Martinez Tribune The website of the Martinez Tribune.
BY RICK PORCARO
The A’s rode five strong innings from Paul Blackburn and a balanced offensive attack to post a 6–4 win over the Baltimore Orioles Thursday afternoon, their third win in the season opening four game series.
Sean Murphy celebrates with Tony Kemp following his two-run fifth inning homer during the A’s 6-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles.
Sean Murphy drove in three runs with a homer and double and Sheldon Neuse added three hits and two RBI’s as the A’s banged out 11 hits to support Blackburn and five Oakland relievers. Dany Jimenez came on to pitch a perfect ninth to record his second save.
The Athletics got on the board first in the third inning as a result of Cristian Pache’s first home run before Murphy’s two run blast in the fifth staked them to a 4-1 lead. The win improved Oakland’s record to 8-6, good enough for second place behind the Angels in AL West after the first two weeks of the season.
Cristian Pache celebrates his second inning home run by pointing to the sky during the A’s 6-4 win over Baltimore Thursday afternoon at the Coliseum.
Neuse went 8-15 for the series with three RBI’s and is now batting .368. “Sheldon’s approach has been spot-on,” said A’s manager Mark Kotsay. “He’s worked really hard since he was here last time. I spent a lot of time with Sheldon as a younger player. Now, a few years later, I think Sheldon is focused. How he’s prepared himself and taken care of his body, he’s really matured over the last two years.”
A’s rookie Nick Allen receives congratulations after scoring following the first hit of his Major League career Thursday afternoon.
Oakland will next open a three game weekend series with the Texas Rangers beginning Friday night, their first series against a divisional opponent this season. Adam Oller will take the mound for the A’s against Glenn Otto in the opener. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40pm.
GAME NOTES:
A’s rookie second baseman Nick Allen doubled in the seventh inning for his first major league hit, later coming around to score with an aggressive head-first slide into home plate.
Jimenez has not allowed a run over his first six games with Oakland.
The Rangers series will end a franchise record stretch of 17 consecutive games without a day off to open the season for the A’s.
On this date in 2018, Sean Manaea no-hit the Boston Red Sox at the Coliseum.
