SEATTLE — The Oakland A’s became one of the bigger surprises in baseball last weekend when, after six straight wins, they improved to .500 for the season and moved to within 1 1/2 games of first place in the American League West.

It’s been a bit of a struggle for the A’s ever since. Sunday, they lost 8-4 to the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park, marking their sixth loss in the last eight games.

The A’s trailed 5-0 after two innings, but a Max Schuemann error paved the way to a four-run second for the division-leading Mariners, who took two of three in the series.

After losing three of four to the Texas Rangers early last week, the A’s (19-23) are now 3 1/2 games back of first place in the division going into their four-game series against the Houston Astros. The series starts Monday.

A’s starting pitcher Alex Wood allowed four hits, including a two-run home run to Julio Rodríguez, in two innings before he left the game with a shoulder injury, which he said had been bothering him for a while. A’s manager Mark Kotsay said the team would likely have an announcement on Wood on Monday.

“He’s been grinding,” Kotsay said of Wood. “He hasn’t felt great. He’s been able to make every start, but today, you saw his velo dropping; his slider wasn’t as sharp. He gave us everything he had for two innings. Obviously, he’s disappointed that he had to come out of the game.”

Asked if he might have to land on the injured list, Wood said, “We’ll see how the next few days go. I’ve been throwing with it for a little bit now. Just getting treatment and managing the workload.”

For the Mariners, Julio Rodríguez and Mitch Garver both hit two-run home runs, and Luis Castillo allowed two runs over six strong innings.

“Our offense showed up today. Put good pressure on them early, got some big hits, home runs,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said.

Rodríguez’s homer was just his second of the season and his first at T-Mobile Park in Seattle’s 22nd home game. Rodríguez hit a 2-2 pitch from Wood out to straightaway center field in the second inning for a two-run shot that gave Seattle a 5-0 lead.

The homer had an exit velocity of 109 mph and traveled an estimated 409 feet.

“You’ve got to stay patient and let the results come and I feel like today was the day and I’m really happy about that, that I was able to help the team win,” Rodríguez said.

Rodríguez nearly homered in his next at-bat in the fifth inning, doubling off the top of the wall, but jogged home when Garver hit his fifth of the season to give Seattle a 7-1 lead. Garver also had a two-out RBI single in the first inning.

Seby Zavala added his first home run of the season for the Mariners, a solo shot in the sixth.

Following a sluggish start to the season, Luis Castillo (4-5) has now gone six straight starts allowing two earned runs or fewer each time. Castillo needed 100 pitches to get through six innings, but closed his outing with strikeouts of Shea Langeliers and J.D. Davis with runners on base.

Castillo allowed seven hits and struck out eight. Schuemann and Abraham Toro both hit solo home runs to account for the scoring off Castillo.

Brent Rooker hit his 10th homer of the season in the eighth inning off reliever Cody Bolton. It was a two-run shot.

“These guys battled back. Every time we scored, they ended up scoring. As much as we’ve been able to lock it down in games that we’ve trailed in — and we actually have come back in a few of them — today we just weren’t able to do that in the bullpen,” Kotsay said.

UP NEXT: Ross Stripling (1-6, 5.14) will open a three-game series at Houston on Monday. Stripling gave up 10 hits and 11 runs — but only five earned runs — over 1 2/3 innings in his previous start against Texas.

Mother Nature is serving up beautiful weather for Mother’s Day! Enjoy the spectacular sunshine and mild temperatures. 

After hitting the 80s the last two days, temperatures cool to a comfortable 75 degrees in Seattle this afternoon. You can expect lots of sunshine. 

Temperatures warm comfortably to the low to mid 70s for many places in Puget Sound. (FOX 13 Seattle)

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Temperatures cool further on Monday. Clouds thicken. There might be light sprinkles tomorrow, but most will end up dry. 

Partly sunny skies are in store on Tuesday as highs lift to almost 70 degrees. 

Temperatures go from the 70s Sunday to the 60s Monday and Tuesday. (FOX 13 Seattle)

The 70s are back in action Wednesday and Thursday. 

Morning clouds and afternoon sunshine are on tap Friday and Saturday. 

Highs will cool gradually on Monday before boosting to the 70s again on Wednesday. (FOX 13 Seattle)

PS: Hope you enjoyed checking out the northern lights Friday night! Unfortunately, the aurora borealis was much weaker Saturday night: the viewing ended up being dismal compared to what we experienced Friday night. Unfortunate news for fans of the northern lights: our chances to see it again this evening are rather slim for several reasons, including the fact that clouds will be increasing around the region. Already, the intensity was forecast to be much weaker than Friday’s event.

Thanks so much for choosing FOX 13!

Warmly, 

Meteorologist Abby Acone

In what is becoming a familiar refrain for the Seattle Reign in 2024, 90 minutes of effort leads to no points for the Reign. One defensive lapse in the first half along with an inch-perfect shot was enough to hand the Portland Thorns the win. A questionable (at best) refereeing decision late in the second half shifted all momentum in favor of the Thorns, putting the game well out of reach of the Reign attack. Two late goals from the Thorns would put the final score at 4-0. A difficult and demoralizing result given the Reign’s place in the standings, especially since the Reign had the better of the Thorns throughout much of the match. The Reign are now 2-7-1, having just seven points from 10 matches.

