The Oakland Athletics were off on a six-game road trip this past week. After a 3-3 homestand, they looked to improve on a disastrous road record. With all six games located all in the same time zone, this was the perfect time to get on track. Up first were the Los Angeles Angels, who were struggling themselves this season and entering the three-game series 16 games under .500.
The Angels Got Hot… Just Against The Wrong Team
Up first, the Athletics sent Luis Medina for the opening game of the series. He would face off against Griffin Canning.
The Angels starter didn’t struggle one bit, throwing seven solid innings while striking out five and allowing just one earned run. His offense did its part, scoring four runs off of Medina and got the 5-1 win in game one. A Taylor Ward two-run home run in the first inning got things rolling for the Angels and they never looked back.
Ward gets us on the board! ?#RepTheHalo pic.twitter.com/FwYdsGQdmt
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) June 25, 2024
Onto game two. The Athletics finally put up some offense. They scored two runs in the top of the third inning, but the Angels bounced back in the top of the fourth in a major way.
took the lead in GRAND fashion ?#RepTheHalo pic.twitter.com/9nmhuk55iZ
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) June 26, 2024
But, the Athletics tried their best to get back on track. A Brent Rooker home run cut the lead to two in the fifth inning. However, the Angels would hold on to win 7-5. Mitch Spence, Oakland’s starter, went just 5 1/3 innings and allowed eight hits and six earned runs.
Finally, Oakland tried to salvage the series on Wednesday, sending Joey Estes to the mound. He was actually solid, going 5 2/3 innings, allowing just three hits and two runs while striking out eight batters.
The Athletics offense even got on the board first, thanks to a Mac Schuemann double to left field that scored Armando Alvarez.
However, the Angels scored five runs in the sixth inning, led by a bases-clearing double by Zach Neto.
Neto clears the bases! ?#RepTheHalo pic.twitter.com/8sx4S5utTJ
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) June 26, 2024
Bring out the brooms. After being swept, the A’s looked to get some wins on the board as they headed to Arizona to take on the Diamondbacks.
FINALLY! A WIN!
On a five-game losing streak, the A’s looked to get a win to boost their morale. The Diamondbacks were coming off a series loss of their own, dropping two of three to the Minnesota Twins.
Someone’s losing streak was going to end. Things looked rough for the Athletics early, as starter JP Sears allowed two runs in the first inning.
But, Oakland’s offense woke up. Brent Rooker, what do you got?
The boys get goin’ ? pic.twitter.com/xV5oRKIPUZ
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) June 29, 2024
A Max Schuemann sacrifice fly in the fourth inning helped the A’s take a 3-2 lead. But Arizona tied things up on a Lourdes Gurriel homer to left field and took the lead back on a Ketel Marte single to right field that scored Corbin Carroll.
However, the eighth and ninth innings belonged to the Athletics.
Tyler Homer-strom ? pic.twitter.com/5VMP6ezeUL
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) June 29, 2024
Rook ? Bangeliers pic.twitter.com/Jy5nJCehN1
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) June 29, 2024
The final damage: six runs and four home runs in the last two innings combined. Oakland would hang on for a 9-4 win.
However, the rest of the series seemed as if the A’s used all of their offensive firepower in that first game alone. Zac Gallen, making his return from injury for the Diamondbacks, pitched six shutout innings and the offense scored a run in the second, third, and fourth innings to grab a 3-0 win.
Arizona also took the final game of the series 5-1. Brandon Pfaadt held Oakland to just one run on five hits, striking out eight batters in six innings. The Diamondbacks also scored three runs in the seventh inning alone, led by a Blaze Alexander two-run single, and that was all she wrote.
At least the A’s have this to be proud of.
Zack Gelof with the 9,000th home run in Oakland #Athletics history ? pic.twitter.com/T9GU7HLgbw
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) June 30, 2024
Up Next
After a 1-5 road trip, the Athletics look to get on a winning streak at the Coliseum. A three-game series with the Angels are up first before they welcome in the Baltimore Orioles for three games.
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Featured Image: Norm Hall/Getty Images
