Well, that is not how the Oakland Athletics wanted to start their 2024 season. Despite a solid first inning from pitcher Alex Wood, the offense could not get anything going early. The A’s starter would struggle the rest of the way, allowing a run in the second inning and five more in the fourth before exiting.
Oakland would only muster up four hits the entire game, led by two from CF JJ Bleday. They did have a chance to score with Lawrence Butler walking to first in the bottom of the fifth and SS Nick Allen coming to the plate. Allen singled, but Butler was too aggressive on the basepaths. As he slid into third, it looked like he would be safe with his hand on the base. Unfortunately, it would slip off of the base, and 3B Jose Ramirez tagged him to end the inning.
That would be the closest they would be to scoring all night long. In front of 13,522 people, it was a quiet night at the Coliseum.
At least Oakland’s bullpen limited any more damage. Sort of. Reliever Michael Kelly allowed the Guardians to score two runs in the ninth, increasing the score to 8-0. Nick Sandlin came in to pitch the ninth for Cleveland and shut any chance of a rally for the Green & Gold.
Statistics Of The Game
- Winning Pitcher: Shane Bieber (1-0), 6 IP, 4 H, 11 K)
- Losing Pitcher: Alex Wood (0-1), 3.1 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 3 K)
- Six different Guardians drove in a run, despite the team not hitting a single ball out of the ballpark.
- RISP: Guardians 5-12, Oakland 0-1
- Last year’s starter for Oakland, Kyle Muller, came in for relief for Wood and was solid. He went 2.2 innings, allowing just one hit.
- DH Brent Rooker had an ugly night, striking out three times on his way to a 0-4 performance at the plate.
Play of the Game
Ryan Noda sliding into the new season like ? pic.twitter.com/ztnW1fcQS3
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) March 29, 2024
Onto Game Two
As they say, the only way to go is up. Oakland will look to not get shut out for the second straight night, while also trying to have a better night from their starting pitcher.
Ross Stripling will get the ball for game two of 162. Like Wood, Stripling came from the Giants in an offseason trade. A 5.36 ERA for the San Francisco Giants in 2023 doesn’t scream confidence. But, Oakland hopes he shows signs of his 2022 self (10-4, 3.01 ERA) when he was with the Blue Jays. Five Guardians have faced Stripling in their careers, and are batting .346 against him.
As for the Guardians, they will roll with Logan Allen. The 25-year-old was 7-8 last year, with a 3.81 ERA. Five Athletics have faced him in their careers (J.D. Davis, Shea Langeliers, Ryan Noda, Brent Rooker, and Esteury Ruiz). They are a combined 0-6, with two walks.
*starting lineups have not been posted at time of publishing. will be updated as soon as released.
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Featured Image: Lachlan Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images
