Hot August Heaters: A’s and D-backs Deliver Big in West Sac
As summer unfolded into early August, the A’s played host the Arizona Diamondbacks for a three-game showdown from August 1 to 3. Emotions ran high under the hot lights of Sutter Health Park, with a promising start for the A’s giving way to a D-backs comeback that capped a weekend of gritty late-game heroics.
The A’s wasted no time sending the message loud and clear. They dominated Game 1 early and walked away with a 5-1 win. In the first inning, Shea Langeliers crushed a two-run homer, igniting a four-run opening frame. Brent Rooker added a sacrifice fly, and Carlos Cortez drove in another run that put Oakland comfortably ahead 5–0 before many fans had even unpacked their peanuts.
Reliever Jacob Lopez delivered five stingless innings, keeping Arizona hitters off balance, while their starter, Anthony DeSclafani, struggled through a rough outing. He allowed the early barrage and never settled in. The Diamondbacks barely showed resistance until a late sac fly chipped away for a consolation run, but the A’s sealed the opener, extending a key winning stretch.
Arizona came back with a vengeance in Game 2. The Diamondbacks smashed their way to a 7–2 win, ending a six-game skid. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. kickstarted the offensive breakout with his own homer, and Ketel Marte continued to swing deftly with a two-run shot. The bats didn’t stop there. Alek Thomas and Corbin Carroll each went deep, while Gerraldo Perdomo and others joined the parade.
Behind the plate, the D-backs’ lineup showed patience and power, converting opportunities with runner-in-scoring-position efficiency that eluded them in the opener. Arizona’s Zac Gallen got the win, and the A’s response sputtered despite late-game rallies including a late double and a lone run in the sixth. Momentum firmly shifted.
The finale turned into a showcase for Arizona’s rise. Blaze Alexander emerged as the weekend’s breakout star, contributing a key homer and two RBIs that swung the momentum. Alek Thomas and Geraldo Perdomo each racked up three hits, stamping their presence in the box score as Arizona pulled ahead for good.
Lefty Eduardo Rodríguez earned his first win since late June, pitching five solid innings of two-run ball. The A’s bullpen faltered yet again. Arizona’s Kyle Nelson came in to nail down his first save of the season. Though J.J. Bleday launched a one-out homer late to spark some hope, the A’s couldn’t find a way to extend further. The Diamondbacks claimed the series with a gritty 6–4 win.
Next up for the A’s in West Sacramento will be a home series that begins August 11 versus the Tampa Bay Rays. Coming off a solid road series versus the Washington Nationals, and what should be a solid road series against the Baltimore Orioles that begins tomorrow, as well as following some recent trades and personnel moves, the return home will surely be competitive and exciting. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM Pacific time.
Ahsan Awan has been covering sports for two decades and has been covering professional baseball since 2005. All images taken by Robert Longan, Jason Reed, and Ahsan Awan for American Presswire and ©2025 Robert Longan for his specific unique images for American Presswire and subject to unlimited use under license unless otherwise noted. Robert Longan can be found on X as @robbielphoto and on Instagram as @lngn_media. Ahsan Awan can be found on X as @quackarazzi and on Instagram as @quackarazzi. American Presswire can be found on X as @ampresswire and on Instagram as @ampresswire.
July Jubilee: A’s Secure Series at Home vs Mariners
Deep in the middle of summer, a showdown unfolded from July 28 to 30 as the A’s hosted the Seattle Mariners in a fiery three-game series. Fans were treated to pitching duels, power surges, and a dramatic extra-inning finale. The series delivered a vivid snapshot of a young, poised A’s squad against a resurgent Seattle club fighting to stay relevant in the AL West.
The series opened with a tightly contested game that ended 3-1 in favor of the Mariners. Seattle’s ace, Luis Castillo, delivered a gemstone performance that included seven innings of one-run ball punctuated with four strikeouts. Newcomer Josh Naylor made his mark, unleashing his first home run with the Mariners. He continued to terrorize A’s pitching by swiping four bases in his first four games with the team, a feat no one in franchise history had achieved before.
The A’s scratched across a run late thanks to an RBI groundout but couldn’t mount a full comeback. Andrés Muñoz slammed the door with a clean ninth inning, earning his 24th save in equally dominant fashion.
In game two of the series, the A’s answered back emphatically with a 6-1 win. Backed by homers from Brent Rooker and Shea Langeliers, the A’s offense came alive. Miguel Andújar added a clutch two-hit, two-RBI performance, and the offense flipped the script with a five-run third inning that put the Mariners on their heels.
On the mound, Luis Severino returned to form with five solid innings, allowing just one run while whiffing six. The bullpen held firm, delivering four scoreless frames to seal the comeback. Despite Seattle’s attempts to rally, highlighted by a heads-up RBI single from Jorge Polanco, they struck out 11 times and faltered with runners in scoring position.
The final game proved to be a classic, a 5-4 extra inning victory for the home team. Both the A’s and M’s battled through nine innings tied at four, setting the stage for extra-inning heroics. In the bottom of the tenth, the A's youthful core shined. Tyler Soderstrom launched a clutch hit that drove in the winning run, prompting a wild celebration from the crowd.
Jeffrey Springs set the tone early with strong work on the mound, giving the A’s a stable platform. Seattle’s offense looked dangerous throughout, but the A’s repeatedly stifled key threats. The home bench erupted as Soderstrom rounded third. In the end, it was resilience and execution that sealed the series two games to one in favor of the home team.
Next up for the A’s, a home series that begins August 1 versus the Arizona Diamondbacks, a team that can definitely handle whatever heat West Sacramento has to offer. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PM Pacific time.
Ahsan Awan has been covering sports for two decades and has been covering professional baseball since 2005. All images taken by Robert Longan, Jason Reed, and Ahsan Awan for American Presswire and ©2025 Robert Longan and Jason Reed for their specific unique images for American Presswire and subject to unlimited use under license unless otherwise noted. Robert Longan can be found on X as @robbielphoto and on Instagram as @lngn_media. Jason reed can be found on X as @fieldofdd and on Instagram as @fieldofdaydreams. Ahsan Awan can be found on X as @quackarazzi and on Instagram as @quackarazzi. American Presswire can be found on X as @ampresswire and on Instagram as @ampresswire.