Luke Mann kept swinging a hot bat Friday night, but his latest power surge wasn’t enough to lift Midland past Amarillo.
The first baseman launched two home runs for the second straight game, giving the RockHounds a jolt in a 9-7 loss. Mann tied the game with a two-run shot in the top of the fourth, then went deep again in the ninth with a solo homer that pulled Midland within two. Over his last four games, Mann has gone 10 for 16 with six home runs.
Midland got plenty from the middle of its lineup, too. Devin Taylor finished 3 for 5 with a homer, a walk, two RBIs and a stolen base, while Bobby Boser added a homer, a double, a walk and two runs scored. Corey Avant gave the RockHounds four innings and allowed three runs, and Diego Barrera took the loss after giving up four runs in two-thirds of an inning out of the bullpen.
In Stockton, the Ports handled Visalia 5-3, with Jeffrey Springs making a rehab start and working three innings. Springs allowed five hits and three runs, though only one was earned, while striking out four and walking none. Stockton got the win from Tyler August, who threw two scoreless innings, and Jackson Holmes closed it out with 0.2 scoreless innings for the save.
The Ports also got offense from Edgar Montero, who homered, while Bobby Blandford and Roman Martin each chipped in a double. Blandford added a walk, a stolen base, an RBI and a run, and Martin finished with a double, a hit by pitch, a stolen base, an RBI and a run.
In the Midwest League, West Michigan topped Lansing 5-3. Jake Reinisch led the Lugnuts offense with a 3-for-4 night that included a double and an RBI, Daniel Bucciero went 2 for 4 with two runs, and Gunner Gouldsmith finished 1 for 3 with a walk and an RBI. Samuel Dutton took the loss, allowing four earned runs over six innings while striking out five.
The Triple-A matchup between Sacramento and Las Vegas was suspended in the third inning with the Aviators leading 2-0.
Saturday’s schedule includes the completion of the suspended Sacramento-Las Vegas game, along with a second game between those clubs. Midland returns to Amarillo, Lansing visits West Michigan, and Visalia heads to Stockton.
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Jeff McNeil And Carlos Cortes Just Gave A's Fans A Reason
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For a team with little margin for error, any hint of momentum matters, especially with only 40 games left to shape the seasons finish. Oakland still has plenty to sort through, and the relief work remains a major concern, but the recent production from McNeil and Cortes offers a reminder that the As can still put together competitive stretches if the bats keep carrying some of the load. [Read more 🡒]
Athletics Let Early Surge Slip Away In Another Costly Loss
The Athletics got a lift from Henry Bolte, who went 3-for-5 and launched a three-run homer, and J.T. Ginn gave them a chance by working six innings in his start. Even so, the early push was not enough in a 5-3 loss to the Texas Rangers, a result that kept Oakland from stringing together back-to-back wins and left the club with the worst record in the sport.
Oakland has shown flashes in spots, but the larger pattern keeps coming back around in the same frustrating way. The Rangers leaned on MacKenzie Gore to get into the sixth inning, then turned it over to a bullpen that finished with 3 1/3 scoreless frames, and now the series heads to its finale with Jacob Lopez lined up for the Athletics against Cody Bradford for Texas. [Read more 🡒]