Athletics manager Mark Kotsay was eager to see how his team would respond after getting swept by the Texas Rangers at home over the weekend.
“We’ve got a month left to continue to make strides,” Kotsay said. “It’s a six-month grind, and every team goes through it. That’s a test that I want to see some of these young players really leave that impression for next season.”
The Athletics (64-76) will continue that quest Wednesday night when they face the Cardinals (69-71) to conclude their three-game series in St. Louis.
The Cardinals won 2-1 Tuesday night after the Athletics rolled to an 11-3 victory Monday afternoon.
The Athletics on Wednesday will turn to left-handed starter Jeffrey Springs (10-9, 4.17 ERA), who went 0-2 with a 5.04 ERA in five starts in August.
He suffered a 5-2 loss to the Texas Rangers on Friday in his last start while allowing three runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out five and walked two.
Springs is 0-1 with a 3.21 ERA in 14 innings over three career appearances against the Cardinals, including two starts.
First baseman Nick Kurtz returned to the Athletics lineup Tuesday after recovering from an oblique strain. Catcher Shea Langeliers returned to action after sitting out Monday with a stomach issues.
Kurtz hit an RBI double and drew an intentional walk Tuesday while Langeliers also hit a double.
The Cardinals on Wednesday will start left-hander Matthew Liberatore (6-11, 4.32), who hasn’t retired more than 15 batters in an outing since June 29. In six August starts, he was 0-3 with a 5.40 ERA.
Liberatore allowed three runs on eight hits, including two homers, in five innings in his last start — a no-decision against the Cincinnati Reds on Friday. He struck out four batters and walked two.
While he recorded only just outs on the ground, Liberatore got timely swings and misses with his strikeouts.
“Timely strikeouts are huge,” Liberatore said. “Those are four really good at-bats for me. I felt like I executed. I don’t know how many pitches it took for all four of those strikes, but if it was 15, I felt like I executed 13 out of those 15.”
Liberatore is 0-1 with a 7.50 ERA in six innings over two career appearances (one start) against the Athletics.
Cardinals designated hitter Ivan Herrea belted a go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth inning on Tuesday.
“If I’m hitting (home runs) in the late innings, that’s good, right? Helping the team win, that’s what I want to do at the end of the day,” Herrera said.
Manager Oliver Marmol has seen plenty to like from Herrera, who has gone deep in back-to-back games and is 9-for-24 with three homers and six RBIs during his eight-game hitting streak.
“Not only the production we’re seeing, but the conversation in the dugout when he makes an out and he talks about his at-bat and what he’s trying to do and the adjustments he’s going to make in his next at-bat.” Marmol said. “He’s putting together a really good year.”