Baltimore Orioles' Gunnar Henderson (2) steals third base as Oakland Athletics' Brett Harris (77) pretends to apply the tag after missing the throw from the catcher during the first inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, July 5, 2024. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND — Despite giving the American League leading Baltimore Orioles a fight, the A’s couldn’t muster enough offense, falling 3-2 at home on Friday night.
Oakland totaled just five hits as the A’s struggled against starting pitcher Albert Suárez who finished with six strikeouts and two earned runs across six innings.
Miguel Andujar and Shea Langeliers each had a home run.
The Orioles snapped the A’s three-game win streak and gave Oakland its first loss in July.
A’s starter Hogan Harris was solid, giving up two earned runs on five hits through five innings but Oakland couldn’t provide run support and committed three errors.
Baltimore’s All-Star starting shortstop Gunnar Henderson successfully stole third and came home on a throwing error from Shea Langeliers to score the first run of the game.
Oakland tied the game 1-1 in its half of the first inning when Miguel Andujar hit his third home run of the season, this time hitting a ball low in the zone that he ripped past the left field wall.
The middle of Baltimore’s lineup found success in the second inning.
Jordan Westburg hit a lead-off double and scored in the next at-bat when Austin Hays doubled on a line drive to left field.
Later in the inning, the A’s found themselves in a bases-loaded jam with two outs. Harris walked
All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman with the bases loaded, which scored Hays to give Baltimore a 3-1 lead.
Between the second and sixth innings, the A’s totaled just a single hit. JJ Bleday recorded Oakland’s lone hit on a sharp line drive to center field in the second inning.
But the A’s made it interesting late.
Shea Langeliers hit a solo homer — his 16th of the season — to center field to cut the Baltimore lead to a run in the seventh inning.
In the eighth, Max Schuemann got the inning started with a lead-off single and stole second to put a runner in scoring position with no outs. He advanced to third when Bleday grounded out, but couldn’t cross home as relief pitcher Yennier Cano retired Andujar and Brent Rooker in back-to-back at bats.
The Orioles threatened to put more runs on the board to start the ninth, loading the bases with two outs and first baseman Ryan Mountcastle at the plate. But after conceding a 3-0 count, reliever Scott Alexander struck out the former first round pick, inciting cheers from the over 9,000 fans in Oakland Coliseum.
Craig Kimbrel retired three straight Oakland batters to end the ninth, sealing the win for Baltimore.
Oakland is scheduled to play Baltimore in Game 2 of a three-game series on Saturday at 1:07 p.m. Right-handed pitcher Luis Medina is the expected starter for that game.
The A’s dropped to 33-57 while Baltimore improved to 56-32.
Injury updates
Pitchers Paul Blackburn and Ross Stripling could be nearing a return from their injuries.
Both will be throwing bullpen sessions on Saturday before pitching in a rehab game for Single-A Stockton Ports on Tuesday, according to manager Mark Kotsay. Stripling will start with Blackburn finishing Tuesday’s game.
Blackburn was diagnosed with a stress reaction in his right foot in May and has not played since. He’s totaled 36 strikeouts and has a 4.11 ERA through eight starts this season.
Stripling has been out since May 25 with a right elbow strain. The righty has struggled this season, posting a 5.82 ERA with a 2-9 record.
Kotsay said the plan is to get both pitchers to play in one last rehab game for Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators before the All-Star break.
The plan is to get each pitcher anywhere from 30 to 35 pitches, according to Kotsay.
Originally published at Nathan Canilao