The Athletics had the series in their hands, then watched another late lead turn into another missed chance.
Nick Kurtz homered and drove in three runs Sunday, but the A’s gave up five runs over the final two innings in a 9-7 loss to the Los Angeles Angels at Sutter Health Park. The loss dropped the Athletics to 38-40 and left them with a split of the four-game series.
The fast start
The A’s built the kind of early lead that should make a pitching staff’s day easier.
The first inning also had a defensive jolt. Colby Thomas made a leaping catch in right field to rob a home run, keeping the Angels off the board before the A’s answered in the bottom half.
Zack Gelof opened the first with a double, and Kurtz followed with a walk. Then Jacob Wilson walked to load the bases before Tyler Soderstrom drew another walk to force in the first run.
After that, Jonah Heim added a sacrifice fly. Joey Meneses followed with an RBI single, and Henry Bolte later walked with the bases loaded.
As a result, the Athletics led 4-0 after one inning.
The Angels answer
Los Angeles cut into the lead in the second against Perkins.
Nolan Schanuel singled, Denzer Guzman walked and Donovan Walton turned the inning with a three-run homer to right. Suddenly, the A’s lead was down to 4-3.
Still, the Athletics added a run in the fourth. Kurtz singled home Gelof and moved to second on an error by Jo Adell, pushing the lead to 5-3.
The Angels got one back in the fifth, but Perkins stranded the tying run at third by striking out Adell. He allowed four runs on four hits over five innings, with two walks and eight strikeouts.
Where it turned
For a moment, the A’s looked like they had created breathing room.
Kurtz opened the seventh with a two-run homer to center off Brent Suter. It was his 19th homer of the season, and it pushed the Athletics ahead 7-4.
However, the Angels erased it in the eighth. Vaughn Grissom was hit by a pitch, Schanuel singled and Guzman tied the game with a three-run homer off Hogan Harris.
Then Zach Neto delivered the final swing in the ninth. He hit a two-run homer off Elvis Alvarado, giving Los Angeles a 9-7 lead.
Alvarado took the loss after allowing two runs over 1 2/3 innings. Harris was charged with the blown save.
No final rally
The Athletics had enough offense early, but not enough late.
Chase Silseth worked a scoreless eighth for the Angels and earned the win. Then Sam Bachman closed the ninth for his first save.
The A’s finished with seven runs on seven hits. The Angels had nine runs on 10 hits and two errors.
Kurtz went 2-for-4 with a homer, a walk and three RBIs. Also, Gelof extended his hitting streak to 24 games, going 2-for-5 with three runs.
Soderstrom reached twice and drove in one. Walton and Guzman each hit three-run homers for Los Angeles, while Neto added the go-ahead two-run shot in the ninth.
In the end, the split still felt heavy. The A’s had a four-run lead early and a three-run lead late, but neither one held.
Up next
The Athletics are off Monday before opening a three-game series in San Francisco.
That starts a six-game road trip, with three games against the Giants followed by three more against the Angels.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Las Vegas Aces, 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.
