Athletics Hand Phillies a Crushing Defeat
In a shocking upset, the Oakland Athletics, one of the worst teams in Major League Baseball, handed the Philadelphia Phillies, who have the best record in the league, a crushing 18-3 defeat on Sunday. The Athletics’ eight home runs were the key to their victory, with right fielder Lawrence Butler hitting three homers and tallying six RBI.
The game started slowly for Oakland, with the Phillies opening the scoring with a Trea Turner home run in the first inning. However, the Athletics heated up in the fourth inning, scoring two runs and never looking back. They went on to score at least two runs in every remaining inning, capping off the game with five runs in the ninth.
Butler’s three homers were just the beginning, as designated hitter Brent Rooker and first baseman Seth Brown added two homers each, and second baseman Zack Gelof contributed a grand slam in the ninth inning to run up the score.
The Athletics’ victory marked their second win in the three-game series against the Phillies, and they will return to Oakland on Friday to play the Los Angeles Angels after the All-Star break. Despite having one of the worst records in the league, the Athletics have shown they are capable of pulling off upsets, having defeated the Baltimore Orioles, who lead the AL East, with a 19-8 scoreline earlier this season.
This marks the final season before the Athletics leave Oakland to play in Sacramento ahead of the franchise’s move to Las Vegas.
