The A’s have hit the road but it wasn’t a long trip. A quick hop on a flight down south to Anaheim has brought the A’s to the home of the Los Angeles Angels, where the two division rivals are set for a three-game weekend showdown. The Green & Gold managed to escape the Bay Area with at least one win and remain just a game and a half back of the AL West leading Mariners (along with the Astros and Rangers, crowded atop the division is putting it mildly). After splitting the four-game set last weekend the A’s need
to clean up against the last-place Angels, and hopefully that starts tonight.
Taking the ball for the road team this evening will be right-hander J.T. Ginn. The righty has put together back-to-back quality outings since his real only bad outing of the year earlier this month. He’s coming off a performance where he pitched into the sixth inning and allowed three runs… to these very same Angels last weekend. With an absent offense behind him that was enough to saddle the emerging ace with his fourth loss of the season. He’ll be hoping for better results and better offense behind him this evening in a revenge game for the young starter.
Here’s how manager Mark Kotsay decided to line his squad up for the series opener:
It’s literally the exact same batting order as yesterday, and honestly why change things up a ton after a nine-run outburst? The only big difference is that Shea Langeliers will don the catcher’s gear this evening while Jonah Heim only has DH duties tonight. Again, no Jacob Wilson, who is still only considered day-to-day at this point as we all hold our breaths, which means Alika Williams back at short and batting ninth.
That lineup will be facing the Angels’ own up-and-coming righty in Walbert Urena. The 22-year-old rookie has dazzled in his first taste of the big leagues. Over his first 12 starts (plus two relief appearances), Urena has posted a sparkling 2.41 ERA spanning 67 1/3 innings pitched. After a fantastic May he’s come down to earth a bit in June but still has allowed just six runs in four starts this month. The A’s have now seen him twice already this season and have had little to no success: 11 innings, 8 hits, zero runs. We need to do better against him tonight. Hopefully seeing him so much in recent weeks will give the bats a better chance this evening.
And the Angels’ lineup, brought to you by old friend Kurt Suzuki:
Still no Mike Trout for the Angels, and now their also down their backup center fielder Jose Siri, who was placed on the paternity list this morning. Still some dangerous bats in that lineup though, all crowded around the top. If Ginn can take care of Neto, Adel, and not make a mistake to Soler, the A’s should be in business in this one.
Can the squad make it two in a row? Time to find out! Let’s go A’s!
Follow the Game:
Watch:
Athletics – NBCSCA
Listen:
Talk 650 KSTE, A’s Cast
