A's Outlast Colorado Rockies in Extras, Snap Losing Streak

With the Athletics moving to Sacramento for a short-term stay, most of the conversation had been about how hot it will be for this club during the summer. Yet, this week they have dealt with some frigid temperatures, including Friday's game in Colorado against the Rockies. At first pitch, it was 37 degrees, and it snowed throughout the contest.

The Athletics came in having lost four in a row, starting with the final game in Seattle last weekend against the Mariners, and then the sweep at the hands of the Chicago Cubs to begin their Sacramento stay.

Osvlado Bido started for the A's, and he had another good start, going five frames, giving up six hits and two walks, but allowing just two earned runs while striking out five. He kept his team in the game, though when the A's would put up single runs in the fist and fourth, Bido allowed that run right back, so he didn't pitch with the lead very often. He also didn't pitch from behind in the contest.

To be fair, the triple to Ezequiel Tovar, the second batter in the first, could have potentially just been a double if Lawrence Butler had played it off the wall instead of going for the catch. Standing at third, Tovar would come in to score on a sac-fly from Ryan McMahon. Bido would then get Hunter Goodman to strike out. If Tovar had been at second, there's a chance he doesn't score that inning.

With the score tied at one in the fourth, Jacob Wilson smacked his second home run of the week. The first one, in Sacramento, would have been a homer in just one of 30 parks. Friday's would have cleared the fence in all 30, and was the furthest hit ball of the game at 414 feet.

Michael Toglia would lead off the bottom of the fourth with a single, and Kyle Farmer would double him home.

JJ Bleday also made a heads up play in center. With Jacob Stallings flying out, Bleday fired the ball back in to second, where Max Muncy stretched to haul in the throw like a first baseman, ultimately getting the out as Farmer wandered too far off of second. Farmer was originally called safe, but the call was overturned upon review.

That was manager Mark Kotsay's second successful challenge of the game, also getting the call overturned on a Shea Langeliers ground out, where he clearly beat the throw. It also wouldn't be the last call he had overturned.

In the sixth, Tyler Soderstrom (2-for-4, run, RBI) continued his hot start to 2025, singling to lead off the frame, and coming home on a Miguel Andujar double.

Justin Sterner allowed a couple of base runners in the bottom of the sixth, but again worked a scoreless inning. He hasn't allowed a run in 4.1 frames this season, giving up just one hit and three walks, and he also didn't allow an earned run across 12 spring innings.

He did throw a ball up the line in camp that allowed an unearned run to score against the Angels, but according to the box score, he's been perfect in his time with the green and gold.

The A's had their late-inning relievers all lined up, with Tyler Ferguson working a scoreless seventh, but in the bottom of the eighth, José Leclerc gave up a game-tying single to Jordan Beck, which knotted the game at three apiece. This is already Leclerc's second blown save in four appearances, with the other two outings coming when the team was behind against the Cubs.

Kotsay also won his third challenge of the game in the inning, when a ball hit by Farmer was lodged until the fence in left. Miguel Andujar immediately threw up his hands to signal the umpires, but they allowed the play to continue. Farmer ran all the way around the bases, for what was initially an inside-the-park home run.

After review, it was changed to a ground-rule double. Beck ended up scoring him from second on his single.

After the A's failed to score in the top of the ninth, Rule 5 draftee Noah Murdock would come on in the bottom half with the game on the line. If he gave up a run, the A's would lose their chance at extras.

So Murdock just worked an eight-pitch ninth inning to send it to the tenth. Maybe it was the snowy weather, but it sure looked like he had ice in his veins in that big spot.

The A's would threaten in the tenth, but failed to score. With Murdock having thrown just eight pitches and this not yet being a save opportunity, Kotsay sent Murdock back out for another inning of work. This time, the zombie runner would start the inning on second base, adding another level of difficulty.

Goodman flew out to advance the runner, then the A's intentionally walked Michael Toglia. After nearly hitting Tyler Freeman with the first pitch, Murdock would have a mini-battle with the Rockies second baseman, ultimately striking him out on a sinker away. The right-hander would intentionally walk former A's outfielder Nick Martini, loading the bases.

Murdock would strike Beck out to end the threat and force an 11th inning on a changeup, the first one he'd thrown all game.

In the top of the 11th inning, it was Jacob Wilson who had the big hit yet again. With two outs and runners on second and third, there was a sense that Wilson's bat control would play a role in getting those runs home, and he just dropped one into right field to plate the pair on a 96 mile per hour heater up and in. He didn't swing hard, he just made solid contact, and it got the job done.

The A's would add another run on a Gio Urshela double, bringing home Wilson, and making it 6-3. It was just Urshela's third hit of the season, and the first extra-base hit of the campaign.

Mason Miller would come on in the bottom of the inning to close out the win for the A's. With the win, the A's are now 3-5 on the year. The loss drops the Rox to 1-6.

The two teams will continue their series on Saturday, with first pitch scheduled for 5:10 p.m. (PT). The probable starters are JP Sears (0-1, 2.70 ERA) and Germán Márquez (0-0, 0.00) for the Rockies.