Jordan Walker, St. Louis Cardinals rally to beat Oakland A’s

The Oakland Athletics once again failed to protect a late-inning lead as their road losing streak reached eight games.

Right after scoring three times in the top of the seventh inning to take a two-run lead, the A’s promptly gave up four runs in the bottom half en route to a 7-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday.

Oakland pitchers issued four walks in the bottom of the seventh. Angel Felipe (1-1) walked the bases full with one out and gave way to left-hander Francisco Pérez, who walked Lars Nootbaar on five pitches to move the Cardinals within 5-4.

Then with the bases loaded, Pérez gave up a bases-clearing triple to Jordan Walker, giving the Cardinals a 7-5 lead.

“I had to battle in that at-bat,” Walker said. “He ended up throwing a fastball and I flicked my hands and went the other way. Bases loaded, down by one. I’ve got to get that ball in play. I can’t swing and miss there. I can’t strike out there. First-year in the big leagues, sometimes I get excited and try to do too much.”

The A’s were unable to respond with another run as they lost the opener of the three-game series at Busch Stadium. Oakland was coming off a devastating 8-7 loss to the Washington Nationals on Sunday in which it gave up six runs in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Oakland’s last road win came on July 29 in Colorado against the Rockies.

The Cardinals walked a season-high 10 times. It was their most walks in a game since April 17, 2018, at the Chicago Cubs.

“When you put guys on base and not attack the zone, you know you’re going to give up runs,” Oakland manager Mark Kotsay said. “That’s kind of the story tonight.”

Against the Cardinals, Esteury Ruiz and Seth Brown both had two RBI, and Zack Gelof had one. Ruiz hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning, his second of the season.

A’s starter JP Sears allowed three runs in five innings.

Walker’s triple was the first of his career. Paul Goldschmidt hit a two-run homer in the fifth, his 19th, for St. Louis.

Jo Jo Romero (3-1) worked 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief for the Cardinals, who had lost their previous six meetings with the A’s.

TARNOK TO IL: The A’s placed right-hander Freddy Tarnok, who was scheduled to start today against the Cardinals, on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Aug. 11, with a strained right calf.

Manager Mark Kotsay told reporters in St. Louis that Tarnok has a Grade 2 strain and will be shut down indefinitely, and that the A’s would finalize a pitching plan for today’s game on Monday night.

Kotsay said Tarnok’s injury took place in the last inning of his last outing came at home against the Texas Rangers on Aug. 9, when he threw four scoreless innings and got his first big league win in what became a 2-0 Oakland victory.

“He didn’t think it would be a problem, but the next day came in a little bit more sore than normal,” Kotsay said. “(Later) he realized it’s probably a bigger issue than what he thought initially.”

Tarnok was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on July 14 and pitched in five games with the A’s, going 1-1 with a 4.91 ERA, 11 walks, and 14 strikeouts over 14 2/3 innings. Tarnok, 24, started the season on the injured list with a strained right shoulder and was optioned to Las Vegas after being reinstated from the IL on July 8.

The A’s also optioned outfielder Cody Thomas to Las Vegas and recalled right-hander Spenser Watkins from Triple-A. Watkins was claimed by the A’s last week after Houston placed him on waivers and prior to Monday, had a 7-13 record with a 5.85 ERA in 39 big league appearances, including 30 starts, with Baltimore.