Same script for second straight game
The Oakland A’s have made such a habit of losing close games that this afternoon they just aired a rerun of yesterday’s heartbreaker.
For the second straight day, the A’s took a lead into the late innings and then gave up a go-ahead pinch-hit homer to the San Francisco Giants, this time resulting in a 2-1 loss in Sunday’s series finale at the Coliseum.
*** Click here to revisit today’s Game Thread! ***
Oakland’s penchant for gut-wrenching losses is getting historic. Since 1900, no MLB team has done what the Giants just pulled off. They hit a pinch-hit homer in the 8th inning or later, to turn a deficit into a lead, on back-to-back days. Never happened before.
This time it was a wallscraper by a non-slugger, Donovan Solano. It came off hot rookie A.J. Puk, getting a well-deserved chance in a high-leverage spot while most of the setup crew was unavailable. Like yesterday, the homer was immediately preceded by a walk.
In an extra twist of fate, this unique set of collapses came in the final games of the 2021 Bay Bridge Series, in front of two of the A’s biggest home crowds of the season. Oakland loses a series during a close postseason race, and San Francisco takes home the Bridge Trophy.
Blown saves haven’t specifically been a singular problem this year. In fact, the A’s bullpen has been reasonably good at holding leads, and you could also point to the offense scoring just one run today. But there’s always something going just wrong enough to not quite win. Since mid-June, Oakland is 6-15 in one-run games.
More details coming, probably. Keep hitting refresh?
Frankie Montas: First pitcher in A’s history to throw 7+ scoreless innings, allow ≤ 2 hits, strike out 9+, and NOT get a win.
— Doug Kern (@dakern74) August 22, 2021