Shea Langeliers offered a simple explanation for his recent hot streak.
It’s not an adjustment to his swing or his batting stance. Instead, it’s all about his outlook.
“Honestly, nothing mechanical,” Langeliers told the Athletics radio broadcast on KSTE-AM. “I’ve just been a little extra focused on my routine every day and just trying to be the same guy. (I’m) not looking too much into the failure and not getting too high on all the positive stuff.”
Langeliers and the Athletics will try to keep the positive momentum going when they take on the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday evening in Minneapolis.
The Athletics held on for a 6-3 win in Tuesday’s series opener thanks in part to Langeliers, who belted his 27th home run of the season and his 15th in 29 games since the All-Star break.
As Langeliers has surged, so have the Athletics. They are 15-8 in their past 23 games and have an opportunity to secure another series victory with a win on Wednesday.
The Twins hope to spoil that plan.
Minnesota is desperate to snap a recent skid that includes four losses in the past five games and six losses in the past eight contests. The Twins have slipped nine games under .500.
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said his players continue to compete despite the poor results. That includes the series opener against the Athletics, who pounced on ace right-hander Joe Ryan for five runs (two earned) in four innings.
Reliever Pierson Ohl came on for the next four innings to steady the game. Ohl’s efforts mean that Baldelli will maintain a fresh bullpen for Wednesday’s game against the Athletics.
“During a season, there are going to be games where your starters — even your best starters — they’re not going to go six innings every single outing,” Baldelli said. “We’re fully prepared for it, to be honest.
“This is one of the scenarios that is exactly what Pierson is here for. He’s able to do that. It’s good to have options and guys that can go three and four innings, and you don’t have to think twice about it. You can just bring them right in the game and let them pitch.”
Twins right-hander Bailey Ober (4-7, 5.15 ERA) will try to go deeper when he takes the mound for his 21st start. He is in search of his first victory since May 3 against the Boston Red Sox.
In his last outing, Ober drew a no-decision after allowing three runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings against the Detroit Tigers. He walked none and struck out four.
Ober is 3-0 with a 1.33 ERA in three career starts against the Athletics.
The Athletics will counter with rookie right-hander J.T. Ginn (2-5, 5.04), who is set to make his 10th start. He has 61 strikeouts in 55 1/3 innings.
The 26-year-old Mississippi State product will try to bounce back from a rocky outing last Wednesday, when he allowed six runs (five earned) on six hits in two innings to the Tampa Bay Rays.
This will be Ginn’s first career start against Minnesota.