Shea Langeliers would be the focal point as soon as once more when the Athletics go for a three-game sweep over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday afternoon in Minneapolis.
Langeliers has homered in every of the primary two video games of the collection and in three consecutive video games general. He has 28 homers on the season, and 16 of these have are available in 30 video games because the All-Star break.
“Shea’s at-bats have been nice,” Athletics supervisor Mark Kotsay mentioned. “Even when he makes outs, they’re loud. It has been enjoyable to look at, for certain.”
The Athletics are having enjoyable on the sphere, too. They’ve gained 4 of their previous 5 video games and are 16-8 since July 24.
It’s laborious to think about the Athletics having a lot success with out Langeliers main the way in which on the plate. His newest heroics got here Wednesday night time, when he hit a go-ahead, two-run homer within the tenth inning to assist the Athletics safe a 4-2 victory.
Kotsay thought Langeliers would do one thing massive in that second.
“I would not say (I used to be) shocked,” Kotsay mentioned. “However that kind of hit in that state of affairs, you are probably not fascinated by a homer. However I used to be fairly assured he was going to take an excellent at-bat. He is been swinging the bat actually good in opposition to lefties.”
The Twins will attempt to keep away from a sweep in what has been a brutal stretch at dwelling.
Minnesota is 1-5 with one matchup remaining on its seven-game homestand. The Twins dropped three of 4 video games in opposition to the Detroit Tigers earlier than dropping the primary two contests in opposition to the Athletics.
Twins supervisor Rocco Baldelli mentioned he nonetheless noticed causes for optimism within the workforce’s newest setback.
“We gave ourselves probabilities,” Baldelli mentioned. “We had probabilities the entire sport. Did a reasonably good job of getting good at-bats. Had some good swings. …
“At this time was simply one of many days the place we weren’t capable of get that (clutch) hit.”
On Thursday, the Twins will flip to right-hander Jose Urena (0-0, 4.06 ERA) to attempt to escape a house sweep. It is going to be Urena’s fifth begin of the season and his third since becoming a member of Minnesota. He has pitched for 4 groups this 12 months: the New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers and Minnesota.
The 33-year-old veteran has confronted the Athletics eight occasions in his profession, 4 begins and 4 reduction appearances, going 3-1 with a 3.74 ERA in these outings. He tossed two shutout innings vs. the A’s in a reduction outing for the Blue Jays on Might 29.
The Athletics will counter with right-hander Jack Perkins (2-2, 4.28 ERA), who is ready to make the fourth begin of his rookie marketing campaign. He’ll go for his third victory in a row after incomes wins in opposition to the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Angels in his previous two begins.
Perkins has not confronted the Twins in his temporary profession. He’s 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA in 5 video games (one begins) on the street, in comparison with 1-1 with a 6.61 ERA in six video games (two begins) at dwelling.
The Twins stay with out Opening Day starter Pablo Lopez, however the veteran right-hander will make a giant step towards coming back from harm when he begins Thursday for Triple-A Saint Paul. Lopez has been out since June 3 due to a proper shoulder harm.
–Subject Degree Media
