J.T. Ginn was three outs from something special. Then the game disappeared in two batters.
Ginn carried a no-hit bid into the ninth inning, but Zach Neto hit a walk-off two-run homer as the Athletics lost 2-1 to the Angels on Monday at Angel Stadium. The loss dropped the A’s to 23-24 and one game under .500.
Ginn takes control
Ginn was sharp from the start.
He held the Angels hitless through eight innings and struck out 10. He walked one, hit one batter and allowed only two hits, both in the ninth.
The right-hander threw 105 pitches, 64 for strikes. Even so, he took the loss and fell to 2-2 despite lowering his ERA to 2.98.
One run was not enough
The A’s had chances but could not cash in early.
They loaded the bases in the fourth after Henry Bolte singled, Jeff McNeil singled and Zack Gelof was hit by a pitch. However, Darell Hernaiz grounded out to end the inning.
The breakthrough finally came in the ninth. Gelof singled, stole second and scored on Lawrence Butler’s pinch-hit single to center.
Then the A’s had a chance for more. Carlos Cortes walked and Shea Langeliers singled, but Nick Kurtz grounded into an inning-ending double play.
No-hitter disappears
Ginn took the mound in the ninth with a 1-0 lead.
Adam Frazier opened the inning with a single to center, breaking up the no-hit bid. José Siri entered as a pinch-runner.
Then Neto ended it. He hit a two-run homer to center, giving the Angels a 2-1 walk-off win.
Numbers that mattered
The Angels had only two hits, both in the ninth.
Neto finished 1-for-3 with the homer and both RBIs. Frazier had the Angels’ only other hit.
For the A’s, Cortes reached four times with a single and three walks. Butler drove in the lone run, while Kurtz doubled for the club’s only extra-base hit.
The Athletics went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left 11 on base.
Up next
The series continues Tuesday night at Angel Stadium.
Jacob Lopez is scheduled to start for the A’s. He enters 3-2 with a 5.80 ERA and 30 strikeouts. The Angels are set to counter with Reid Detmers, who is 1-4 with a 4.20 ERA and 53 strikeouts.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
