A’s walk off the Nationals, 2-1

Lawrence Butler the offensive MVP in the win while Paul Blackburn dazzles again

Through eight full innings of Friday nights game, it looked like the A’s were on their way to back-to-back 1-0 victories. Instead, Washington Nationals outfielder Jesse Winker had different plans sending a solo blast into the right center bleachers off Dany Jimenez in just his seventh pitch of the night.

Just an inning later, however, the A’s would get the last laugh thanks to their offensive hero tonight: Lawrence Butler.

Paul Blackburn got the rock for the A’s tonight, and he’s been so good early this season that he entered Friday nights outing not allowing a run through two starts and 13 innings. There was a brief moment in the second inning where it looked like Blackburn would finally give up a run though.

Back-to-back singles from Joey Meneses and Winker and a groundout gave the Nationals runners on second and third with just one out. Riley Adams chopped a ground ball to J.D. Davis at third, and he fired a perfect throw to Shea Langeliers at the plate with Meneses running. The call on the field was safe primarily but after review, the call was flipped.

To this moment, Blackburn still has yet to surrender a run.

Butler got the A’s on the board an inning later smacking a 445-foot laser to right field — his first home run of the season.

After that second inning close call, Blackburn wouldn’t allow another runner touch third base. He threw 6.1 innings of scoreless baseball while striking out four, walking two, and surrendering five hits. He also benefitted from two double plays maintaining his 0.00 ERA through 19.1 innings to start 2024.

It’s unfortunate for Blackburn that he won’t get the win, and the A’s offense stalling for the middle ¹⁄₃ of the game can be the blame. After the third inning Butler big fly, the A’s wouldn’t record their next hit until one out in the seventh. Washington starter Jake Irvin had by far his best start of the 2024 season going six innings while allowing just the one Butler hit and striking out five.

Austin Adams, T.J. McFarland and Lucas Erceg would do a nice job preserving the shutout as they combined to go 1.2 innings while striking out four in relief. Adams now has 0.00 ERA himself and seven strikeouts through 4.2 relief innings.

Joey Gallo did his best try at keeping the crowd entertained in the 8th inning with a 1-0 score looming after he was ejected arguing balls and strikes. Winker would pick up his teammate an inning later with the solo-blast to knot the score at 1-1, however.

The A’s would go down without much of a fight in the bottom of the ninth striking out twice, so that meant it was time for extra innings for the the first time in 2024. It also meant it’s time for the return of MLB’s ridiculous extra inning rules.

With Trey Lipscomb at second, CJ Abrams grounded out to first baseman Tyler Nevin. Perhaps trying to do a little too much, Lipscomb would provide one of the biggest blunders of the night trying to take third but Nevin was ready after touching first as he gunned a strike to third to nail Lipscomb and secure the double play.

In the bottom half, Max Schuemann made his big-league debut pinch-running at second and he’d soon be the winning run. With one out, Butler looped a base hit to left field to score Schuemann and walk-off with the 2-1 victory

The A’s get outhit 8-3 on the night, two of them from Butler, but it doesn’t matter. They improve to 6-8 on the season with five wins in their last seven games but most importantly: it’s their first regular season win with me covering the game.

Both teams will line up and do it again tomorrow at 1:07 PM PDT for game two of the three game series. Joe Boyle takes the ball for the A’s coming off a strong last outing while young lefty MacKenzie Gore will counter for the Nationals.