A’s drop a close one to New York 7-6

Langeliers scores two and drives in one

The Athletics kicked off their first weekend home series against the New York Mets at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento Friday night. The A’s sent lefty JP Sears to the mound against Griffin Canning for the Mets. The Mets got on the scoreboard first against Sears when Brandon Nimmo planted one into deep right-center field for a 1-0 lead.

With one out, Luisangel Acuña doubled to deep left field, then Luis Torrens doubled to nearly the same spot to score Acuña. Midway through the second, the Mets had a 2-0 lead.

The A’s got back on the board in the bottom of the inning. Shea Langeliers and JJ Bleday led off with base hits. Jacob Wilson ground into a double play, moving Langeliers to third. Miguel Andujar kept up his hot hitting singling to right field to score the A’s catcher. Gio Urshela singled to keep the rally going, but Max Muncy was robbed on a leaping grab by Brandon Nimmo in left field to end the inning.

The Mets got things started again in the top of the third when Juan Soto reached on a fielding error by Tyler Soderstrom. Then Sears plunked Pete Alonso in the ribs, moving Soto to second. But Sears buckled down and escaped the jam with a sliding catch by Lawrence Butler in right field foul territory.

With one out, Brent Rooker tripled off the wall deep in centerfield. But Soderstrom ground to first baseman Pete Alonso who easily threw Rooker out at home. Luisangel Acuña walked to lead off the fourth inning, then stole second. But again, with the help of the strikeout and solid defense, the inning ended without damage. The A’s were not so lucky in the top of the fifth. Juan Soto battled Sears and singled to centerfield. Pete Alonso doubled on a play that JJ Bleday did not take a good route to field, scoring Soto from first. That chased Sears and he was replaced by Mitch Spence. Sears final line was four innings, three earned runs, six hits, one walk and 7 K’s. He threw 101 pitches and was constantly in stressful situations.

Spence loaded the bases in the top of the sixth, with a walk to Jose Siri, and error by Max Muncy and then another walk to Juan Soto. That brought up Pete Alonso with one out. Alonso hit a sacrifice fly to Butler scoring Siri. Starling Marte drove in two more with a double over the head of JJ Bleday in centerfield. Kotsay had seen enough and pulled Spence, replacing him with lefty Angel Perdomo.

Shea Langeliers led off the bottom of the sixth with a double down the left-field line. Wilson singled to drive in Langeliers. Then Miguel Andujar homered, driving in Wilson and chasing Canning with one out in the sixth.

Max Muncy doubled, Lawrence Butler and Brent Rooker each walked to load the bases with two outs. But with a 3-2 count and all the runners on the move, Soderstrom lined out to Soto in right field. At the end of six, the Mets led 6-4.

José Leclerc replaced Perdomo in the top of the seventh. He disposed of the Mets quickly. He came out to pitch the eighth and was effective getting the first two outs, but then on a 3-2 count to Pete Alonso, Leclerc grooved one and Alonso placed it in the left field seats.

Jason Alexander made his first big league appearance since 2023. Alexander, a Windsor native, was signed by the A’s as a free agent in November. He gave up a bloop single to Acuña but struck out two of the four batters he faced.

Lawrence Butler led off against Mets closer Edwin Diaz with a walk. He moved to second on defensive indifference. Soderstrom walked and Butler moved to third on a wild pitch. Shea Langeliers hit his second double of the night, scoring Butler easily. Soderstrom advanced to third. JJ Bleday knocked Soderstrom home with a Sacrifice fly, bringing the deficit to just one. Unfortunately, Wilson grounded out to end the game. The Mets took this one 7-6.