A mid-July visit to Cleveland has proved to be just what the Athletics needed to take their offense to the next level.
The Athletics have scored 14 runs — six of them in the ninth inning — while splitting the first two games of their series against the host Guardians. The set wraps up on Sunday afternoon.
Left-hander Jeffrey Springs (8-6, 3.93 ERA) takes on Cleveland right-hander Gavin Williams (5-4, 3.70) in the finale.
“We’ve come up to the plate and focused on doing our job, stringing good at-bats together to keep the group going,” said A’s catcher Shea Langeliers, who has homered and doubled in both games. “It’s a really good feeling, for sure.”
Langeliers also has five RBIs in the weekend set, and rookies Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson have combined to match his total in their initial visit to Cleveland. American League All-Star Brent Rooker and Miguel Andujar have two RBIs apiece.
The Guardians claimed the first game 8-6 after building a seven-run lead Friday, but the A’s scored eight unanswered runs to win the second by an 8-2 margin Saturday.
“Our offense hasn’t been a problem all season,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “We’ve scored runs and we continue to do so. In this case, getting out to a lead tends to lead to better at-bats, which we did tonight.”
Kurtz posted his first game with three extra-base hits during the victory, also moving into the major-league lead among rookies with 47 RBIs. Wilson is second with 44, setting up an interesting battle for the Rookie of the Year Award down the stretch.
“They’re really good, top to bottom,” Guardians pitcher Logan Allen said. “They’ve got Wilson at the top hitting .300 and change. Rooker is a great hitter, as well. Kurtz is a young guy swinging well. It’s a really solid lineup, for sure.”
Springs, who needs one win to tie his career high, has been rolling with a 3-1 record and 2.37 ERA over his past five starts. He has faced Cleveland five times, going 1-1 with a 2.14 ERA.
Williams’ lone appearance against the Athletics came in 2023, when he allowed four runs in 5 2/3 innings and took a no-decision at home. Two of his five starts since June 19 have featured six scoreless innings.
The Guardians are 7-2 since dropping 10 straight and falling well out of a postseason position in the AL, while the A’s have won 16 of their past 30 games.
“I like competing against those guys,” said Athletics pitcher Luis Severino, who started against Cleveland in two postseasons with the New York Yankees. “They have a lot of good hitters, but I feel like (Jose) Ramirez always gets me whenever I come here.”
Severino ended his five-start losing streak with five solid innings Saturday but surrendered a two-run homer to seven-time All-Star Ramirez. It was his fourth home run in 15 career at-bats against the scuffling right-hander.
–Field Level Media