Match Summary

The Reign were effective in the first half, making strong tackles, connecting through the midfield, and putting in dangerous crosses. Center referee Abdou Ndiaye was letting physical play go, for the most part, and the Reign took advantage. Though the Thorns would go into the break with the most fouls, the Reign had the stronger and more effective tackles. The Thorns were able to find space outside of the box for a few of their own shots, but they were wide and generally unthreatening. Phoebe McClernon, Lauren Barnes, Shae Holmes and Sophia Huerta were once again effective and organized in limiting any space for the Thorns’ forwards.

The Reign had their most dangerous attacks of the game off of Ji So-Yun’s set pieces. Veronika Latsko had a nice relatively open header in the box from a Ji corner that ended up about 10 yards wide, and in first half stoppage Jessica Fishlock had a glancing header from a Ji free kick that Thorns keeper Shelby Hogan just barely got a had to, and Bethany Balcer’s resulting volley header was expertly cleared off the line by Thorns defender Kelli Hubly.

Unfortunately for the Reign, the Thorns breakthrough came in the 42nd minute. A Hogan goal kick was flicked forward by Christine Sinclar into open space for Sophia Smith to run onto. She carried the ball wide into the Reign box, then cut it back to an open Olivia Moultrie at the top of the box. Moultrie’s one-time shot was inch-perfect, curling impossibly accurately to the upper V of the far post and into the net, giving Laurel Ivory no chance at heroics.

After the break, the match settled back into a relatively familiar rhythm: physical play in the middle of the pitch, some nice connections between Reign midfielders, solid defensive organization, and an all too familiar “lack of quality” in the final third. The Reign’s struggles were summed up when around the 70th minute Huerta won the ball in the Thorns’ box with a physical tackle, with an open look on goal. She tried to take a touch to her left for a better shooting angle around defenders closing in, but it was a little too heavy. Her resulting left footed shot was easily blocked, then ricocheted back into Huerta, hitting her arm and causing her to hit herself in the face.

A few minutes later, Huerta would again end up with the ball ricocheting into her hand in the box, but this time it was the defensive end. Huerta went to block a shot and succeeded, but the resulting deflection off her leg shot the ball up and back, hitting her outstretched arm. Though calling a handball PK is against IAFB guidelines in a situation where the ball deflects off a defender’s leg and into their arms, and it was not called a PK in real time, VAR sent Ndiaye to the review board. Ndiaye eventually awarded the Thorns a PK and showed Huerta a yellow card after a lengthy review. Smith buried the resulting PK, leaving the score 2-0 Thorns.

Having already brought on Emeri Adames for Latsko earlier, Laura Harvey called in Ryanne Brown and Nikki Stanton for McClernon and Olivia van der Jagt to try and tilt the field in the other direction. Tziarra King would enter a few minutes later for Olivia Athens. The substitutes initially had the desired effect, with the Reign coming in waves and having dangerous possession in the final third, though, as usual, no dangerous shots generated. After withstanding these initial waves of pressure, the field tilted sharply in favor of the Thorns, the Reign having the wind taken out of their sails. Hina Sugita and Peyton Linnehan would score in stoppage time, both goals assisted by Smith, for a final score of 4-0.

Ruthlessness

The familiar refrain for the Thorns came back to haunt them, the lack of quality in the final third. After the match Fishlock mused that everyone who finds themselves in the attack needs to be examining whether their runs are right, their passes are right, and that a lot of that is “a tiny bit off” right now. That it would have to be addressed through watching the film, taking accountability, and working hard in training. Barnes had one thing to add “be ruthless.”

On the other end, the Thorns were ruthless. Moultrie was ruthless in finishing the one good opportunity the Thorns had in the first half. The Thorns players were adamant that the ball deflecting into Huerta’s arm was a PK (which is probably an objectively incorrect application of the rule) and Smith was ruthless in finishing her PK. Tacking on two goals in stoppage while already leading 2-0 was ruthless. The Reign were not ruthless, and outside of the match against the Wave last Friday, the Reign have not been ruthless this season, a big part of why the find themselves in this hole.

Momentum

The funny thing about momentum in sports is that it can often explain everything and nothing. The Reign had a bit of momentum coming into this match, having beat the Wave while down a player for essentially 90+ minutes and shutting out the best team in the league. The Reign had momentum in the first half having controlled the play and generating some quality chances. But one quick goal off a goal kick at one end and a goal-line clearance on the other later, and the Thorns were the ones up going into half.

The second half was a similar story, the Reign had the momentum, getting the ball into the box for some dangerous possession, but it was a “handball” in the box at the other end that gave the Thorns the insurance goal. Fishlock called them “nothing goals,” a fitting description of goals that came against the momentum the Reign were generating, especially since one goal was a reward for what was at best a questionable application of the rules. At the end of the day though, those “nothing” goals counted. Even just the first was enough for the Thorns to win this one, as after the second goal, the momentum began swinging to the Thorns’s sails. And the Thorns rode that momentum to two killer goals in stoppage time.

What’s Next

The Reign’s next match is home against Orlando Pride, Sunday May 19th at 3:00 pm Pacific. Orlando is coming off a 1-0 win against Bay FC and are first place in the league. After tying their first three games of the season, Orlando is bringing a six-game win streak to Seattle. The match will be available for streaming on NWSL+.