A's Drop Opener to San Diego Padres

After the Athletics first series ever at Sutter Health Park, there were some concerns about the ballpark being an extreme hitter's park, thanks to its minor-league status. The Athletics were outscored 35-9 by the visiting Chicago Cubs in those first three games.

On Monday, the A's welcomed another tough team, the San Diego Padres, to their new temporary home in West Sacramento. Despite dropping the first game 5-4, there was some good news that came out of this one.

First off, the A's didn't allow seven or more runs, which they did in each of the three games against Chicago. There were still four home runs hit in total, which is a bit much, but effective pitching around those home runs was key in keeping this one close.

With the way that the Cubs have continued to play since leaving Sacramento, beating the previously unbeaten Padres two of three at Wrigley over the weekend, and then taking out the Texas Rangers 7-0 on Monday, it's more likely that the offensive explosion was due to their bats, rather than just the ballpark.

As for the game itself on Monday, San Diego came out swinging, putting up a quick three spot in the first, with Jake Cronenworth's two-run homer being the big blow. It would prove to be the difference in the game.

Lawrence Butler drew a four-pitch walk to begin the home half, but on the first pitch he saw, Brent Rooker grounded to third baseman Manny Machado for a 5-4-3 double play.

Luis Arraez would single with one down in the third, and Machado would bring him home on a double to right-center on a ball that just shot through the gap and to the wall, giving San Diego a 4-0 lead.

Tyler Soderstrom would answer back in the bottom half of the inning, belting his fifth home run of the season over the right field wall. In the bottom of the fourth, Miguel Andujar would reach on a slow roller to third, and Jacob Wilson would single to right, putting runners at first and second.

After a Gio Urshela fly out, Max Muncy would rip a double down the line in left, scoring Andujar and making it a 4-2 game. Butler followed that up with a single of his own, to bring the A's within a run at 4-3.

It would remain that way until the seventh, when Fernando Tatís Jr. belted a solo homer out to left to give the Padres an insurance run. Tyler Soderstrom would respond in the home half with a solo shot of his own, his second of the night and his sixth of the season.

It is now New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge and A's first baseman Tyler Soderstrom atop the home run leaderboard with six apiece. In a fun wrinkle, Soderstrom has the higher average (.381 to .325), OBP (.435 to .426), and OPS (1.292 to 1.276).

Unfortunately for the A's, they wouldn't really threaten to tie the game the rest of the way. The closest they came was in the bottom of the eighth, when Jacob Wilson (2-for-4, run scored) got aboard with a single to left with one away.

At that point, manager Mark Kotsay made the decision to swap Wilson for pinch runner Max Schuemann, and sent lefty Seth Brown to bat for Urshela. Shuemann was thrown out trying to swipe second, and Brown struck out on four pitches, ending the threat.

Despite the tough first inning, A's starter Luis Severino largely settled in the rest of the way, finishing with seven innings pitched, giving up eight hits, five earned, and striking out three. He would appear to be in line to pitch the series finale against his former team, the New York Mets, on Sunday.

Wilson has now recorded a hit in the first 11 games of the season, going 15-for-41 (.366) in that span. He also went 2-for-4 against the Seattle Mariners in the final game last season, so his overall streak stands at 12.

With the A's falling behind early at home yet again, they have yet to hold a lead at Sutter Health Park through four games. Because of this, they are now 0-4 at home.