Arizona Diamondbacks Drop Second Consecutive Series to A’s

After dropping all four games to the St. Louis Cardinals to begin the homestand, the Arizona Diamondbacks officially fell out of playoff contention losing two of three to the Oakland Athletics: The worst team in the American League.

‘s RBI double beat the A’s on Friday night. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Game 1: Athletics-6 Diamondbacks-4

W: Randall Delgado (5-3)

L: Sonny Gray (12-6)

SV: Brad Ziegler (24)

Coming off a embarrassing four game series against the St. Louis Cardinals in which the D-backs were swept at home, the Diamondbacks were desperate to end their losing streak and take advantage of a team well under .500: The Oakland A’s.

With Sonny Gray, one of the best pitchers in the American League on the mound for Oakland, it didn’t look very promising before the game started.

The D-backs chances looked slim after the A’s offense gave Gray an early 2-0 lead on RBI’s by rookies Billy Burns and Mark Canha.

Gray, who came in with the best ERA in the junior circuit easily took care of the D-backs offense through the first five innings holding them to just two hits. The ball was moving up, down, in, and out, and it was clear that the D-backs game plan against him wasn’t working.

However, give the Diamondbacks offense credit. Like they have done all year, the Snakes didn’t quit, and they took advantage of the opposing team’s mistake which is what you have to do when you’re facing an ace.

Arizona scored two runs off Gray thanks to a pair of passed balls by Stephen Vogt to score two runs in the 6th inning and tie the game. Both runs were unearned.

The D-backs made the adjustment at the plate and got to Gray in the 7th, scoring four runs. A.J. Pollock had an RBI single, and Paul Goldschmidt hit one of the longest home runs of the season a towering 446.3 2 run shot to deep left center as measured by stat cast.

That gave the good guys a 6-2 lead, and that would eventually hold up. Aaron Hill hit what ended up being the go-ahead two bagger in that four run seventh.

D-backs starter Chase Anderson put together his second straight good start allowing two runs over six innings of work.

Stephen Vogt led the charge for the A’s on Saturday. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Game 2: Athletics-3 Diamondbacks-2

W: Rodriguez (5-1)

L: Chafin (5-1)

SV: Pomeranz (5)

Stephen Vogt led the charge for the Athletics on Saturday night to even up the series with the Diamondbacks winning the game 3-2.

The A’s snapped a three game losing streak in the win. Vogt stepped it up driving in all three runs including a two run home run into the pool in right-center field.

The biggest moment for Vogt would come after the Snakes tied the game up in the 5th.

Nick Ahmed got the D-backs started with a double, and A.J. Pollock brought him home with a RBI single. The D-backs added on when Ender Inciarte scored on a double play ball.

With the momentum on the D-backs side, and Chacin pitching well, it looked like this contest was very winnable.

Vogt would have something to say about that, delivering the decisive blow in the contest in the 8th. After the Snakes intentionally walked Danny Valencia, Vogt stepped up to the plate with runners at first and second, and two outs in a tie game.

Vogt would deliver plating the go-ahead run.

Chacin impressed once again, but he was sent down to Reno after the game so that Allen Webster could make Sunday’s start.

Athletics rookie Aaron Brooks pitched well limiting the Snakes to two runs on eight hits over six innings.

Allen Webster was potentially auditioning for the rotation on Sunday afternoon.Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Game 3: Athletics-7 Diamondbacks-4

After getting embarrassed by the Cardinals earlier in the week, the D-backs could not afford to loose a series to one of the worst teams in baseball.

With that in mind, and even with Allen Webster coming up from the minors to make a spot start, the mindset had to be that the team couldn’t lose this game.

The D-backs once again showed early in Sunday’s rubber game that they can take advantage when their opponent makes a critical mistake.

With two outs in the second, pitcher Allen Webster hit a simple comebacker to A’s starter Jesse Chavez and it looked like it would be a clean inning.

Instead he airmailed the throw to first and the miscue hurt him when the next batter Ender Inciarte singled driving in Yasmany Tomas to make it 1-0, and Chris Owings drove in another run to make it 2-0.

This is was just the beginning of what turned out to be a long, miscue-filled sloppy game by both sides.

There was plenty of traffic on the bases for both sides (the A’s had 18 hits and the D-backs had 12), and when that happens, mistakes are made.

That is exactly what transpired.

Jake Lamb made an errant throw in the third to first base, and the A’s, just like the D-backs, capitalized scoring two runs to tie the game capped off by a RBI triple from Josh Reddick.

The D-backs would bounce back with the A’s leading 3-2 on a David Peralta solo home run. He is hitting .400 in his past eight games, getting a hit in seven of them.

With the game tied 3-3 after a Mark Canha double, Peralta again was the one that tied up the contest with a sacrifice fly in the 9th.

That would send the game into extra’s.

Brad Ziegler who has struggled as of late, would escape a bases loaded jam in the 10th, but wouldn’t be able to in the 11th as the A’s scored three runs and won the game 7-4 and the series.

Flat out it was by far the D-backs worst homestand of the year. Hopefully this team can at least finish .500, call up some exciting prospects, and look to really contend next year.

This homestand has shown they’re not ready to take the next step.