WEST SACRAMENTO – The Athletics have been on a mission to ruin other teams’ seasons over the final month of the season, and they’re certainly playing a major role in making a serious dent in the dwindling postseason hopes of the division-rival Mariners.
Opening up a three-game series against a desperate Seattle squad on Friday night, the A’s played spoiler again in a 6-5 victory in 10 innings that ended with a walk-off two-run home run by Donovan Walton, keeping the Mariners six games back of first place in the AL West and sinking them to six games back of the third Wild Card.
The A’s have made life miserable for the Mariners this month, now 4-1 against them in five games. Seattle is 4-1 against all other opponents so far in September.
Friday’s win was the exact type of victory that brings valuable experience for the many young players on this A’s roster against a team fighting for its playoff life. Each time the Mariners gained any sort of momentum, the A’s answered right back.
“There’s a lot that happened in this game to unpack,” manager Mark Kotsay said.
Let’s try to unpack that here with key moments and performances:
Bolte makes more history
It has been a pretty special week for Henry Bolte. After becoming the first A’s player to homer and steal at least three bases in a game since Rickey Henderson in 1991 on Monday, the rookie outfielder made more history Friday.
Leading off the bottom of the first with a single off George Kirby, Bolte wasted no time dashing for second base on the very next pitch to swipe his 20th bag of the year, becoming just the third rookie in A’s history to notch 10 homers and 20 steals in a season. The other two: Mitchell Page (1977) and Ed Charles (1962).
Like all aspects of his game, Bolte’s baserunning has evolved over time this season. Statistically, he is arguably the fastest man in baseball with an average sprint speed of 30.5 feet per second, which leads all Major League players. Early into his Major League career, however, Bolte struggled to translate that to stolen bases.
Since the start of August, Bolte has figured it out, racking up eight stolen bases while only getting caught stealing once.
“When he got up here, I don’t think he had been thrown out in Triple-A,” Kotsay said. “He came here with that aggressive mindset and realized the times to the plate, arm strength and pop times are better. … We’ve cleaned a lot up for Henry, and it’s great to see the success he’s having now.”
Bolte has worked closely with A’s baserunning coach Ryan Christenson on secondary leads, timing and overall mechanics of stealing bases.
“It’s a learning curve,” Bolte said. “In the Minor Leagues, you can kind of outrun the ball. Other teams’ effort to control the run game is not to the same level. It’s a really big thing here, because it prevents runs. Figuring out how to combat what teams are doing to prevent you from running on the bases has been big.”
Clarke is back
Denzel Clarke was activated off the injured list on Aug. 31. The defensive wizard’s official return to the Athletics, however, can be marked down as Friday.
Entering in the eighth inning as a pinch-runner, Clarke remained in the game on defense in center field and produced his first highlight-reel play back from injury in the 10th when he laid out for a low liner struck by Lazaro Montes for an incredible catch on a ball that carried an expected batting average of .540.
Clarke’s grab robbed Montes of two RBIs and likely extra bases to hold the A’s deficit at one run, setting the stage for Walton’s big swing off reliever Eduard Bazardo.
“We talk a lot about Denzel’s value and it came to fruition tonight,” Kotsay said. “There aren’t too many center fielders who make that play. That was as big as Donnie’s homer, really.”
Butler balling out
Lawrence Butler continued adding to what has been a strong second half. Offensively, he went 3-for-4, launching a go-ahead two-run homer in the third. Defensively, he made a brilliant throw home to Jonah Heim in the fourth on a flyout by Weston Wilson to nab Cole Young at the plate and keep the game tied.
“That throw was awesome,” Kotsay said. “Another highlight defensively, and great tag from Jonah.”