MLB roundup: A’s say goodbye to Oakland with win

A’s Close Out Coliseum Era with a Win Over Rangers

J.T. Ginn notched his first major league win, while Mason Miller threw the final pitch at Oakland Coliseum in a historic game as the Athletics wrapped up their home schedule with a 3-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Thursday afternoon.

The day was filled with nostalgia as A’s legends Rickey Henderson and Dave Stewart took the mound to throw out ceremonial first pitches. In a unique twist, Barry Zito, another A’s icon, sang the national anthem, making it a memorable event for the 46,889 fans in attendance — a record crowd for a team’s final game in its home city. This breaks the previous mark of 31,395 set by the Montreal Expos in 2004.

In a game blessed by what some might call the “baseball gods,” the Athletics scraped together their runs in unconventional ways — an infield out, a sacrifice fly, and a flyball lost in the sun. JJ Bleday picked up two RBIs for Oakland, helping secure the victory.

For Texas, Adolis Garcia and Nathaniel Lowe drove in runs, but the Rangers were held to just five hits, compared to Oakland’s nine, as the A’s finished their Coliseum era on a high note.

Tigers Rally for Fifth Straight Win Over Rays

In Detroit, the Tigers rallied from a three-run deficit to edge past the Tampa Bay Rays, 4-3. Colt Keith drove in two crucial runs, while Justyn-Henry Malloy’s sacrifice fly in the sixth inning proved to be the game-winner.

Matt Vierling reached base three times and scored twice as Detroit extended its winning streak to five games, pushing them closer to an American League wild-card playoff berth.

Tampa Bay starter Tyler Alexander was sharp, holding the Tigers scoreless through five innings, fanning six and walking none. However, the Rays couldn’t hold off Detroit’s comeback, led by a resilient Tigers offense that kept chipping away.

Brewers Best Pirates to Take Series

In Pittsburgh, the Milwaukee Brewers claimed a 5-2 victory over the Pirates, winning the rubber match of their three-game series. Aaron Civale (8-9) was stellar, tossing six scoreless innings, allowing only three hits, while walking one and striking out five.

Joey Ortiz had a perfect day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run, while Brice Turang added two RBIs as the Brewers inched closer to matching their win total from last season. The team now sits at 91-68, just one win shy of last year’s 92 wins.

The Pirates continued their struggles, dropping nine of their last 13 games. Bryan De La Cruz provided a bright spot with a two-run homer, but it wasn’t enough to spark a comeback. Mitch Keller (11-12) allowed three runs on six hits over five innings in the loss.

Royals Edge Nationals to Complete Sweep

The Kansas City Royals moved closer to clinching a wild-card berth with a thrilling 7-4 win over the Washington Nationals. Adam Frazier delivered the game-winning hit, a pinch-hit, two-run single in the top of the ninth, breaking a 4-4 tie and sealing the sweep for Kansas City.

Hunter Renfroe homered, and Salvador Perez contributed two hits and an RBI for the Royals, who now need just two more wins to secure a playoff spot. Reliever Kris Bubic (1-1) picked up the win after a scoreless eighth inning, while Lucas Erceg closed the game, notching his 14th save of the season.

Washington’s struggles continued, with Luis Garcia Jr. providing the lone highlight with a home run. The Nationals have now lost four straight and nine of their last 10 games. Reliever Kyle Finnegan (3-8) took the loss, giving up three runs in the ninth after allowing two hits and walking three.

White Sox Blank Angels in Series Sweep

In Chicago, the White Sox delivered a dominant 7-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels, securing a series sweep. Andrew Vaughn and Lenyn Sosa each knocked in two RBIs during a massive seven-run fifth inning that saw 12 Chicago batters come to the plate. Chris Flexen was excellent on the mound, throwing 6 1/3 scoreless innings to lead the White Sox.

The win ensured Chicago (39-120) avoided surpassing the infamous 1962 New York Mets’ record for the most single-season losses in modern MLB history. However, Los Angeles (63-96) set a dubious franchise record for most losses in a season, surpassing the 1968 and 1980 squads.

The fifth inning was Chicago’s best rally of the season, highlighted by two hits from Dominic Fletcher as the White Sox piled on runs and left the Angels with little room to mount a comeback.

Rockies Top Cardinals in High-Scoring Affair

In Denver, the Colorado Rockies overcame the St. Louis Cardinals with a 10-8 victory, thanks to a five-run rally in the eighth inning. Ryan McMahon’s tiebreaking double capped a two-out rally that saw the Rockies charge ahead late in the game.

Charlie Blackmon had a strong day at the plate, belting a home run and driving in three runs for Colorado. Angel Chivilli (2-3) earned the win in relief, and Seth Halvorsen collected his second save of the season.

The Cardinals showed some power, with Lars Nootbaar and Paul Goldschmidt hitting back-to-back home runs, and Ivan Herrera and Pedro Pages also going deep. But reliever Ryan Fernandez (1-6) took the loss after allowing five runs in the pivotal eighth inning.