Mengden’s homecoming a feel-bad story
HOUSTON >> Daniel Mengden got a rude welcome in his return home.
Pitching in front of several friends and family members in his second career start at Minute Maid Park, the Houston native was lit up by the Astros for five runs on six hits as he lasted just 2 1/3 innings in Saturday’s 11-0 loss. Mengden fell to 2-3 with his ERA now at 4.68 after what was his worst outing of the season.
Mengden found himself in trouble early. He allowed the first three batters he faced to reach base, and then a pair of sacrifice flies gave the Astros two quick runs before Alex Bregman’s booming two-run double off the wall in right that put the Astros (18-10) ahead 4-0.
Falling behind early in the count was what Mengden felt ultimately led to his downfall.
“Hitting in a 2-0, 2-1, 3-1 count is what hitters dream of and that’s what I gave them all night,” Mengden said. “I just didn’t execute very well tonight.”
The struggles against the Astros continued for Mengden. He entered the night 0-2 with a 6.33 ERA against Houston in four career starts.
Mengden’s poor start also snapped what was a streak of 11 games in which A’s starters had gone at least five innings in a start.
“It didn’t matter what team was out there tonight. Falling behind and having to throw heaters in fastball counts. Left some pitches up.
It was a recipe for disaster,” Mengden said.
Though Mengden recovered with a quick one-twothree second, Josh Reddick’s one-out single in the third prompted A’s manager Bob Melvin to end his night at just 57 pitches and begin what became a brutal night for the bullpen, which allowed six runs over 5 2/3 innings.
Four home runs were surrendered by A’s relievers, one by Danny Coulombe and three by newcomer Wilmer Font.
Making his first appearance since his arrival earlier this week in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Font gave up back-to-back homers to George Springer and Jose Altuve in the sixth, with Altuve’s a moonshot that actually left the entire stadium. He allowed one more solo shot to Marwin Gonzalez in the seventh to give the Astros their 10th run.
In 12 1/3 innings combined with the Dodgers and A’s this season, Font has surrendered eight home runs, tied with Cole Hamels, Jakob Junis, and Josh Tomlin for most in the majors.
“That looks to be his Achilles’ heel,” Melvin said. “He’s got a power arm to get some strikeouts, but gotta get the ball down and get ahead in the count.”
After the A’s offense exploded in Friday’s 8-1 win, Lance McCullers Jr. kept silenced it Saturday night.
Perfect through five innings, McCullers Jr. gave up his first hit in the sixth when Mark Canha led off with a single to center. Stephen Piscotty followed with a single of his own, but Bruce Maxwell grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end what was really the A’s (14-13) only chance of a threat on the night.
McCullers Jr surrendered just two hits through seven innings with seven strikeouts and no walks.
“He spins his breaking ball a little bit differently,” Melvin said. “Some have a more tighter spin and some more of a curveball spin. He had good stuff and we had trouble getting good swings off.”
It was the second time the A’s have been shutout this season.
• Paul Blackburn began throwing from 90 feet Saturday as he progresses from forearm tightness that has kept out since near the end of spring training.
“I know he feels great,” Melvin said. “Hopefully once we get home, we’ll look at him potentially getting on the mound.”