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On Friday night, the Oakland Athletics snapped a 15-game road losing streak as they defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates, 8-4, behind a tremendous performance by Jace Peterson. Peterson hit two home runs and garnered five hits in the game, carrying the A’s on his back, and leading them to the much-needed win.
The game started off in favor of the Pirates, as they were able to grab an early lead. Bryan Reynolds led off the bottom of the first with a home run, putting Pittsburgh up 1-0. Oakland answered back in the top of the second, thanks to a sacrifice fly by Sean Murphy, which tied the game at 1-1. The Pirates regained the lead in the bottom of the third, but the A’s tied it again in the top of the fourth with a solo home run by Peterson.
From there, it was all Oakland. Peterson hit his second home run of the game in the top of the fifth, putting the A’s up 3-2. In the top of the seventh, the A’s tacked on another run, thanks to a sacrifice fly by Tony Kemp. In the top of the eighth, Oakland blew the game wide open, scoring four more runs, including a two-run double by Elvis Andrus.
The Pirates made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth, as they were able to score two runs and load the bases, but Oakland closer Lou Trivino was able to come in and shut the door, securing the win for the A’s.
Peterson’s performance was the story of the game, as he became just the second player in A’s history to have a two-home run, five-hit game on the road. After the game, Peterson spoke to the media about his big night.
“I just wanted to be aggressive and stick to my approach,” Peterson said. “I was able to get some good pitches to hit, and I was able to capitalize on them. It feels good to contribute to a win like this.”
The win was a much-needed one for the A’s, who had been struggling mightily on the road. Their 15-game losing streak tied a franchise record, and had left them with a 21-28 road record on the season. With the win, Oakland improves to 66-48 on the year, and maintains their hold on the second wild card spot in the American League.
The A’s have been one of the more perplexing teams in baseball this season. They started off the year playing extremely well, but have been up and down since then. Their offense has been inconsistent, and their pitching staff has been hit hard by injuries. However, they remain in the playoff hunt, thanks in large part to their solid defense and ability to grind out wins.
The burstiness of the A’s offense was on full display on Friday night, as they were able to score eight runs on 13 hits, including two home runs by Peterson. The A’s have been relying heavily on the long ball this season, as they rank near the top of the league in home runs. However, they have also struggled with strikeouts, and have not been able to consistently put together rallies.
The win over the Pirates was a step in the right direction for Oakland, as they look to build some momentum heading into the final stretch of the season. They will need to continue to play well on the road if they hope to make it back to the playoffs for the fourth straight year.
In conclusion, Jace Peterson’s two home run, five-hit game led the Oakland Athletics to a much-needed win over the Pittsburgh Pirates, snapping their 15-game road losing streak. Peterson’s performance was a bright spot in what has been a somewhat perplexing season for the A’s. The burstiness of their offense was on full display, as they were able to score eight runs on 13 hits. The win was crucial for the A’s playoff hopes, as they continue to hold onto the second wild card spot in the American League. It remains to be seen whether or not they can continue to play well on the road, but Friday night’s win was a step in the right direction.
