OAKLAND — Youth was served Sunday because the Athletics beat the Seattle Mariners 5-3 to take two of three video games in opposition to their A.L. West tormentors.
With a beginning lineup that included 4 rookie place gamers and a rookie beginning pitcher in JP Sears, the A’s received their second straight sport in opposition to a wild card contender that had crushed them 10 straight instances on the Coliseum after Friday evening’s 10-3 blowout loss.
With the win earlier than a sun-drenched crowd of 9,314, the A’s improved to 45-77 with the Mariners falling to 66-56.
Mitch Haniger, the previous Archbishop Mitty star, homered within the third in opposition to Sears, his fifth of the season.
A’s rookie catcher Shea Langeliers went 3-for-4 with a double, a single and a triple — and all had been hit extraordinarily laborious.
“They’re getting nice expertise now,” Athletics supervisor Mark Kotsay mentioned. “This isn’t about growth. We’re right here to win video games, they usually confirmed that in the present day. They grinded this one out — the entire staff. We’ve received 15 of these rookies and but in the present day they performed like they’ve been right here a bit of bit. They confirmed that this sequence — an ideal sequence in opposition to a playoff contending staff they usually stepped up the sport and performed it on the highest degree.”
Sears (5-0) departed with a 3-1 lead after 5 traffic-filled innings through which he gave up six hits however only one run on the Haniger residence run. He had simply 1-2-3 inning — the fifth — and threw 79 pitches, 51 of them strikes earlier than giving technique to workhorse reliever Domingo Acevedo. The A’s used six relievers in all, with Austin Pruitt ending up his first profession save by getting the ultimate two outs.
Luis Castillo (1-1), acquired from Cincinnati in one of many largest offers earlier than the commerce deadline, was additionally finished after 5 innings. The 4 earned runs had been probably the most Castillo has given up in 4 begins with Seattle. Castillo walked one, struck out 5 and threw 86 pitches, 55 for strikes, with Matt Brash changing him to open the sixth.
Seattle drew inside a run within the prime of the seventh on a pinch-hit RBI double by Cal Raleigh in opposition to A.J. Puk and a run-scoring single by Julio Rodriguez in opposition to Zach Jackson, with the A’s including one other run on Langeliers’ RBI triple within the eighth in opposition to Matthew Festa. It introduced residence Vimael Machin, who had doubled to left.
It was the primary triple since Could 18, a span of 81 video games that may be a main league file. The drive hit the highest of the left discipline fence and bounced again towards the infield, giving Langeliers a chance for a full head of steam.
“I received fortunate although,” Langeliers mentioned. “It kicked actual far off the wall so I simply received to maintain operating,” Langeliers mentioned.
The A’s rookies have additionally been teammates at Triple-A Las Vegas so there may be loads of familiarity.
“We’ve been enjoying baseball in Vegas and we got here up at totally different instances, however we’re a reasonably shut group of fellows,” Langeliers mentioned. “We introduced that vitality up right here.”
Sears, who had one begin with Langeliers behind the plate in Las Vegas after being acquired from the New York Yankees within the Frankie Montas deal, mentioned the catcher “is without doubt one of the most poised younger catchers I’ve ever seen.”
The Athletics took a 3-1 lead in opposition to Castillo within the second on a rally furnished solely by rookies batting Nos. 6 by 9 within the lineup.
Second baseman Jonah Bride walked, and Langeliers adopted with a double to left heart that got here off the bat at 110.7 miles per hour. Middle fielder Cal Stevenson introduced in Bride with a sacrifice fly to deep heart, adopted by a run-scoring single from shortstop Nick Allen over the primary base bag. Allen ranged into the outfield for a troublesome play to finish the sport, throwing out Ty France at first base.
“I believe for me, the rookie standing is in your head, proper?” Sears mentioned. “Whether or not you’re in low-A, Triple-A or the massive leagues, we’re going to go on the market and compete and provides all of it we've. We’re excited with the chance and hopefully we’ll proceed to benefit from it.”
The A’s scored as soon as within the first on back-to-back doubles by Seth Brown and Sean Murphy and added one other within the third when Stephen Vogt poked a single to heart to convey residence Tony Kemp. Kemp opened the inning with a bunt single and stole second to get into scoring place.
NOTABLE
— Kotsay was ejected within the seventh inning by first base umpire Invoice Miller for arguing a examine swing name, exploding from the dugout to such an extent the heave-ho was inevitable.
“It didn’t find yourself being the largest name of the sport nevertheless it may have been,” Kotsay mentioned. “The frustration received the most effective of me. I expressed my feelings and he did the fitting factor by ejecting me.”
— Murphy, who was 2-for-3 because the designated hitter,, took a fastball to the helmet by reliever Erik Swanson however was unhurt and stayed in to run the bases.
— The Athletics open a three-game residence sequence in opposition to Miami Monday evening, with Adam Oller (2-5, 6.63) opposing Pablo Lopez (7-8, 3.83) at 6:40 p.m.