Bizarre ending spoils A’s comeback
HOUSTON (TNS) – It was all setting up perfectly for the A’s. They had just completed another late-inning comeback to take the lead in extra innings, giving way to their automatic Allstar closer. It was similar to the movie we’ve seen plenty of times this season. But this one had a twist ending.
Blake Treinen’s streak of 20 consecutive save opportunities converted was snapped, and a brutal mistake by Jonathan Lucroy turned an amazing comeback into one of the most bizarre finishes possible in Tuesday’s 6-5 extra-inning loss to the Astros.
Having already allowed the game-tying run in the 11th inning after a throw home by Marcus Semien bounced off Lucroy’s glove while trying to tag out Josh Reddick at the plate, the catcher then made a grave mistake.
What looked like a basic tapper in front of home plate by Alex Bregman turned wild when Lucroy picked up the ball and attempted to tag out Bregman, who was shifting back and forth to avoid the tag, and dropped the ball. He then picked the ball up and hit Bregman on the helmet,
Bay Area News Group The Houston Astros’ Josh Reddick scores past Oakland A’s catcher Jonathan Lucroy during the 11th inning of the Astros’ wild 6-5 victory at Minute Maid Park in Houston.
with the ball sailing past first baseman Mark Canha. Kyle Tucker came in to score. Game over.
The weird finish overshadowed what was another amazing comeback the A’s have gotten used to this season.
Looking dead in the water through eight innings, the A’s mounted a furious impact by leading off with four consecutive singles ninth as they dropped a four-spot on the Astros. The rally was capped off by Marcus Semien, who with two outs smacked a first-pitch slider from Hector Rondon into left field to bring home Khris Davis
and Nick Martini for a game-tying double.
After Yusmeiro Petit held the meat of the Astros lineup in check for two more innings, Stephen Piscotty delivered with a goahead solo bomb into the Crawford boxes. It was Piscotty’s 10th home run of the season and fourth straight game with a homer.
Cubs 2, Giants 0 The Giants’ inability to hit and a miscue in the field that took place after Derek Holland left proved to be their downfall in a loss to the Cubs.
After Holland allowed a one-out double to Addison Russell in the top of the seventh, Bochy removed his starter and brought in reliever Sam Dyson.
The fourth pitch of Dyson’s outing landed well in front of Nick Hundley, allowing Russell to dart toward third base. The Giants catcher retrieved the ball and tried to throw out Russell, but his throw rolled down the left field line and allowed Chicago to take a 1-0 lead.
Later in the inning, a double from Victor Caratini made it 2-0, making it harder for Holland to leave AT&T Park with anything but a loss in tow.
The Giants received the standout outing they desperately needed from Holland, but the offense couldn’t scratch across a run and had only three hits against Cubs lefty Jose Quintana.
San Francisco entered Tuesday’s game having lost 10 of its past 15 against left-handed starters during a stretch that has largely coincided with third baseman Evan Longoria’s injury absence. While Longoria’s fractured hand may not keep him out past the end of July, the Giants are scrambling for solutions against southpaws and coming up empty.