OAKLAND – Oakland’s top starter JP Sears went six and 1/3rd innings, the top prospects Tyler Soderstrom and Zack Gelof both had hits and designated hitter Jordan Diaz mashed a home run and had two RBIs.
And yet, the A’s, a team known for futility, still found another unique and painful way to lose a baseball game on Sunday afternoon.
The Twins still earned the series sweep 5-4 thanks to another poor showing by A’s relief pitching.
The A’s led for six innings while starter JP Sears struck out seven and kept Minnesota’s offense under control, aside from home runs by Christian Vasquez and Alex Kirilloff in the fifth inning.
But after Sears began to falter, manager Mark Kotsay asked San Jose native Lucas Erceg to preserve a one-run lead.
As it has done so many times this season, the bullpen collapsed in a high-pressure situation.
Kirilloff cleared the bases with a three-RBI double to give Minnesota a 5-3 lead, and the Twins’ bullpen took care of business afterward to stay atop the AL Central with a 48-46 record.
Erceg gave up two hits, walked a pair and did not record an out before being replaced by Shintaro Fujinami.
The A’s seventh straight loss, which dropped the team’s record to 25-70, started with promise.
After a scoreless inning and a half, Jordan Diaz welcomed San Francisco native Joe Ryan back to the Bay with a solo home run into the left-field stands, his sixth of the season.
The 9,335 who ventured out to the Coliseum were narrowly denied enjoying back-to-back Diaz jacks when Aledmys Diaz’ shot into left came up a few feet short of clearing the fence.
Sears cruised through the early portion of the game, allowing one hit through the first four innings and striking out five.
The Diaz’s struck again in the bottom of the fourth, when the pair drove in one RBI apiece to extend Oakland’s lead to 3-0 as Ryan went 5 and 1/3rd innings and struck out seven.
Both of Oakland’s highly touted call-ups, first baseman Tyler Soderstrom and second baseman Zack Gelof got hits off Joe Ryan during the inning.
Gelof, who is quickly establishing himself as one of the more exciting players on the team and went 2 for 4, singled and then stole second to get himself in scoring position.
After the bullpen surrendered the lead, Gelof cut Minnesota’s advantage to one run on an RBI bloop double that landed in between three defenders in right field.
The 23-year-old has a triple, two RBI doubles and three stolen bases in three games with the A’s.
The A’s had a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth once Shea Langeliers doubled off the right field wall with one out.
Twins closer Jhoan Duran worked around the runner in scoring position and earned his 15th save of the season.
Despite the young player’s best efforts, it took place in another close loss in a season full of them. Of the A’s league-leading 70 defeats, 20 have been by the slimmest of margins.
The A’s won’t have very long to regroup, with the Boston Red Sox (50-44) travelling into the East Bay for a three-game series starting on Monday.