Photos: Oakland Athletics host Houston Astros on Opening
Day
OAKLAND, CA – APRIL 1: Harold Ningas, of Pittsburg, heads into the Oakland Coliseum for the Oakland Athletics’ 2021 season opening game against the Houston Astros in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, April 1, 2021. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
It’s been 15 months since Bay Area professional baseball has had fans cheering in the stands. The Coliseum’s cutout fans and pre recorded crowd sounds that stood in during the 2020 Major League Baseball season due to the coronavirus pandemic are gone. Fans are back but things are not back to normal just yet. Face masks, social distancing, and no tailgainting are part of precautions put in place.
The Athletics dropped the first of a four game series to the Astros 8-1. Ramón Laureano went 2-for-4, his double in the seventh inning starting a meager rally that resulted in a Matt Chapman sacrifice fly for the A’s only run.
Boos, chants of “Cheater!” rained down from the sellout crowd in attendance as they expressed their dismay over the Houston Astros cheating scandal that shocked the baseball world in November 2019.
OAKLAND, CA – APRIL 1: A’s fan Jeff McConnell, of Novato, holds up a sign before the American League game between theHouston Astros against the Oakland Athletics on Opening Day at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, April 1, 2021. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) OAKLAND, CA – APRIL 1: A’s fans enter from the BART bridge for the Oakland Athletics’ 2021 season opening game against the Houston Astros at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, April 1, 2021. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group) OAKLAND, CA – APRIL 1: The Houston Astros and Oakland Athletics lineup during the national anthem before their American League game on Opening Day at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, April 1, 2021. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) OAKLAND, CA – APRIL 1: A’s fans wait along the BART bridge to enter the Oakland Coliseum for the Oakland Athletics’ 2021 season opening game against the Houston Astros in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, April 1, 2021. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group) OAKLAND, CA – APRIL 1: Oakland Athletics’ Chad Pinder makes a diving catch on a line drive by Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve (27) in the fifth inning of their American League game on Opening Day at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, April 1, 2021. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) OAKLAND, CA – APRIL 1: A’s fans Manuel Mendez, 15 months, and dad Francisco Mendez wait along the BART bridge to enter the Oakland Coliseum for the Oakland Athletics’ 2021 season opening game against the Houston Astros in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, April 1, 2021. Francisco attended the last game that in person fans were allowed the American League wild-card game against the Tampa Bay Rays in October 2019 and brought his son to his first A’s game. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group) OAKLAND, CA – APRIL 1: Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Chris Bassitt (40) pumps his fist after Oakland Athletics’ Chad Pinder (4) made a diving catch on a line drive by Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve (27) in the fifth inning of their American League game on Opening Day at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, April 1, 2021. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) OAKLAND, CA – APRIL 1: A’s fans Perry Farahani plays catch with his son Jacob, 12, both of Campbell, before the start of the Oakland Athletics’ 2021 season opening game against the Houston Astros at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, April 1, 2021. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group) OAKLAND, CA – APRIL 1: Oakland Athletics’ Ramón Laureano (22) steals third base against the Houston Astros in the seventh inning of their American League game on Opening Day at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, April 1, 2021. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) OAKLAND, CA – APRIL 1: A’s fans line up to enter the Oakland Coliseum for the Oakland Athletics’ 2021 season opening game against the Houston Astros in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, April 1, 2021. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group) OAKLAND, CA – APRIL 1: Oakland Athletics’ Chad Pinder (4) is congratulated by teammates Oakland Athletics’ Ramn Laureano (22) and Oakland Athletics’ Matt Olson (28) after he made a diving catch on a line drive by Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve (27) in the fifth inning of their American League game on Opening Day at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, April 1, 2021. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
