As part three of our new feature — “Stadium Series” — TheSportsDrop visited the Coliseum in Oakland to see the Athletics battle the Washington Nationals. It should be noted, a little wind was taken out of our sails upon arriving at the ballpark. Unfortunately, due to his four game suspension, we were robbed of the chance to see Nats all-star outfielder Bryce Harper. Here’s our game recap, along with our feelings on the ballpark itself. Enjoy!
THE GAME
In a rare offensive explosion, the last place Athletics beat up on the first place Nationals, 10-4 in what might end up being known as the coming out party for A’s third baseman Ryon Healy. Besides the fact he spells his name with an “o” — the 25-year-old Healy was the star of the show during Saturday’s ballgame. In his four plate appearances, Healy went 4-4 with two HRs and two doubles — scoring two runs along with three RBIs. But Healy wasn’t the only member of the A’s who exploded on Saturday. Veteran second baseman Jed Lowrie added three hits and four RBIs, homering and recording two doubles.
The A’s offensive onslaught came at the hands of Nats pitcher Joe Ross. Ross, 24, surrendered seven runs in the first three innings, prompting manager Dusty Baker to keep him in the dugout to start the fourth. His poor performance was no surprise, as the young right hander has struggled mightily so far this season. In seven starts, Ross has a 6.16 ERA along with a 1.45 WHIP. Yikes. Ross was selected in the 1st round of the 2011 draft (25th overall) by the San Diego Padres. The Padres traded Ross in 2014, separating him from older brother Tyson Ross, who spent four seasons with the club.
THE COLISEUM
As far as the ballpark itself, the Coliseum is EXACTLY what you’d expect… half empty, lacking luxury, but full of passionate fans. To start the 2017 season, the A’s dedicated the Coliseum’s playing surface as Rickey Henderson Field, which is pretty cool. Unbeknownst to us, although it’s the second smallest NFL stadium, the Coliseum is actually the eight largest MLB stadium. It’s unknown whether the club will make any majors changes to the Coliseum after the Raiders move to Vegas. While the stadium itself isn’t exactly state of the art, the fans in attendance were incredibly loyal to their small market franchise.
THANK YOU
We hope you enjoyed the third installment of our “Stadium Series” — please provide feedback in the comment section. Let us know how you liked this piece and feel free to suggest any ballparks, stadiums, arenas you think we should visit next!