OAKLAND — For the sixth time this season, the A’s arranged a so-called bullpen game. They asked starter Liam Hendriks to go only one inning (seven pitches!) before giving way to a scheduled parade of relievers.
It didn’t work Tuesday night. And much of failure in a 9-7 loss to the Los Angeles Angels at the Coliseum can be traced back to an arm that wasn’t scheduled to appear at all.
A fan in the stands reached for a foul ball in the sixth inning, just as right fielder Stephen Piscotty was closing in on a potential bases-loaded catch.