After dropping the series opener to the visiting Seattle Mariners, the A’s hoped to rebound in game two of the three-game set. Gage Jump, the 23-year-old lefty, was called up from Las Vegas for the game today. He tossed a clean first inning, striking out 2 of the first three batters he faced.
Unfortunately, Jump gave up three consecutive hits to open the second inning scoring the first run of the game. They scored a second run when Cole
Young hit a sacrifice fly to center fielder Lawrence Butler scoring Rob Refsnyder. Victor Robles singled. Jump walked fellow rookie Colt Emerson to load the bases with one out. J.P. Crawford hit a sacrifice fly to Cortes in right field to score Mitch Garver with the third run of the inning.
In the top of the fourth, Victor Robles doubled and Julio Rodríguez singled on a sharp line drive to left, scoring Robles. That brought the score to 4-0.
Jump completed five innings in his major league debut. His final line was: five innings, four earned runs on nine hits and one walk. He also struck out five. He gave way to José Suarez. Suarez gave up a sharp line drive base hit to Victor Robles, but he was caught stealing on a great throw by Shea Langeliers. Justin Sterner and Hogan Harris each kept the Mariners off the bases and off the scoreboard in the eighth and ninth innings. Tyler Soderstrom got the A’s on the scoreboard in the ninth with a solo homer, his sixth of the year. Zack Gelof singled with two outs, keeping the game alive. That brought up Lawrence Butler. He worked a 3-2 count but unfortunately grounded out to end the game. The final score was 4-1 and gave the Mariners a series victory. Jeffrey Springs will get the start, hoping to avoid a series sweep at home.
Mariners pitchers kept Nick Kurtz off the basepaths tonight, ending his 48-game on base streak. He ends the streak tied with Mark McGuire for the all-time A’s single season lead of forty-eight.
