Athletics defeat Mets 7-6, win series

Longest game in the pitch clock era goes to Oakland

The Oakland Athletics faced off against the New York Mets today in the rubber match of their three-game series at Citi Field in Flushing, NY. Rookie righthander Mitch Spence took the mound against 35-year-old lefty Jose Quintana for the Mets.

The A’s got things going in the first inning after base hits by Daz Cameron, and She Langeliers, and a walk to Tyler Nevin. With two outs, Zack Gelof worked a full count putting the runners in motion before swinging over the top of a 77-mph curveball to end the threat. In the bottom of the second inning, Pete Alonso walked, and Jose Iglesias popped out. Jeff McNeil doubled after an 11-pitch at-bat. A wild pitch allowed Alonso to score from third and McNeil moved to third on the same pitch. At the end of two innings, Spence had already thrown fifty-five pitches and trailed 1-0.

The A’s loaded the bases again for Gelof in the top of the third, but this time he popped out to end the threat. However, in the Mets half of the inning, Francisco Lindo walked, and Mark Vientos homered to give the Mets a 3-0 lead. After the bases cleared, Spence loaded them up again with JD Martinez and Pete Alonso walks. He then hit McNeil. That ended the outing for Spence. He threw eighty-nine pitches in 2.2 innings, with a final line of four hits, five earned runs, three walks, one HBP and a strikeout. Michel Otañez replaced Mitch Spence and gave up a single to Luis Torrens to score two and bring the score to 5-0.

The A’s took their turn loading the bases in the top of the fourth. Schuemann reached on a fielder’s choice, Cameron and Andujar walked and then JJ Bleday cleared the bases with his 15^th homer of the season, this one a grand slam. That brought the score to 5-4.

Shea Langeliers was hit by a pitch and appeared to have scored on a Nevin double to left field. But a review showed that Langeliers missed home when he avoided the tag at home. With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Mark Vientos hit his second homer of the game, extending the Mets lead to 6-4.

Gelof led off the inning with a walk against new Mets reliever Huascar Brazobán. Pinch hitter Seth Brown singled, moving Gelof to third. Brown moved to second and Gelof scampered home on a Brazobán wild pitch. Laurence Butler walked with two outs. But Miguel Andujar lined out to Lindor to end the inning.

In the top of the sixth, JJ Bleday singled and Shea Langeliers doubled. A Tyler Nevin ground out scored Bleday and moved Langeliers to third. Zack Gelof walked. Seth Brown singled, scoring Langeliers and moving Gelof to second. That hit gave the Athletics a 7-6 lead. Tyler Ferguson continued to pitch into the sixth. He walked Francisco Lindor. Then a Ferguson balk moved him to second with one out. But he got Matinez to pop out to Bleday in center to end the inning.

Ryne Stanek entered the game to pitch for the Mets in the eighth inning. Stanek walked Abraham Toro with one down. Max Schuemann struck out for the second out. A Stanek wild pitch moved Toro to second. Butler sent a long fly to center but Bader camped under it for the final out of the inning. Mark Kotsay brought closer Mason Miller in to start the eighth inning. After working the count full, Harrison Bader swung wildly at strike three for the first out. Francisco Lindor flew out to left field for the second out, and Vientos struck out swinging for the third.

Edwin Díaz entered the game in the top of the ninth for the Mets making the last 1 ½ innings a battle of the closers. JJ Bleday walked and stole second. But Shea Langeliers grounded to SS Francisco Lindor who caught Bleday on his way to third for the second out. Nevin struck out to end the top of the ninth. Miller continued in the bottom of the inning facing the heart of the Mets order. Miller got JD Martinez swinging for the first out. Then he hit Tyrone Taylor to put the tying run on first with one out. Pete Alonso popped out to second baseman Zack Gelof for the second out. Jose Iglesias walked on four pitches, moving the tying run into scoring position. Francisco Alvarez lined out to JJ Bleday.

It took 3 hours and 45 minutes (the longest game in the pitch clock era) and a two-inning save by Mason Miller, but the A’s took the series from the Mets, 7-6.

The Athletics have Friday off before opening a two-game series at home against the Giants in the Bay Bridge Series.