Rough Start for the Athletics
The game certainly didn't start the way we wanted, as the Cleveland Guardians came out swinging and quickly put up four runs in the top of the 1st inning. We had a chance to respond in the bottom half, particularly when JJ Bleday reached third and Miguel Andujar doubled to center, but unfortunately, a double play ended our chance to put a dent in their lead.
Guardians Extend the Lead
The Guardians continued their offensive onslaught, with Daniel Schneemann and Austin Hedges each snagging a home run in the following innings. It was a tough scene for our pitchers who struggled to contain their hits, leaving us in an 8-0 hole by the middle of the 4th. It's hard to see our bullpen not being able to stop the onslaught, but there was more baseball to play.
Athletics Fight Back
Come the bottom of the 5th, the A's bats began to find a rhythm! After JJ Bleday scored our first run thanks to a solid single by Seth Brown, Luis Urías drew a crucial walk that brought Miguel Andujar home, followed by Darell Hernaiz’s walk that scored Brown. By the end of the inning, we had clawed back, reducing the deficit to 8-3. Hope was in the air!
Guardians Pull Away Again
Our hopes of a continued comeback were dashed by a three-run homer by Micah Pries in the 8th inning, increasing their score to 12. Despite this setback, the A's didn't back down. In the bottom half of the 8th, Kyle McCann and Carter Aldrete fueled another rally, bringing us to 12-5. A couple of key walks, including one to Denzel Clarke, got us more points on the board, but it just wasn't enough.
Signs of Promise
Things didn't go our way today, but the heart shown in the latter innings showcased the potential of these young Athletics. We saw some determined plate appearances from Seth Brown, Luis Urías, and Kyle McCann, among others. There's no doubt this team has the fight in them, and it's only a matter of getting all cylinders firing at the same time. Let's regroup and look ahead to the next challenge, A's fans!
Scoreboard for Guardians @ Athletics (March 7th, 2025)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 1 |
| 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 16 | 0 |