Left-hander Justin Steele and righty Luis Severino will attempt to reverse Sutter Health Park’s first impression as a hitters’ paradise when they duel on the mound Tuesday night in a rematch between the Chicago Cubs and Athletics in West Sacramento, Calif.
Carson Kelly, Michael Busch, Dansby Swanson and Kyle Tucker launched home runs in the former minor league park Monday night as part of an 11-extra-base-hit assault on six A’s pitchers, including catcher Jhonny Pereda, who qualified as one of the home team’s most effective when he allowed just one run in the ninth inning.
A historic night in A’s lore also was a memorable one in an 18-3 Chicago win as Kelly became the first Cub to hit for a cycle in 32 years — since Mark Grace achieved the feat in May 1993, 14 months before Kelly was born.
“It’s a pretty special moment, for sure,” Kelly said on the field afterward. “I never thought I would ever get one, so it’s pretty cool. I’m not the fastest guy out there, so a lot needed to happen for that, but I’m grateful for it.”
If Kelly gets the call behind the plate again on Tuesday, he’ll be scheduled to work with Steele (1-1, 8.00 ERA), who has pitched well against the A’s in his career. He’s gone 1-0 with a 1.04 ERA in two starts against them, limiting the opponent to one earned run in 8 2/3 innings.
The 29-year-old will make his third start of the season. He took the loss in the second of two defeats against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Japan, lasting just four innings, before going five for the win in a 10-6 triumph at Arizona last Thursday.
He has allowed three homers in his nine innings after last season serving up just 12 in 24 starts.
The A’s countered with just one homer at their new home, but it was historic as well. Jacob Wilson, who turned 23 on Sunday, hit his first major league home run, a third-inning solo shot.
The A’s trailed just 5-3 one inning later, before five- and six-run innings ballooned the Chicago advantage to 16-3 and made it a long evening for the sellout crowd.
A’s manager Mark Kotsay, disappointed in the home-debut showing, noted afterward his club’s new goal is to make the second game the memorable one.
“I thought the energy was great,” Kotsay said. “Obviously, it’s tough when you get down in a game like that. The fans continued to stay behind us; I felt that support. We’ll turn the page tonight and look to come out tomorrow and play better.”
Like Steele, Severino (0-0, 0.00) will seek to continue a career-long dominance of the opponent. The longtime New York Yankee has made four starts against the Cubs, going 1-0 with a 1.00 ERA, striking out 34 and allowing just 15 hits in 27 innings.
Signed as a free agent in the off-season, the 31-year-old made a splashy debut for the A’s last Thursday, shutting out the Seattle Mariners on the road over six innings. He did not get a decision in an eventual 4-2 loss, allowing just three hits.
–Field Level Media
