The Oakland Athletics wrapped up yet another series split as they went 2-2 against the Seattle Mariners in their weekend series. The A’s have now split all three of their even-numbered series, going 2-2 against Detroit and 1-1 against Boston. The A’s were over .500 after the series-opening victory against Boston, but have otherwise spent the season at .500 or within two games of .500.
This series saw the A’s get quality starts in three of the four games, but their offense waited until Saturday to finally get going. After 20 2/3 shutout innings, the A’s managed 14 runs over the final two games, which is their highest two-game output this season. If they are finally gaining some consistency on offense (as much consistency as one can have in only two games), it would be a huge step forward for this team.
A’s Pitcher of the Series: Brandon McCarthy – Although McCarthy got the loss on Thursday night, he was quite dominant as he gave up only one run on an Adam Kennedy solo home run. Through four starts, McCarthy is 1-1 with a 2.10 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. After spending the entire 2010 season either injured or in the minors, McCarthy has been a revelation in his short time with the A’s. If he can remain healthy (a big if given his history), he solidifies what was already an incredibly strong starting rotation.
A’s Hitter of the Series: Coco Crisp – Given the overall poor performances in the back-to-back shutouts to start the series, it really came down to these last two games. In those two games, Crisp was 6-for-10 with four runs, two RBIs and a stolen base. The A’s were finally getting key hits in the last two games and it seemed like Coco was involved in those plays in some form or fashion. As the table-setter for this lineup, it is essential for him to get hot.
Upcoming Schedule: The A’s head down to Southern California for three games with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The first game could prove to be the best as Gio Gonzalez squares off with Jered Weaver in a battle between two guys who are pitching extremely well this season. The A’s will head home after that for four games with the Texas Rangers. Whatever happens over the course of the next seven games, the A’s will finally end an even-numbered series at some place other than .500. Let’s hope for the better side of .500.
Series Results
Thursday: Mariners 1 – A’s 0
WP: Felix Hernandez (2-2)
LP: Brandon McCarthy (1-1)
Sv: Brandon League (4)
Friday: Mariners 4 – A’s 0
WP: Michael Pineda (3-1)
LP: Tyson Ross (1-2)
Sv: Brandon League (5)
Saturday: A’s 9 – Mariners 1
WP: Trevor Cahill (3-0)
LP: Jason Vargas (0-2)
Sunday: A’s 5 – Mariners 2
WP: Brett Anderson (2-1)
LP: Aaron Laffey (0-1)
Sv: Brian Fuentes (6)