Amid the Smoke of Seattle, Athletics Lose Game 1, and Maybe Piscotty to Injury
The air up there was such that there was talk of having the A’s and Mariners pass on playing a doubleheader.
The air quality index (AQI) was well over 200, which is bad, very bad, but the two teams play and the results for the A’s in Game 1 were bad, very bad.
Oakland built up a 5-0 lead behind starting pitcher Jesús Luzardo but three Mariner homers and a bases-loaded walk issued by A’s reliever Joakim Soria brought Seattle all the way back for a 6-5 lead.
Asked about the air, Luzardo was pointed, but polite.
“When I came out, the (AQI) was at 284,” the left-hander said. “I’m a healthy 22-year-old. I should be gasping for air, or missing oxygen. So, I’ll leave it at that.”
Manager Bob Melvin, who not only saw his side lose the game but may have lost right field Stephen Piscotty to injury as well, didn’t go there.
“It is what it is,” Melvin said. ”You know, when we’re playing, we just play. We don’t really pay much attention.”
The air was bad for both sides. The emotion was good for just the Mariners, who are closing in on .500 after an 8-19 start to the season and are threatening to displace Houston as the second-place team in the American League West behind the A’s.
Marcus Semien’s three-run bomb in the fourth inning came after a solo homer from rookie catcher Sean Murphy. The two homers pushed the A’s lead to 5-0 for Luzardo, who had allowed just three bases runners in the first three innings.
But Luis Torrens hit his first big league homer in the fourth, and in the fifth, Jose Marmolejos hit a solo shot and Rookie of the Year candidate Kyle Lewis added a two-run shot, both off Luzardo.
“It’s not good, especially losing a game like this,” Luzardo said. “I kind of take it pretty personal because they gave me the five-run lead and you go out there and give up a four-spot. Especially in a doubleheader. You want to go as deep as you can and keep you team in the game and give them a chance to win.”
Melvin stuck with Luzardo, but after a Kyle Seager single, the manager reluctantly pulled him and Yusemeiro Petit pitched him out of the inning.
The fifth inning was something else again. Joakim Soria and saw the lead slip away before he walked three consecutive batters to force in what would be the game-winning run.
“He’s pitched with traffic and he’s pitched out of jams,” Melvin said. “And this time he just didn’t do it. This is a tough one for us. This is a game we usually win.”
More than that, the A’s may have lost Piscotty to an injury. His leaping effort in the right field corner resulted in a right knee sprain. Melvin said he’ll be checked out Tuesday in Colorado.
Or, as Luzardo said, “Losing this game was kind of tough.”
Follow Athletics insider John Hickey on Twitter: @JHickey3
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