The Athletics had the first inning, the highlight slide and the early cushion. However, Pittsburgh had the late swings.
The A’s built a 4-0 lead Tuesday night at Sutter Health Park, then watched it disappear in a 6-5 loss to the Pirates. Brandon Lowe hit the go-ahead homer off Elvis Alvarado in the ninth, dropping the Athletics to 36-37 and 1.5 games behind Seattle in the AL West.
The first-inning flash
The A’s loaded the bases in the first against Mitch Keller after Nick Kurtz walked, Tyler Soderstrom walked and Jacob Wilson also drew a walk.
Then Zack Gelof created the chaos.
Gelof hit a grounder to first, and Spencer Horwitz’s throw helped turn the play into three runs. Kurtz and Soderstrom scored on the play, then Wilson came home with a full-extension slide during the chaos.
Wilson popped up with an “oh man” look after the call, and the moment gave the A’s early life. Then Lawrence Butler doubled in Gelof, pushing the lead to 4-0.
Pirates keep coming
Jack Perkins protected most of that lead early. He struck out six and held Pittsburgh to one run through five innings.
However, the sixth started the comeback. Bryan Reynolds led off with a solo homer, Ryan O’Hearn doubled and Endy Rodríguez singled home O’Hearn after Justin Sterner entered.
Still, the A’s answered in the bottom half. Gelof hit his 10th homer of the season, giving the Athletics a 5-3 lead.
But the Pirates were not finished.
Where it turned
Hogan Harris entered in the seventh and walked Horwitz with one out. After Lowe struck out, Reynolds hit his second homer of the night, tying the game at 5.
The A’s had a chance in the bottom of the seventh. Alika Williams led off with a double, then moved to third on a wild pitch.
However, Shea Langeliers grounded out, Soderstrom was intentionally walked and Wilson grounded into a forceout. As a result, the chance disappeared.
In the eighth, Gelof walked and stole second, but Colby Thomas and Henry Bolte struck out to end another threat.
The late punch
Alvarado entered in the ninth and got Horwitz to fly out. Then Lowe drove a line-drive homer to right, giving Pittsburgh its first lead of the night.
The A’s still had one last push. Kurtz singled and Langeliers followed with another single, putting two on with one out.
However, Gregory Soto struck out Soderstrom and got Wilson to line out to right. That sealed the Pirates’ comeback.
Numbers that mattered
The Athletics finished with five runs, eight hits and no errors. Pittsburgh had six runs, 12 hits and one error.
Gelof went 3-for-3 with a homer, two RBIs, two runs, a walk and a stolen base and extended his hitting streak to 20-games. Butler doubled and drove in a run, while Williams added a pinch-hit double.
For Pittsburgh, Reynolds went 4-for-5 with two homers, three runs and three RBIs. Lowe struck out three times, but his ninth-inning homer decided the game.
Perkins allowed three runs on six hits over five innings. Alvarado took the loss after allowing Lowe’s homer in the ninth.
In the end, the A’s had the lead, the chances and the tying run on base. Still, Pittsburgh made the last swing count.
Up next
The Athletics continue the series against the Pirates on Wednesday at Sutter Health Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. PDT.
Aaron Civale is scheduled to start for the A’s. The right-hander enters at 5-2 with a 4.20 ERA and 39 strikeouts.
Pittsburgh is scheduled to counter with right-hander Braxton Ashcraft, who enters at 5-3 with a 3.30 ERA and 90 strikeouts.
Related stories
Welcome to Dice City Sports — where we provide premium, exclusive, up-to-date news and analysis surrounding the Las Vegas sports scene. Follow along on social media, and check back for new articles daily!
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.
