Athletics fall to Marlins 12-3
A’s fail to sweep, but win the series
The Oakland Athletics faced off against the Miami Marlins today in the series finale at the Oakland Coliseum. Mark Kotsay sent 24-year-old righty Joe Boyle to the mound today to face Sixto Sanchez for the Marlins.
The Marlins jumped on Boyle in the first inning, taking advantage of Boyle’s wildness. After walks to Jazz Chisholm, Bryan De La Cruz, and Josh Bell, he got Jesus Sanchez to ground into a force out at second, but Chisholm scored on the play. Former batting champ Tim Anderson swung at a clear ball four and then struck out swinging on the next pitch. It looked as though Boyle might get out of the inning with just one, but Nick Gordon launched a homer to deep right-centerfield. At the end of the top of the first, the Marlins had matched their run output from yesterday, 4-0.
A’s skipper Mark Kotsay pulled Boyle after that ugly first inning. At the moment we don’t know if he’s injured or “just didn’t have it” today.* Christian Bethancourt singled to start the inning, and Bryan De La Cruz walked for the second time in his two at-bats, bringing up Josh Bell. Bell blooped a single into left field scoring Bethancourt. At the end of the second inning, the Marlins led 5-0.
The A’s got something going in the bottom of the fourth inning. Brent Rooker singled to get the inning started. After Seth Brown grounded out to first, Sanchez walked Lawrence Buter. Darell Hernaiz singled to score Rook from second. Kyle McCann then reached when he grounded to Bell, but Bell made an errant throw to second, allowing Butler to score. Toro lined out to Gordon in left to end the inning. But the A’s got on the board with two, chipping away at the Marlins 5-2 lead.
The Marlins responded in the top of the sixth. Back-to-back-to back doubles scored Nick Gordon and former A’s infielder Jonah Bride. With Miami extending the lead to 7-2, Kotsay went back to the bullpen to bring in Michael Kelly. Jazz Chisholm greeted him with a base hit, scoring Bethancourt. Heading into the bottom of the sixth, the A’s trailed 8-2.
Andrew Nardi entered the game in the bottom of the sixth, the Marlins third pitcher of the afternoon. After a questionable call by both the umpires and the replay officials negating an extra-base hit, Nardi sent the A’s down in order.
Brent Rooker doubled with two outs in the eighth against the Marlins Calvin Faucher. Max Schuemann singled to center to drive him home. At the end of eight, the Marlins still led, 8-3.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. led off the ninth with an infield single against TJ McFarland. Bryan De La Cruz singled, moving Chisholm to third. Josh Bell blooped another single to centerfield scoring Chisholm. Tim Anderson singled to score De La Cruz. Nick Gordon singled to re-load the bases. Vidal Bruján singled to score Sanchez, and then Jonah Bride hit into a fielder’s choice, but Tim Anderson scored the fourth run of the inning, bringing the score to 12-3.
Eli Villalobos made his major league debut in the ninth inning for the Marlins. He walked Brett Harris with two outs but shut the game down with a strike out of Abraham Toro. The A’s took two of three from the Marlins and while they did not sweep, they won yet another series.
*Athletics pitcher Joe Boyle left the game due to a lower back injury.