Quite the performance from the pitching tandem tonight
The Athletics just keep winning. The club defeated the rival Angels for the third straight time, winning 3-1 and setting them up for the chance at the rare four-game sweep tomorrow.
It wasn’t the most eventful game in the world. Starting catcher Shea Langeliers didn’t want to wait around tonight though. Batting cleanup for the Athletics, ‘Bangeliers’ launched his 20th homer of the season, a 3-run shot to give the club an early lead:
Sweet Swingin’ Shea pic.twitter.com/tn66kWFktO
— Oakland A’s (@Athletics) July 28, 2024
Staked to a lead before even taking the mound, righty Mitch Spence took the ball and had himself another quality outing. Facing the Angels for the second time in a week, Spence pitched six strong innings while only making one mistake (a solo home run off the bat of Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel). Other than that Spence held down Los Angeles, keeping them off balance and unable to square up the ball all night long. In all he allowed only four baserunners, giving the A’s every chance to win this one. It was only once he basically hit 100 pitches was his day done. Spence did everything you can ask for, deserving of tonight’s win.
It wasn’t the worst night for Spence to bring his A-game. After the Langeliers bomb in the first the offense went very, very quiet. The team didn’t score any more tonight but thankfully Langeliers’ bomb would be enough tonight.
After Spence came righty Austin Adams and Michel Otañez, who handled the seventh and eighth innings respectively. And in the first closing chance since primary closer Mason Miller went on the IL, it was rookie right-hander Tyler Ferguson who got the chance and he ran with it, having a pristine ninth with a strikeout to boot. That secured the Athletics win and Ferguson’s second career save.
Nice win right there. That’s three in a row over the Angels and sets the club up for the 4-game sweep in tomorrow afternoon’s finale. Spence was awesome, Lawrence Butler had a couple hits and Brent Rooker had three, Langeliers hit his 20th of the year, and the club got the W. Solid all around.
Tomorrow’s finale ends with Osvaldo Bido facing off against José Soriano. A four-game sweep sounds nice to me! How about you?