Kyle Tucker will get a third and final look this season at what might already be his favorite ballpark Wednesday afternoon when the Chicago Cubs go for a three-game road sweep over the Athletics in West Sacramento, Calif.
Tucker is the early record-holder in several categories at one of Major League Baseball’s newest venues, having gone 6-for-10 with seven runs, four RBIs, three doubles and two home runs in 18-3 and 7-4 wins the past two days.
The hits, runs, doubles and home runs all rank as series highs in the first two games since the A’s moved 90 miles to the northeast from Oakland to play their home games this season.
Tuesday’s home run increased Tucker’s streak to four games. Right-handers, left handers — it hasn’t mattered to the lefty slugger, who was acquired from the Houston Astros in an offseason trade.
“He’s just a great hitter. You kinda see the way other guys talk about him,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “He’s done what we thought he’d do. He’s confident on every pitch. It’s just what the great hitters do.”
Great hitting has dominated the first two games at the A’s new home, with 32 runs scored. All nine Cubs starting batters have reached base in each game.
A’s left-hander Jeffrey Springs (1-0, 0.00 ERA) will be tasked with trying to silence the visitors in the series finale. The 32-year-old shut out the Seattle Mariners for six innings with nine strikeouts, allowing three hits, in his A’s debut on the road last Friday.
Springs will make his first career start against the Cubs. He’s seen them three times in relief, throwing 3 1/3 scoreless innings and allowing two hits.
Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon (0-1, 12.46 ERA) likewise has had success over his Wednesday opponent in a relatively small sample size. He has never lost to the A’s in four career starts, going 2-0 with a 5.12 ERA.
The 33-year-old was pummeled in an 8-1 loss at Arizona last Friday, giving up six runs and nine hits over 4 1/3 innings. Eugenio Suarez hit two home runs.
The A’s have contributed to their new ballpark’s early reputation as a long-ball paradise, with Brent Rooker and Shea Langeliers going deep in the defeat on Tuesday after Jacob Wilson recorded his first career home run on Monday.
All told, A’s manager Mark Kotsay was encouraged by Tuesday’s performance, which he considered to be a vast improvement over Monday’s mistake-filled home debut in which sloppy defense and 10 walks led to the embarrassing 18-3 defeat.
“Much better game tonight,” Kotsay noted after the A’s committed one error — on the first batter of the game — and handed out just three free passes via walks.
“There were a lot of distractions (Monday). Opening Day. A lot of people around. Today was a normal day.
“Four free bases total (Tuesday). We just didn’t end up on the right end.”
The A’s also showed improvement in their bullpen in the rematch, with three relievers combining to allow just one run. In the opener, five players — including the backup catcher — gave up 12 runs in five innings.
The Chicago bullpen has not allowed a run in the series.
–Field Level Media
