50th win starts with scare, ends with sweep
Springer leaves game after being hit in hand, but exam reveals only a bruise for slugger
OAKLAND, Calif. — The Astros had reason to fear the worst when George Springer fell to the ground, face down, after being hit by the fifth pitch in Thursday’s 12-9 victory.
Yet they soon learned they dodged a bullet when X-rays on Springer’s left hand came back negative. The star outfielder was diagnosed with a bruise. Not only is he expected to avoid a stint on the 10-day disabled list, but he could return to the lineup for Friday night’s series opener at Seattle.
“I’m hoping that he’s going to be able to play (Friday),” said Astros manager A.J. Hinch, whose team in completing a four-game road sweep reached 50 wins in the fewest games in
franchise history.
Springer, who has emerged as one of the most dynamic players in baseball, lobbied to stay in the game even after he was hit by a 92 mph two-seam fastball from Oakland starter Jesse Hahn.
“I’m OK,” said Springer, who watched most of the game from the dugout. “I’ll be day to day. We’ll see how I feel (Friday).”
After seeing their leadoff man exit, the Astros (50-24) took advantage of a seemingly rattled Hahn. They scored twice in the first inning before breaking out for an eight-run second, the type of inning that has become a team staple.
Jake Marisnick, who replaced Springer, and Marwin Gonzalez homered in the eight-run frame.
As Marisnick fielded questions from reporters in the Coliseum’s visitors’ clubhouse, Springer yelled “You’re welcome” from a few locker stalls away.
“Thank you, George,” Marisnick responded.
“That’s kind of what symbolizes our team: Next man up,” Springer said. “He stepped up big right there. The whole offense did. It was a good day for us.”
Josh Reddick finished a single shy of a cycle and matched a career high with four runs scored against his former team.
Marisnick, Gonzalez and Evan Gattis drove in three runs apiece. Marisnick’s homer, a three-run shot, set a career high as his 10th of the season. Gonzalez, whose long ball plated two, matched the career high of 13 he set last year.
“We’ve got to quit getting our guys hit on the hand on day games here,” said Reddick, alluding to when shortstop Carlos Correa was plunked on the hand in April.
Reddick then joked; “I’m going to tell our guys to throw at one of their
guys maybe. Not really. But it was a very scary moment.”
Thursday marked the Astros’ 10th consecutive victory at the Coliseum dating to last season. They’ve won 15 of their last 16 games against the Athletics regardless of venue. Reliever Dayan Diaz coughed up five runs during the A’s six-run eighth to make the game much closer than it felt.
“You always want to do well against your former team,” said Reddick, who played for the A’s from 2012-16. “I enjoy beating them regardless whether I go 0-for-4 or 4-for-4, so it is fun. I just wish I wouldn’t have struck out in that one at-bat (in the third inning). I could’ve poked it the other way. But a team win, so that’s all that matters.”
Springer’s injury appeared worse than it turned out to be. He looked frustrated as he walked off the field and into the tunnel leading to the clubhouse while accompanied by athletic trainer Jeremiah Randall.
The incident unfolded in the blink of an eye. On a 3-1 count in the first plate appearance of the game, Springer couldn’t avoid the pitch by Hahn that ran up and in on his body. It grazed Springer’s left shoulder before hitting his hand, at which point he dropped to the ground in pain.
“Going up (to tend to him) I didn’t know whether he got hit in the hand or the face or off the arm,” Hinch said. “I didn’t know where it caromed. It happened fast.”
At home plate, Randall appeared to test Springer’s hand by squeezing between the outfielder’s thumb and index finger. Hinch summoned Marisnick from the dugout to pinch run for Springer at first base.
“We were very, very cautious with pulling him out,” Hinch said. “He wanted to stay in and run and see if he could get the feeling back in his hand. But I told him I wanted to get Jake in there.”
Hahn unraveled after hitting Springer. He issued consecutive walks to Reddick and Correa before allowing consecutive sacrifice flies to Carlos Beltran and Gattis.
The second proved another one of the huge innings that have defined these Astros. After a double by Nori Aoki put runners on the corners, Marisnick cranked an Astros 12, Athletics 9 inside fastball out to leftcenter field.
A fielding error by A’s first baseman Yonder Alonso on a ball hit by Beltran loaded the bases for Gattis, who smacked a two-run single. Gonzalez followed with his blast to right field.
“I do think it impacted Hahn a little bit in the first inning just by that scary incident, just knocking somebody out of the game like that,” Hinch said. “It looked like he lost his feel a little bit. We took advantage of some walks and really took it to him in the second inning.”