CRUCIAL A’S ERROR LEADS TO GAME 1 LOSS
Astros score four runs in sixth during two-out rally
The Oakland A’s were on the wrong side of a role reversal in Game 1 of the ALDS, losing 10- 5 on Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. This is Oakland’s eighth-straight loss in a postseason series’ Game 1 dating back to the 2006 ALCS.
The A’s otherwise staunch bullpen blew a lead late, while Houston’s young and shaky bullpen shut down any concept of an Oakland comeback.
The turning point, though, came on a costly error from Marcus Semien’s error on what should have been Josh Reddick’s inning-ending groundout in the sixth turned into a four-run, twoout rally that gave the Astros a lead they wouldn’t surrender.
All four of the unearned runs fell on J.B. Wendelken’s shoulders, who couldn’t close the flood gates after the error. Houston racked up the go-ahead runs on four hits from Martín Maldonado, George Springer, Michael Brantley and José Altuve.
Houston’s bullpen struggled through growing pains this year, amounting to a 4.39 ERA and 1.52 WHIP. The staff was lights out Monday, pitching five scoreless innings to pick up McCullers. In the postseason, they’ve dealt 14 scoreless innings and allowed three hits.
Perhaps it was the hot air and outward wind blowing at Dodger Stadium aided contact, but the AL West foes were seeing home runs off some of the game’s most elusive pitchers.
The A’s have struggled mightily against offspeed pitchers this season, their .180 average against them ranked third-worst in Major League Baseball. But they were seeing Lance McCullers’ Jr.’s devastating changeup well Monday.
Khris Davis got the scoring started with his second home run of the postseason, a tworun shot off a first-pitch sinker. The next inning, Sean Murphy roped a changeup into deep center field for a solo shot to give the A’s a 3- 0 lead.
Chris Bassitt, who was 4- 0 with a 0.53 ERA and .230 op
ponents batting average over his last five starts dating back to Sept. 7, made one mistake too many. He left a curveball and sinker over the plate for Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa, who tied the game up with a pair of home runs.
Matt Olson hit the game’s fifth home run to begin the fourth inning and give the A’s a one-run lead.
A handful of scoring opportunities to break the game open fizzled, though. The biggest: After Olson’s home run, Davis and Robbie Grossman were stranded when the bottom of the order couldn’t scratch one across in a no- out opportunity.