OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Francisco Lindor took a couple of monster swings and the erratic Oakland pitching staff did plenty to help in a big night by the New York Mets.
Lindor hit a grand slam and a three-run double to match his career high of seven RBIs, powering the Mets past the Athletics 17-6 on Friday night.
The A's walked an Oakland-record 17 batters, second-most in franchise history only behind 18 surrendered by the Philadelphia A's in 1916. The club hadn't issued 16 walks since 1950.
“Walks nowadays are like hits. It was huge," Lindor said. "We passed the baton. No one was trying to be the hero. We really focused on trying to get a good pitch, and if it wasn’t there, we’ll take it.”
Kodai Senga was done after 4 2/3 innings, then Stephen Nogosek relieved and allowed one run on four hits with a pair of strikeouts in one inning of relief before Dennis Santana (1-0) pitched 2 1/3 innings for the win. Nogosek took a ball off his pitching elbow and needed an X-ray, and manager Buck Showalter expected to know more regarding his status Saturday.
With so many long innings for the Mets hitting, Senga even went down to the bullpen to stay ready.
“He had a lot of long innings. I think it affected him,” Showalter said.
The Mets drew a pair of bases-loaded walks among five free passes allowed by James Kaprielian (0-2) in the decisive second inning before Lindor connected for his sixth career grand slam and first since Sept. 20, 2022, at Milwaukee off Taylor Rogers.
Lindor — who also drove in seven runs on July 2, 2018, with Cleveland at Kansas City — had the most RBIs by a Mets shortstop in one game and tied for the third-most by a New York player overall, trailing the nine by Carlos Delgado on June 27, 2008, and eight by Dave Kingman on June 4, 1976.
Coming off a 4-2 homestand and a winning series against San Diego, New York kicked off a 10-game road trip spanning 11 days that starts in Oakland and ends across the bay at San Francisco next weekend.
Shea Langeliers hit a two-run homer in the fourth for Oakland. Aledmys Díaz connected leading off the sixth and Brent Rooker added his own solo shot in the sixth for an Oakland team that has dropped eight of nine and each of its initial four series.
Kaprielian walked a career-high seven batters in all. The last A's starter to walk as many as seven was Sonny Gray on May 3, 2015, at Texas.
“I was throwing things with conviction, wasn't trying to nibble but didn't make the adjustment, didn't have timing, arm was in the wrong spot, didn't adjust,” Kaprielian said. “It turned ugly. It's 100% on me.”
WALKS GALORE
The A's four bases-loaded walks tied an Oakland record last done on Aug. 28, 1981, at Boston.
Only three other clubs and four other times have there been 17 walks over nine innings since 1906: The Senators allowing 17 in the first game against the Yankees on Sept. 11, 1949; the Red Sox giving up 18 versus Cleveland on May 20, 1948; and the Dodgers issuing 17 walks vs. the Giants on April 30, 1944 (1st game) and the A's against the Tigers on May 9, 1916.
OUCH
The Mets were hit by pitches two more times, boosting their majors-leading total to 12.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: RHP Justin Verlander, sidelined since going on the injured list on opening day because of a strained muscle in his upper back, is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Saturday and will likely throw at least one more before facing hitters in a batting practice scenario. ... RHP Tommy Hunter (back spasms) was set to pitch for Triple-A Syracuse and is getting closer to a return.
Athletics: C Manny Piña has begun swinging the bat as he works back from a sprained left wrist. ... RHP Drew Rucinski (strained left hamstring) was fine after a two-inning rehab outing with Triple-A Las Vegas but will need to stay in the minors to build up his pitch count.
ROSTER MOVES
The A’s optioned infielder Nick Allen and also RHP Adam Oller to Triple-A Las Vegas and designated OF Cal Stevenson for assignment. LHP Hogan Harris and INF Tyler Wade were promoted from Las Vegas.
UP NEXT
RHP Carlos Carrasco (0-2, 11.42 ERA) tries again for his first win of the season and hasn't faced the A's since a loss in May 2019 with Cleveland.
Oakland sends RHP Shintaro Fujinami (0-2, 17.55) to the mound still seeking his first big league victory.
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