Ramón Laureano’s bat, arm back Aaron Brooks’ gem in A’s win over Red Sox
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OAKLAND — Ramón Laureano sensed his breakout was coming after a quiet slump through the A’s first six games of the season.
He announced his presence in the seventh game.
The A’s center fielder provided a reminder about the type of arm he possesses in the second inning of Monday’s 7-0 win over the Boston Red Sox. Laureano fired a seed from center to home plate to nail Xander Bogaerts trying to score from second base on a single by Mitch Moreland. It was the most impressive throw of the young season and an early candidate for Play of the Year.
In case you forgot, Laureano still has a cannon. pic.twitter.com/UMZWCWxi7Y
— Martín Gallegos (@MartinJGallegos) April 2, 2019
Laureano appears to be getting an early start to his 2019 defensive highlights mixtape after his 2018 rookie year featured numerous incredible defensive plays, including arguably the top play of the season in Anaheim when he fired a throw from left-center field to Mark Canha at first base to nail Eric Young Jr trying to race back to first after a flyout by Justin Upton.
The throw Laureano made Monday night may not have been as jaw-dropping as the one in Anaheim, but it was still impressive. With little momentum as he paused mid-run to get to the ball in the outfield, Laureano took a short hop before firing a strike to Nick Hundley at home that was clocked at 96 mph.
Laureano also showed off his bat an inning later as he led off the top of the third inning with a solo home run off David Price to increase the A’s (4-3) lead to 2-0.
Khris Davis has been showing off his bat quite often in 2019. He belted a pitch from Price into the left-field bleacher in the second for a solo home run. Davis leads the majors with five home runs, and he joined elite company as one of three players in A’s history to hit five home runs through the first seven games of the season. The other two? Mark McGwire and Reggie Jackson.
Laureano’s throw and Davis’ blast had the Coliseum buzzing, but perhaps just as impressive was the start turned in by Aaron Brooks. The right-hander held the Red Sox (1-4) scoreless through six innings of work, allowing just two hits and a walk with six strikeouts.
Brooks was not guaranteed a rotation spot for 2019. He battled with several other pitchers in spring training and did not earn a spot on the roster until an impressive final exhibition start against the San Francisco Giants just two days before Opening Day sealed the deal.
Brooks had not started a game since his Oct. 2, 2015 in his original stint with the A’s. After griding through the minors four years in the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers organizations, Brooks found himself back in the majors at the end of 2018 pitching out of the bullpen for the A’s after they claimed him off waivers.
The six scoreless turned in by Brooks made it five consecutive six-inning outings by A’s starting pitchers. The starters have allowed only one earned run in that time, combining for 21 strikeouts over 30 innings pitched.
Matt Chapman blasted his first home run of the year in the eighth with a solo shot over the wall in center off Heath Hembree. Kendrys Morales also recorded his first RBI as a member of the A’s in the same inning with a pinch-hit single to center.
Fernando Rodney hit a milestone in his 17-year big league career by making his 900th career appearance. He capped it off with a scoreless ninth inning to complete the shutout.