Athletics down the Royals 10-1

Rooker, Langeliers & Bleday all Go Yard

As spring training begins to wind down, the Athletics hosted the Kansas City Royals today at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Arizona. Luis Severino took the mound today against Cole Ragans in what ended up being a showdown of each team’s opening day starters. In the first inning, Severino sent the Royals down in order thanks to the arm of Shea Langeliers who threw out Michael Massey attempting to steal second.

The A’s rallied in the bottom of the second, scoring five off Ragans. Miguel Andujar got things started with a base hit. Jacob Wilson followed with a single also. Max Schuemann doubled, scoring Andujar and then Max Muncy singled to score Wilson. Brent Rooker followed with his second big fly of the spring, scoring Muncy and giving the A’s a 5-0 lead.

Severino gave up one in the top of the third, but the A’s came back in the bottom to score three more. After Langeliers’ second homer of the spring made it 5-1, Gio Urshela and Wilson singled. Muncy walked to load the bases. Ragan left the game after that but then returned for the bottom of the fourth. Lawrence Butler singled to score Urshela and Wilson, bringing the score to 8-1.

Severino left the game after one out in the sixth inning. His final line was 5.1 innings, one earned run on six hits, one walk and four strikeouts. José Leclerc finished off the sixth and was replaced by Justin Sterner to open the top of the seventh inning. With one down, Dairon Blanco tripled to centerfield. But Sterner struck Waters out swinging and got Tyler Tolbert to ground out, stranding pinch-runner Spencer Nivens at third.

JJ Bleday brought the score to 9-1 with his third homer of the season to right-centerfield. CJ Rodriguez and T.J. Schofield-Sam each singled. Gio Urshela hit a sac fly to right field scoring Rodriguez. But Euribiel Angeles grounded into a double play to end the inning. At the end of seven, the A’s led 10-1.

Former A’s starter Ross Stripling pitched the seventh and eighth innings for the Royals. AN readers will remember all too well Striplings struggles with the Athletics. He has not fared much better this spring, amassing a 14.63 ERA in eight innings of work.

Hogan Harris entered in the top of the eight and came back to shut the game down in the ninth inning. He gave up one hit in 1.2 innings and lowered his spring ERA to 0.75 in 11+ innings.

The A’s will take the field again tomorrow at home against the Milwaukee Brewers. Jeffrey Springs will make his sixth start of the spring at Hohokam Stadium.

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Athletics - NBCSCA

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Athletics - Talk 650 KSTE, A’s Cast