🡒]