Looking to end a five-game slide, the A’s nearly did it with 6 scoreless innings to start the game. Lo and behold, the bullpen couldn’t hold on and the A’s still have not won a game since the reverse boycott.
Opening for the A’s, southpaw rookie Ken Waldichuk pitched a relatively clean 5 outs against a lefty-heavy Guardians lineup. Although he allowed a couple of doubles to Steven Kwan and Will Brennan, he put down the rest of Cleveland’s top 7 in relatively short order. Throwing just 27 pitches, Waldy struck out 2 without walking anyone, getting the ball to another rookie, Luis Medina, with one out left in the 2nd.