The Oakland A’s played their first game at the new Globe Life Park in Arlington, Tex. Still feeling out how the unfamiliar grounds plays, the A’s lost 3-2 to the Texas Rangers Monday night.
The A’s loaded the bases in the ninth inning with one out, but Rangers reliever Rafael Montero took advantage of a low strike zone to strikeout Matt Olson looking with three pitches at his shins. Matt Chapman flied out the other way to end it
The Rangers had lost eight straight games before beating the A’s to begin this four-game series.
Jesús Luzardo held the Texas Rangers to three runs in his fifth start of the year. He had a rocky start, all three runs came in the first two innings.
After striking out Leody Taveras to kick off the first inning, he allowed back-to-back singles to Nick Solak and Danny Santana. Veteran Todd Frazier reached out and poked a two-strike changeup into center field to score the Rangers’ first two runs.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s first home run of the season gave the Rangers their third run.
Luzardo struggled to find feel for his slider early in the season, but had it down pat Monday. All seven of his strikeouts were off his slider. He was one out shy of completing seven innings, departing after issuing his second walk at 96 pitches.
Against Rangers right-hander Lance Lynn — he of a 1.37 ERA — the A’s swung early at his fastball and struck gold. Mark Canha, who entered the game with a .410 OBP ranking sixth in the league, singled to score Marcus Semien from third in the first inning.
Stephen Piscotty gave the A’s their second run with his fifth home run of the season and 22nd RBI in the month of August.
Sean Murphy’s impact
Every once in a while, Sean Murphy likes to remind us that he can catch just about anyone trying to steal a base.
He had Mike Trout out by a mile trying to stealing second over the weekend, but Marcus Semien fumbled the laser throw. Monday, Murphy’s rifle throw got to Tony Kemp at second base before Todd Frazier could even get a knee down to slide.
With that, Murphy has caught four batters stealing this season. His defense stands out. But his offense has quietly improved, too.
Murphy introduced himself to the big leagues by showing off his considerable power. Pitchers dared him with their best fastballs, and he knocked four out of the park in 60 games.
“He proved quickly he could throw the fastball,” A’s hitting coach Darren Bush said on a call with reporters Friday.
Opposing pitchers have adjusted, as they do. And Murphy seemed to strike out every other at bat. But, he’s adjusted his approach, and he’s seeing results.
“He’s been much better in his pitch selection,” Bush said. “He’s not spinning, he’s sitting back through the middle of the field. He’s adjusting to how they’re pitching him. Came up last year, started out really good. They adjusted, they continued to adjust, and now he’s starting to adjust to them and he’s starting to figure out how to stay in the middle of the field and keep his direction in the same way.”
He started to send breaking balls up the middle, and use the field. Between Aug. 9 and Aug. 21, Murphy tallied a .308 average and upped his walk rate to 16.7%, among the best in the league. But, he also maintained his power stroke. His 92.5% exit velocity average ranks among the top 5 percentile in the league and his 61.5% hard hit percentage ranks in the top 1 percentile.
