The Athletics closed a miserable July with one more reminder of how badly the month went.
After taking an early lead, the A’s managed only three hits and watched the bullpen unravel in a 13-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Friday at Sutter Health Park.
Detroit scored seven runs in the eighth inning and four more in the ninth. As a result, the A’s fell to 45-65 and finished July with a 5-19 record.
The Athletics now own the second-worst record in the American League. Only the Angels are worse, while the Rockies and Angels are the only teams below them across the majors.
A quick lead disappears
Jonah Heim gave the Athletics an immediate lift in the first inning.
Jacob Wilson walked with one out, and Heim followed with an RBI double to center. The hit gave the A’s a 1-0 lead.
However, that was nearly all the offense produced.
Henry Bolte singled in the fourth, and Wilson added a fifth-inning single. The Athletics did not record another hit after that.
Overall, the A’s finished with three hits and went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position. They also struck out seven times and left five runners on base.
Heim went 1-for-3 with a double, a walk and the team’s only RBI. Meanwhile, Wilson reached twice and scored the lone run.
Springs cannot finish five
Jeffrey Springs kept the game close, but he needed 86 pitches to complete four innings.
Kevin McGonigle tied the game with a solo homer in the third. Then his sacrifice fly in the fourth scored Spencer Torkelson and gave Detroit a 2-1 lead.
Springs allowed two runs on four hits. However, five walks prevented him from working deeper into the game.
He struck out two and fell to 3-11. Springs also remained winless across his last 18 starts.
Hayden Juenger followed with a scoreless fifth. Then Brady Basso kept Detroit off the board through the seventh before the game broke apart.
Two innings end it
Basso entered Friday without allowing an earned run across his first five July appearances.
Still, Eduardo Valencia doubled, Torkelson singled and Max Clark drove in a run with a double. Luis Morales then replaced Basso with runners at second and third and nobody out.
The inning only grew worse.
Javier Báez delivered an RBI single before Tommy White’s fielding error allowed another run to score. Soon after, Dillon Dingler hit a grand slam to center.
By the end of the inning, Detroit led 9-1.
Morales returned for the ninth and allowed four more runs. Báez drove in two with a single before Ben Malgeri hit his first major league homer.
Morales was charged with eight earned runs on six hits in two innings. He allowed two homers, walked one and struck out one.
Since his July 24 recall from Triple-A Las Vegas, Morales has allowed 10 earned runs across 6 2/3 innings. He finished July with a 13.50 ERA.
Basso’s month takes a hit
Basso was charged with three runs, two earned, on four hits over two innings. He struck out two and did not issue a walk.
Even so, the left-hander finished July with a 1.86 ERA across six appearances. He allowed two earned runs over 9 2/3 innings while striking out 12.
Detroit finished with 14 hits and seven walks. Clark went 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI in his major league debut.
Meanwhile, Dingler drove in four runs, and Báez added three RBIs.
Up next
The Athletics continue the series Saturday at Sutter Health Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. PDT.
Jack Perkins starts for the A’s. He enters at 2-6 with a 6.45 ERA and 80 strikeouts.
Detroit counters with left-hander Framber Valdez, who is 5-7 with a 4.53 ERA and 92 strikeouts.
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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.
