Bases-Loaded Walk Gives A’s First Victory Before Sparse Coliseum Crowd

Abraham Toro (C) is congratulated by teammates after walking with the bases loaded to give the Oakland A's their first victory of the season, over the Cleveland Guardians, in Oakland, Calif., on March 31, 2024. Jeff Chiu/AP Photo

OAKLAND, Calif.—Pinch-hitter Abraham Toro forced in the game-winning run when he drew a four-pitch, bases-loaded walk from Eli Morgan, and the Oakland Athletics beat the Cleveland Guardians 4-3 on Sunday for their first win this season.

The A’s, who have announced plans to move to Las Vegas in 2028, drew a crowd of just 4,118 at the Coliseum on a sunny afternoon. Attendance for the opening four-game series totaled 26,902.

Oakland and Manager Mark Kotsay lost three of four to the Guardians. The A’s went 60-102 in Mr. Kotsay’s first season in 2022, then 50-112 last year. They walked it off in the ninth after the Guardians had tied the game with three runs in the eighth.

“Nobody wants to start 0-4,” Mr. Kotsay said. “I was proud of the effort, proud of the fight back that we showed after that eighth inning.”

Carlos Carrasco returned to Cleveland’s rotation after three seasons with the New York Mets, allowing three runs and six hits in five innings. The 37-year-old right-hander was 88-73 for Cleveland from 2009-20.

Oakland’s Paul Blackburn allowed three hits in seven shutout innings and the Guardians tied the score on Josh Naylor’s RBI single that capped the eighth-inning rally. Two runs were unearned because of shortstop Nick Allen’s error.

Cleveland’s Stephen Vogt, managing his first series, was proud of his team’s late-inning comeback.

“If we win three out of four all year long, we’re going to be pretty happy with where we are,” Mr. Vogt said. “No loss feels good, and this one certainly doesn’t. But really, really proud of the way the guys played this series.”

Blackburn, who threw 88 pitches, credited his success to breaking pitches.

“Especially against a team like that,” Blackburn said, “a team that doesn’t swing and miss much, a team that grinds out every at bat one through nine—just being able to keep them off balance the way that we did today shows the game plan we had.”

Scott Barlow (0-1) walked Ryan Noda starting the ninth and Shea Langeliers reached on an infield hit. A video review overturned umpire Marvin Hudson’s call, ruling that Langeliers beat the throw from second baseman Andrés Giménez.

After Lawrence Butler’s single loaded the bases, Toro pinch hit for Allen and Morgan relieved. He threw an inside slider and three high fastballs, missing the strike zone with each pitch.

Dany Jiménez (1-0) of the A’s pitched a scoreless ninth for his first major-league win since Aug. 20, 2022.

Oakland’s JJ Bleday hit an RBI triple in the first and added a run-scoring single in the third. Seth Brown had an RBI single in the second.

“We do need to add on to the lead to make it a little more comfortable, but a win is a win and we got it done today,” Mr. Kotsay said.

Up Next

Guardians: Right-hander Triston McKenzie (1-2, 3.07 ERA in 2023) starts Monday at Seattle, which will have right-hander Emerson Hancock (0-0. 4.50) on the mound.

Athletics: Right-hander Joe Boyle (2-0, 1.69) starts Monday’s series opener at home against Boston, which will start right-hander Tanner Houck (6-10, 5.01).

By Eric He