Oakland A’s, now with AL’s worst defense, start homestand with frustrating loss
OAKLAND – Matt Davidson camped under a Michael Taylor pop-up just a few feet from third base. As the ball came down and drifted more toward the middle of the field, Davidson stood frozen as he looked at shortstop Elvis Andrus.
“Obviously I talk a lot about playing clean defense,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said, “and we just didn’t do that tonight.” Davidson also committed an error earlier in the fifth inning, allowing a Perez ground ball to get by and bounce into left field. Davidson was replaced at third base in the top of the seventh inning by Jonah Bride.
Even though the A’s have accrued a staggering amount of errors this season, they had, before Friday, allowed only 22 unearned runs, the fifth-fewest in the AL. Oakland also ranked second in double plays with 59 prior to Friday’s game.