The Oakland Athletics put an end to their 15-game road losing streak on Tuesday, beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-2. Jace Peterson led the way for the Athletics, hitting two home runs on a five-hit night, while tallying five RBIs. Peterson’s 500th major league hit came in the sixth inning as an RBI single off Pirates pitcher Mitch Keller that put Oakland ahead 3-2. He then put away the game with a two-run homer off Chase De Jong in the eighth and another two-run shot in the ninth.
Batting in the No.8 spot, Peterson had a perfect 5-for-5 night that raised his batting average from .194 to .218. He expressed his satisfaction with his performance, stating: “Over the last week and a half, I feel like I’ve had good at-bats. It’s baseball, a crazy game and a hard game. You never know what’s going to happen. It worked out tonight.”
The Athletics’ pitcher, James Kaprielian, earned his first win since last October, allowing two runs on four hits in six innings. Oakland had not won a game away from Oakland since beating the Los Angeles Angels on April 24.
Although Pirates’ pitcher, Keller, had been in good form this season, he had difficulty against the Athletics, giving up five runs on eight hits and four walks in 5 1/3 innings. Pittsburgh’s six-game winning streak came to an end.
The A’s hit four homers, three off De Jong, who also allowed Brent Rooker’s two-run shot in the eighth. Shea Langeliers hit a fastball from Keller 423 feet into the center-field bushes in the second.
Andrew McCutchen of the Pirates remained stuck on 1,997 hits in the majors, flying out twice and walking twice. He is 0-for-7 with five walks in his last three games.
Despite beginning his night with a costly error at second base in the first, Peterson declared to Kaprielian after the Pirates’ first run that he would get him four hits, which he ultimately did, motivating the Athletics to a decisive victory.
In a roster move, the A’s recalled infielder Kevin Smith from Triple-A Las Vegas, while infielder Nick Allen was optioned to Las Vegas.
LHP Hogan Harris, a 26-year-old rookie, is set to make his first major league start at the Athletics’ final game of the series against the Pirates on Wednesday. He will be up against Pirates RHP Roansy Contreras.