Poor defense sinks A’s in 8-4 loss to Astros
Three-error frame helps seal team’s fate in series finale
HOUSTON >> Just when the A’s began to build some momentum, it was all taken away by one ugly inning.
The A’s committed three errors in the seventh inning Sunday, opening the door for a three-run uprising in an 8-4 loss to the Astros.
After tying the game 3-3 entering the bottom of the seventh, Trevor Cahill walked Alex Bregman before getting pulled for Yusmeiro Petit. Petit struck out Marwin Gonzalez, but a bad throw from Jonathan Lucroy to second on an attempted steal by Bregman sent the ball into the outfield and allowed Bregman to advance to third and begin the implosion.
“I take 100 percent blame for it. It’s inexcusable,” Lucroy said of the three-error inning. “You can’t be doing that, giving guys free bases and they score. That’s the whole reason we lost today.”
Brian McCann, who was pinch hitting for Max Stassi, then hit a high pop up to shallow right field that bounced off the glove of Marcus Semien, allowing Bregman to score.
It was going to be a tough play from the start. With the infield drawn in for a potential play at the plate with the runner on third, Semien chased the ball from short all the way to right with his back turned to the infield. Though Jed Lowrie was closer to the ball, Semien went after it as he had the better angle on his path.
Even with the drop, Semien made a good throw to Lucroy for a close play at the plate, but the swipe tag on Bregman was too late.
of his miscue, Semien said it was a play he’s made in the past and should have made in that inning.
“I knew someone had to get back there and catch it since it was in no-man’s land,” Semien said. “I tried my best to kind of slow the ball down as I was sprinting. Unfortunately it dropped. Then it really hurt when he was safe. They play aggressive. Their base running really makes you want to hurry up.”
After Jake Marisnick
doubled home McCann on a laser to right-center, Ryan Dull replaced Petit and committed the third error of the inning on a wide throw on a pickoff attempt at second that sailed into the outfield and allowed Marisnick to advance to third and eventually score on a single by Jose Altuve to put the Astros (19-10) ahead 6-3.
With Lucroy also having made an error earlier in the game, the A’s four errors overall were a seasonhigh and the first time they have committed four errors in a game since June 19, 2015 against the Los Angeles Angels.
“That’s what did us in there at the end,” Melvin said of the miscues. “Petit comes in and gets a strikeout and next thing you know a runner is on third. He does his job and gets a pop up and we don’t execute that. In a nutshell, that’s what cost us.”
Semien’s error was his seventh of the season, which leads all shortstops in the majors, though Melvin wasn’t so sure it should have been ruled an error given his long trek on the play.
“It’s maybe an error but it’s not an easy play,” Melvin said. “A couple of throws and a couple of balls have maybe eaten him up, but he’s come a long way. He continues to prepare every
day and does the best he can with it.”
Gerrit Cole was electric on the mound for the Astros as he racked up 12 strikeouts, but the A’s (1414) manufactured three runs on six hits against the tough right-hander. Lucroy, who entered the game batting .368 against Cole, drove in a pair of runs. The first came against Cole in the third, and the second was a game-tying single off Will Harris in the seventh to score Stephen Piscotty, who had reached on a double against Cole earlier in the inning before he was pulled from the game with two outs.
It was the first time Cole has allowed more than two runs in a start this season.
“Early on it looked like the best stuff we’ve seen this year,” Melvin said. “With a guy like that who has good stuff, you want to try to stay in the game with him and get him out. We did that. Just couldn’t add on after.”
Cahill fell to 1-1, despite making it three solid outings in a row to begin his second stint with the A’s.
The only real mistake by Cahill was a hanging 2-2 curveball to George Springer, who belted a solo home run to center in the fifth. He gave the A’s a quality start by allowing three runs on four hits and one walk with five strikeouts over six innings.
“I thought he did well enough to win,” Lucroy said. “Defensively we just gave it up. Too many free bases. When you give guys free bags, you’re gonna get hurt, especially against a team like that. We gotta be better on the defensive side.”
Chad Pinder launched a solo home run off Joe Smith with two outs in the ninth, but it was much too late as the A’s dropped the series after winning their previous three in a row.