Oakland Athletics Game 6 – Saturday, April 11, 2015 @ 1:00 pm
Game Attendance: 24,355
Season Attendance: 141,085
Lowest Attendance: 15,025 (Game 2)
Game Time: 3:39
Season Time: 17:05
Win Record: 3-3
Win Record vs Mariners: 1-1
Streak: L1
AL West Standing: 1st (Tied with Rangers)
Magic Number: 157
Winning Pitcher: Tyler Olson (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Fernando Abad (0-1)
Pitchers/Pitch Count: Gray/96, O’Flaherty/7, Otero/6, Clippard/32, Abad/27, Chavez/6
Total Pitches per game: 174
Total Pitches per season: 807
Game Home Runs: 0
Season Home Runs: 3
Game Runs: 4
Season Runs: 36
Runs Rank: 2nd
Run Differential: 18
Differential Rank: 2nd (Tied with Royals)
Game RBI Leader: Zobrist (1), Lawrie (1), Phegley (1), Semien (1)
Season RBI Leader: Canha (6), Semien (6)
Most RBI’s in Single Game: 4 (Game 3 & 5)
Game RISP: 5 for 11
Game LOB: 10
Season RISP: 24 for 71
Season LOB: 47
Game Batting Average: .286
Lineup Batting Average: .297
Total Players Used in Game: 19
Most Players Used in Game: 19 (Game 6)
Challenged Plays: 1 (Not Overturned)
Total Challenged Plays: 3
Total Overturned Plays: 2
Games Won in Extra Innings: 0
Total Games Played in Extra Innings: 1 (6)
Special Notes:
Sometimes it’s just one of those games. Game 6 had everything that an Oakland Athletics fan could want in a dominant outing by Sonny Gray, an (almost) error-less defense, and enough run support to win the game. Despite that, it seemed to have everything going Seattle’s way and Oakland, ultimately, couldn’t overcome the inertia.
The game featured two controversial umpire reviews which both went against the Oakland Athletics. The first challenge, initiated by Oakland, came in the 7th when Josh Phegley attempted a slide into home. The plate umpire initially called Phegley out, a call that would stand under review, but it seemed possible that Phegley beat the tag and probable that catcher Jesus Sucre was blocking the bag. Instead of adding a run, the A’s added an out and the inning ended on a Sam Fuld popup in the next at bat. The second, and possibly most enraging, call came in the 8th when the Mariners challenged a force play at second.
With one out on the board, the Oakland Athletics attempted a double play but only managed to get the call at second base. The Mariners, however, challenged the “neighborhood play” which, to this point, everyone and their grandmother thought was ineligible for review. It was determined that Semien, in fact, did not have his foot on the bag when he threw to first (he missed by two inches at the most) and the lone out was turned into a safe call and the A’s single error on the day.You can read more about that on the link provided below but, suffice to say, it was a crap call. Now with two outs and two men on, the homer by Nelson Cruz packs a lead changing punch.
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The A’s would answer with by evening the score in the bottom of the 8th but would end up losing the game in 11. The last controversy came from Oakland’s third base coach, Mike Gallego who, in the 10th with one out, he waved Zobrist home on a deep hit by Ike Davis. Zobrist was tagged out and missed by several feet. Fan think would dictate that, with only one out, holding Zobrist at third would have been the better alternative with only one out on the board. Fan think may have been different had Zobrist been abandoned on third, though, considering the A’s left 10 men on base and are 24 for 71 with RISP. The internet is split between fans who think Gallego was reckless and fans who applaud him for being an aggressive coach. Bob Melvin, at least publicly, supported Gallego and said, “I never second guess Gags.” That doesn’t mean he didn’t stuff his locker with biting lobsters this morning, though. This game marked the third loss in six games and continues the strange opening week of every-other day victories.