The Oakland Athletics welcomed the Pittsburgh Pirates for three games starting Friday. To be fair, both teams are currently under .500, but the ballgame had me on the edge of my seat. The Pirates eventually went on to take the opener with a 7-3 win over the A’s.
The Oakland Athletics wasted no time as Marcus Semien hit a two-run homer to center for his 17th home run of the season and a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. According to A’s beat writer John Hickey, Semien had scored at least one run in nine straight games for the longest streak in A’s history. In my opinion, Semien might not be a household name, but he’s been having quite a season so far.
After an A’s sacrifice bunt, the ball just kept going and Pirates left fielder Starling Marte was unable to find it. The A’s took a 3-0 lead on Jed Lowrie’s RBI double that scored Yonder Alonso.
The Pirates reduced the lead to 3-1 in the top of the third as Jordy Mercer hit a line-drive homer to left. Pittsburgh was about to do some more damage, but A’s right fielder Josh Reddick made a spectacular running catch to prevent a potential game-tying hit.
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Andrew McCutchen came home on a wild pitch by Sonny Gray with David Freese batting. The Pirates made it a one-run game. However, the A’s have been in this situation before. There was still plenty of time left in the ballgame to sink or swim.
Mercer went 2-for-2 and singled on a sharp line drive to Khris Davis, deflected by A’s third baseman Danny Valencia. Pirates outfielder Matt Joyce scored to expand the lead to 7-3. Simply put, Pittsburgh stymied a sizzling A’s offense. They overcame a 3-0 deficit and rallied in order to take the opener.
I’m fully aware Gray is the A’s ace, but he’s not playing like one. I’m not even sure if he’s the face of the A’s right now. Gray struggled, allowing seven runs over six innings, including five runs over his final two innings to lose for the seventh time this season.
The Pirates scored seven runs on eight hits and raised the jolly roger at the Coliseum.