Following a rough day yesterday, the Athletics flipped the script today, winning both games of the spring training split-squad double-header to end the weekend on a positive note. The A’s in Arizona came back from a seven-run deficit to defeat the Las Angeles Dodgers 11-7, while the other half of the team beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-4, splitting the two-game preseason series in Las Vegas.
A’s vs Dodgers
Making his first start of the spring, A’s left-hander Jacob Lopez did not have his best performance, yet that was expected as he is getting back into the groove and likely had to shake off some rust. Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages hit a two-out solo home run off Lopez in the first inning and then Lopez allowed Nick Senzel and Ryan Ward to hit back-t0-back RBI doubles the next inning.
In the fourth inning, the Dodgers added to their lead, scoring three more runs off of A’s pitchers Matt Krook and Kenya Huggins. Up 7-0, it seemed like the Dodgers would coast to another Cactus League victory. However, the A’s top prospect, 19-year-old shortstop Leo De Vries, said not so fast. The best prospect the A’s acquired from the San Diego Padres in the Mason Miller trade singlehandedly willed the A’s comeback against the defending champions, with the caveat that it came against Dodgers minor league pitchers.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, De Vries hit his first homer in an A’s uniform, a two-run blast to right field. An inning later, he came up again, this time with the bases loaded and two outs. De Vries made more noise, hitting a grand slam over the right field fence to trim the A’s deficit to one.
It is hard to believe that the Padres traded this rising star for a reliever. That leaves them without a successor should their starting shortstop 33-year-old Xander Bogaerts start declining as he ages.
De Vries got the A’s back in the game and then his teammates picked up the slack to take the lead and secure the victory. Third baseman Andy Ibàñez’s RBI double tied the game in the sixth inning and then the A’s put up a four-spot in the eighth inning to take their first lead of the game. Minor league outfielder Clark Elliot’s single scored the go-ahead run and then Colby Thomas capped off the scoring with a two-run double. Ibàñez had another run-scoring hit in that inning, finishing the game an impressive 4-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI.
Meanwhile, A’s pitching prospects Zane Taylor and Steven Echavarria shut down the Dodgers for the game’s final three innings. With all the attention on the lefties Gage Jump and Jamie Arnold, do not sleep on these two right-handers as they also have the talent to make waves in the A’s minor leagues this season.
A’s vs Angels
Taking the mound for the second time in an A’s uniform, offseason acquisition Aaron Civale put forth a solid performance. He accumulated four strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings pitched. Civale’s lone blemish was Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe’s two-run home run in the fourth inning. O’Hoppe’s home run gave the Angels the lead, erasing the A’s 1-0 advantage which came courtesy of third base prospect Tommy White’s second home run of the spring in the second inning.
Angels starting pitcher Jack Kochanowicz pitched well, only allowing White’s home run in his four inning outing. Once the Angels ended his day, the A’s took advantage, tying and then taking the lead against Angels relievers. The A’s tied the game in the fifth thanks to doubles by Henry Bolte and fellow prospect Joshua Kuroda-Grauer. Bolte, who finished the game with four hits in four at-bats, came up with another big hit later in the game. His two-run home run in the seventh inning gave the hosts a lead that they would not relinquish.
White added his third hit and second home run of the game an inning later to give the A’s a three-run cushion going into the ninth inning.
Relievers Wander Suero and Nick Hernandez protected the A’s late lead in this game, only allowing one run over the final three innings. While they are likely to start in Triple-A, it would not be surprising to see at least one of them with the MLB club this season, especially given the relative dearth of experienced bullpen arms on the A’s roster.
The fact that the A’s won two games today despite getting limited contributions from their core offensive starters bodes well, even if these are just meaningless spring training games. Tomorrow, the team coalesces back into one unit as they travel to Goodyear, AZ to take on the Cincinnati Reds. It will be a matchup of promising young right-handed pitchers with Jack Perkins to start for the A’s and Rhett Lowder for the Reds. Can the A’s make it three in a row or will their week get off to a losing start? Tune in tomorrow to find out.
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