No slowing down

A’s use 10-run in third inning to rout O’s

BALTIMORE – In a complete one-sided domination of epic proportions, it’s hard to determine what was more impressive for the A’s – pitching or hitting?

The A’s fourth installment of the “bullpenning” method this year was by far their most successful in Wednesday’s 10-0 win over the Orioles, which brought them within one game of the New York Yankees for the top AL wild card spot with 16 remaining.

Opener Liam Hendriks allowed a hit in the first before Daniel Mengden, Ryan Dull, JB Wendelken and Aaron Brooks combined to keep the Orioles hitless the rest of the night.

But the A’s offensive explosion that resulted in career-highs galore in the third inning was nextlevel ridiculous.

“I don’t know that I’ve been a part of one of those,” said A’s first baseman Matt Olson.

An inning that began with Nick Martini leading off with a single against Andrew Cashner resulted in a total of 15 plate appearances, 10 of those resulting in hits, and 10 runs crossing home plate.

Khris Davis singled home a run for his career-high tying 110th RBI of the season.

Matt Olson crushed his careerhigh 26th home run.

The home runs came more frequently in Olson’s 2017 rookie campaign as he smacked 25 homers over just 189 big league at-bats. Such a torrid pace was unrealistic to expect to be replicated this year, but Olson said this season has been a “grind” The A’s Matt Chapman follows through on a two-run double during the third inning of Wednesday’s win over the Orioles. offensively for him, entering the night batting .239.

Surpassing last season’s home run total is something Olson looks forward to look back on when the season is over.

“To be able to kind of step back and look at things like that is good,” Olson said. “It’s nice to know there’s some positives.”

Olson’s homer also happened to be the A’s 200th home run of the season. It’s just the second time the A’s have reached the 200-mark for a season since 2002.