The Oakland Athletics continue to shock the world. Considering they didn’t get their 14th win of the season until June last year, 2024 has been kinder to the A’s.
JJ Bleday homered twice for Oakland, and the A’s bullpen locked in for the final five innings as the Green & Gold grabbed their third straight win to improve to 14-17.
Alex Wood started the game for Oakland but struggled to keep his pitch count low early. With at least 20 pitches in the first three innings, he departed after recording 12 pitching outs. Wood did strike out four batters total, but allowed two runs on four hits to the Pirates.
The A’s would try to give him as much run support as they could. In the second inning, catcher Shea Langeliers doubled off of Pirates’ starter Mitch Keller (L, 2-3). Then, Abraham Toro would hit a single to right field to bring him home. The score would be tied 1-1 (Connor Joe homered off of Wood in the first inning).
Then, in the same inning, shortstop Darrell Hernaiz singled to center field and moved Toro to second base. One batter later, Tyler Nevin stepped to the plate.
STAY HOT, TYLER NEVIN! HIS LATEST KNOCK EXTENDS HIS HITTING STREAK AND GIVES THE OAKLAND A’S A LEAD! ?#Athletics pic.twitter.com/IydN2Ep597
— Uprooted (@uprootedoakland) May 1, 2024
Pittsburgh would later tie the game, with the score being 2-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning. JJ Bleday stepped to the plate with one out and made his presence felt.
Bleday big fly ? pic.twitter.com/6BKp3eQ5s9
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) May 1, 2024
Oh, you thought he was done? Think again.
JJ strikes again ?
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) May 1, 2024
First career multi-home run game for JJ Bleday! pic.twitter.com/2WJctPGTeP
With a three-run lead, Oakland’s bullpen shut Pittsburgh down the rest of the way. Mitch Spence (W, 3-0) got the win after coming in relief for Wood. Lucas Erceg got his seventh hold of the season in the eighth inning, and you know exactly who came in for the ninth inning.
Back to your regularly scheduled programing of Mason Miller striking out the side in the 9th ?️ pic.twitter.com/6xYLSHSv9e
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) May 1, 2024
Mason Miller, baby. What a star. He recorded his eighth save of the season, and the A’s got their third straight win.
Up Next
With the win, the Oakland Athletics finish the month of April with a 13-14 record. Despite the low attendance numbers at home (3,876 on Tuesday night), it has not bothered the A’s at all.
They look to keep the streak going on Wednesday, sending Ross Stripling (0-5, 4.98 ERA) for the series finale versus Quinn Preister (0-1, 3.48 ERA) of the Pirates.
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Featured Image: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
