May 19th 2024.
The Oakland Athletics' recent struggles have continued, as they suffered a 5-3 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Saturday. With this defeat, their record has dropped to 10 games below .500. Despite a strong performance from Seth Brown, who hit a massive two-run home run against the league's earned run average leader Seth Lugo, the A's were unable to take the lead and ultimately lost the game.
This loss marks the seventh in a row for the Athletics, and their ninth in their last 10 games. They have now lost 12 of their last 14 games, after being at a .500 record of 17-17 on May 4th. The team's downward spiral has caused them to fall in the standings of the American League West division.
Brown's home run was his fourth of the season, while Kyle Isbel also hit his fourth for the Royals. Kansas City's record has improved to 28-19. Despite the loss, A's manager Mark Kotsay was encouraged by his team's 11 hits, even though they were only able to score runs on Brown's home run.
Kotsay told reporters that the team just couldn't get the big hit when they needed it, unlike the Royals who were able to capitalize on a two-out hit in the fifth inning to extend their lead. However, he remains hopeful for the offense's potential and believes that if they can get it going, they have a chance to turn things around.
The A's showed some signs of life in the seventh inning when Abraham Toro, J.J. Bleday, and Brent Rooker hit three consecutive singles with two outs against reliever John Schrieber. This cut the Royals' lead to 4-3, but they were unable to complete the comeback as Kansas City added another run in the bottom of the inning.
Starting pitcher Ross Stripling had a tough outing, giving up four earned runs in just five innings. He was replaced in the sixth after allowing a double and a single that gave the Royals a 4-2 lead. Stripling has pitched five or more innings in nine of his last ten games, but the team has struggled to give him enough run support.
Lugo, who entered the game as the league's earned run average leader with 1.66, was pulled in the sixth inning after a two-out error by shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. With two runners on base, John Schreiber came in and retired Brown to end the inning. Lugo threw 96 pitches with one walk and 10 strikeouts.
In the ninth inning, the A's tried to mount a comeback with singles by Max Schuemann and pinch-hitter Kyle McCann, but they were unable to bring them home as the Royals' closer, James McArthur, shut them down with two strikeouts to earn his 11th save.
The Royals' offense was led by Vinnie Pasquantino, who broke an 0-for-14 slump with a two-out single in the fifth inning that gave them the lead. This hit brought home Maikel Garcia, who had doubled earlier in the inning.
Brown's home run came in the second inning, following a double by Zack Gelof. It was a massive shot that traveled 445 feet and had an exit velocity of 109.2 miles per hour. Brown had been struggling at the plate, going 4-for-39 in his last 16 games.
The Royals got off to a quick start in the first inning, with Garcia and Witt both hitting singles and eventually scoring on a two-run single by Salvador Perez. The A's offense has been struggling to produce runs, and they even brought in Tyler Nevin, who had been struggling with a 1-for-37 slump, as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning.
The series between these two teams will conclude on Sunday with J.P. Sears starting for the A's against Brady Singer for the Royals. The A's will then have a day off before returning home for a six-game homestand against the Colorado Rockies and Houston Astros.
Meanwhile, the A's are keeping a close eye on Miguel Andujar, who is currently on a rehab assignment with the Triple-A Las Vegas team. They signed Andujar in the offseason with hopes of him recapturing his 2018 rookie season magic, where he was the runner-up for American League Rookie of the Year. After undergoing surgery for a torn meniscus, Andujar is now working his way back to the major league team.
In his first game with Las Vegas, Andujar went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs. Manager Mark Kotsay says they will continue to monitor his progress over the weekend, and if his body responds well, they will bring him back to the big leagues. Andujar had a strong spring training, hitting .357 with five home runs, and the A's are hopeful that he can make a positive impact on the team once he's fully recovered.
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