September 28, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Oakland Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers (23) is hit by a second base hit after hitting a three-run home run in the ninth inning at T-Mobile Field. Congratulations to Max Schuemann (12 years old). Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images On Sunday afternoon, the Athletics will wear gray road jerseys for the final time, with the word “Oakland” stitched in cursive on the front.
After 57 seasons in the Bay Area, the Athletics will play the next three seasons at a minor league stadium in Sacramento, Calif., while their new ballpark in Las Vegas is built.
Sunday's season-ending game against the host Seattle Mariners won't evoke the same feelings as Thursday's final home game at the Oakland Coliseum — which A's legendary pitcher Dave Stewart likened to going to a funeral — but It will still be bittersweet.
There were even some fans wearing yellow and green in the stands at T-Mobile Park in Seattle the past two nights.
“There are more Oakland fans here cheering for us,” Oakland Athletics pitcher JP Sears said. “We always keep that in mind…I think recognizing that, playing hard and getting to 70 wins (the Athletics are 69-92) is going to be huge.”
The Mariners (84-77) won the first two games of this series, 2-0 on Friday night and 7-6 in 10 innings on Saturday.
Seattle's Cal Raleigh has homered in both games and has a team-leading 33 home runs and 98 RBIs this season.
Luke Raley wielded the big stick Saturday, hitting a run-scoring double in the seventh inning to tie the game at 3-3 and a two-run double in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game at 3-3. The tie was tied at 6.
“This is the big leagues,” Reilly said. “Not everyone can do this. I will never take a day for granted.”
Oakland's Shea Langeliers gave the Athletics their only lead with a two-out, three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning.
Brent Rooker and Tyler Soderstrom also performed well for the A's. For Rucker, it was his 39th home run of the season.
“Rooker is outstanding. Not only is he having a great season, but he's becoming a really good teammate, a really good leader,” A's manager Mark Kotsay said. “It's not that he's not a great teammate, but he's a great leader in this club. You can see him rising up and taking on that responsibility. It's great. I hope he can perform (Sunday) Excellent, he hit his 40th home run.
Both teams are scheduled to field right-handers in the finale, which will pit Oakland rookie Mitch Spence (8-9, 4.35 ERA) against Seattle's Logan Gilbert (8-9) 12 losses, 3.33).
Spence has faced the Mariners twice this season. On May 11, he pitched a scoreless inning in Seattle's 8–1 victory. He gave up four runs on nine hits.
Gilbert has made 11 career starts against the Athletics and is 2-1 with a 3.36 ERA. On June 5, he lost 2-1 in Oakland despite allowing just one earned run in seven innings. He had a no-decision in a 5-4 loss at the Coliseum on Sept. 2, when he allowed four runs on four hits in six innings with one walkout and nine strikeouts.
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