Bullpen is better; still, Rollins’ homer off Doolittle beats A’s

Oakland’s bullpen appears as if it will be a major strength this season, but in Game 2 of 2016, one slip decided things late.

With the game tied in the ninth, closer Sean Doolittle allowed a two-out, go-ahead homer by Alameda’s Jimmy Rollins, and just like that, a little A’s comeback in the eighth went for naught in a 5-4 loss to the White Sox.

Oakland starter Chris Bassitt had good stuff , but with two on and two outs in the fifth, Todd Frazier lunged for an 0-2 curveball and sent it out of the park to left-center.

Earlier in that inning, Bassitt got Rollins to hit a slow bouncer to second that appeared as if it would result in the second out, but Jed Lowrie tried to go to second and was too late to get Adam Eaton, with Rollins safe at first on the fielder’s choice.

Lowrie did provide two-out RBIs off left-hander Jose Quintana in the third and fifth innings, and he delivered a two-out, two-run single on Opening Night.

Khris Davis, Oakland’s new left fielder, was among the team’s hottest hitters in spring training, but he appeared to be pressing a bit in his first two regular-season games with the A’s.

Hendriks got Rollins to hit into an inning-ending double play.

Hendriks also worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning, striking out Abreu and Frazier, and retired all three men he faced in the eighth.