Steals and slides keep Athletics' winning streak alive

If the losses the Oakland Athletics keep getting on Nevada's soil (yes!) are the thing firing them up on the actual ballparks they are visiting these days, then we can only hope for more delays on the final SB1 decision.

The A's, coming off back-to-back wins to cap the series against the Pittsburgh Pirates ending last Wednesday, arrived in Milwaukee ahead of Friday's game against the Brewers and lost no time in getting their third consecutive victory, this one a 5-2 to make it to a 15-50 record on the season.

The Ahtletics went with Sam Moll as the opener for Friday's matchup and by the time he set feet on the Brewers mound his A's were already up 3-0 through the top of the first inning.

Esteury Ruiz lead things off with a single to center field, followed by a stolen base (his MLB-leading 30th of to season) to reach second base... and barely seconds later advancing to third on a throwing error. Ryan Noda drew a walk, Seth Brown struck out, but Ramon Laureano did all of the good he could coming through with a triple down the right line scoring both Ruiz and Noda. Jonah Bride would follow with a single RBI bringing Laureano home making it 3-0.

If you missed it, this is how Noda scored the second run of the game for the A's. There are slides, and then there are Noda Slides. Speaking after the game, Noda told NBCS he was "just trying to avoid the tag." Humble guy, Noda is.

Although Moll conceded a hit to Owen Miller on his sixth pitch of the day, that's all damage the A's opener would allow any Brewer to inflict on him, wrapping up the inning and never making it back to the field with Luis Medina entering the game on the bottom of the second and looking for his first-ever win in the MLB boasting a 0-5 record before Friday's outing.

In the top of the 2nd, Shea Langeliers hit a double, and Esteury Ruiz added an RBI single, extending the Athletics' lead to 4-0. The Brewers responded in the bottom half with a double by Blake Perkins, driving in a run. Luis Urias then hit a double, bringing the Brewers within two runs at 4-2.

Things went quiet for a while following an eventful start to the game, with three runs scored in each of the first two full innings but only one more through the remainder of the game, courtesy of a sac-fly by Jonah Bride that brought Seth Brown home with the bases loaded and no one out. Sadly, the A's couldn't capitalize on an extraordinary chance to keep stuffing the scoreboard, but we won't complain.

Lucas Erceg relieved Luis Medina (now 1-5 in the Show) in the 7th and Trevor May came in as the closer in the 9th, earning the save for the A's, his second this season following Wednesday's in Pittsburgh, making it back-to-back wins locked. Medina completed five innings in which he allowed three hits on 92 pitches, walking three and striking out six batters.

Ruiz leads the MLB with 30 steals, two clear off second-place Ronald Acuña Jr. (28) with only two other players at 20+ SB through Friday. Noda is alone in first place at NS (Noda Slides).

The A's are in possession of the third-best winning streak (three in a row) in the American League. Oakland has not lost a game since they dropped one at Pittsburgh last Monday. They Athletics might never lose again.