Tough start to the weekend
The A’s arrived back in the Bay Area for the first time since September of last year to begin a weekend series with the Giants. Facing their former regional rival, the Athletics lost to San Francisco on a chilly Friday night by a final of 9-1.
Taking the ball to start the game for the A’s was lefty JP Sears. The team’s best and most consistent starter entering tonight was his usual self through the first two frames as he had an uneventful start to the game, allowing just one hit to Mike Yastrzemski that went for nothing.
San Francisco then busted this game open hard in the third against Sears. A single and back-to-back walks to start the frame brought up Wilmer Flores who battled in a 10-pitch at-bat to hit a game-changing grand slam. Suddenly 4-0 Giants and the A’s were in trouble with an ace on the opposing mound.
Sears worked around a bit of trouble in the fourth and started the fifth but just didn’t have it today. Mark Kotsay came to retrieve him after just four innings, ending his day after 93 pitches.
- JP Sears: 4 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 93 pitches
That’s just his second non-quality start of the season. It was bound to eventually happen as the team has been spoiled by Sears’ quick ascent. He saw his season ERA rise to 3.31 and the lefty will hope to lower that in his next start against the division-rival Angels.
Sears had no backup from his lineup. Facing Giants ace righty Logan Webb the A’s bats could manage just a couple hits and walks here and there, only managing to break through against Webb in the eighth to prevent a shutout when the game was all but over.
A tough loss for the club all around. The club finds themselves under .500 for the first time in a few weeks and are desperate to stop this skid. Hopefully Luis Severino can stop this losing streak against Giants rookie right Landen Roupp.