Win streak hits nine as team heads to nightcap
It took a power outage to bring the A’s winning ways to a halt. At least, temporarily.
In a doubleheader on Tuesday made necessary because of the Minnesota Twins’ recent COVID-19 outbreak, the A’s extended their winning streak to nine games in a 7-0 win over the Twins. The A’s pursuit of win No. 10 in a row came was halted in the fifth inning of Game 2 when a power outage hit the Coliseum.
The A’s were leading 1-0 at the time. For a complete report on the game, go to www.
mercurynews.com.
The A’s cruised to a win behind Sean Manaea’s seveninning shutout. In his third straight quality start, Manaea worked his fastball around the zone with an effective changeup, striking out seven while holding the Twins to six hits. It was Manaea’s second career shutout. His previous was his 2018 no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox.
The A’s win streak is the longest active in the majors, and their longest since they won nine straight from Aug. 1 to Aug. 9 in 2020.
Matt Olson hit the A’s first grand slam of the season in the fourth inning off Twins reliever Jorge Alcala. A leadoff single from Elvis Andrus and a pair of walks from Mark Canha and Jed Lowrie loaded the bases for Olson, who launched his fourth home run of the season off the foul pole in right field for his fourth career grand slam.
The A’s stole two bases that inning to cap off a four stolen-base game. That ties them with the San Diego Padres for most in MLB at 16. Ramón Laureano accounts for eight of them on his own, though he didn’t get in on the action Tuesday.
Olson’s grand slam was the second home run of that fourth inning. Mitch Moreland hit a solo home run to kick off the inning off Twins starter Matt Shoemaker. It was his second home run of the game. He went yard for a two-run blast in the second inning.
Moreland’s two home runs came on 0-2 pitches. Since pitch count data was tracked beginning in 1988, Moreland is the first Athletic to homer twice in an 0-2 count in the same game, per the A’s.
Those were Moreland’s first home runs with the A’s, but his 16th and 17th at the Oakland Coliseum. Moreland has hit more home runs in only Fenway Park (33) and Globe Life Field (55), his two previous longtime home ballparks when he played with the Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers.
A’S DESIGNATE RULE 5 PICK TOM >> The A’s designated 2020 Rule 5 pick Ka’ai Tom for assignment and reinstated Stephen Piscotty from the paternity list, the team announced. The A’s also reinstated reliever Reymin Guduan from the 10day IL and added him as the 27th man for their doubleheader.
Tom, 26, was acquired in the Rule 5 draft from the Cleveland Indians this winter. If he clears waivers, the A’s must offer him back to Cleveland. If the Indians don’t claim Tom back, he can be outrighted to the A’s minor league system.
Tom had little action in his short stint with the A’s. He played nine games and collected one hit, his first career hit, in 16 at-bats. Before his first hit, Tom made his pitching debut in the ninth inning of a blowout game against the Houston Astros during season’s first series.
An oblique injury kept Tom out of action for nearly half of the Cactus League during spring training, but he did go 9 for 29 with a home run and a triple. Tom was added as a much-needed left-handed bat in a right-handed-heavy A’s roster.
The A’s recalled infielder Vimael Machin to fill Piscotty’s spot on the active roster during his paternity leave. With Piscotty returning, the A’s need for infield help trumps outfield help. Machin, a 2019 Rule 5 pick and switch hitter, can provide relief at shortstop for Andrus or third base for Matt Chapman.