Blake Treinen thought about taking a page out of the Warriors' playbook Sunday night, but he thought better of starting a war with the umps.
The A's star closer was visibly frustrated with the strike zone during Oakland's 9-8 loss to the Astros at Minute Maid Park. Treinen threw two pitches that looked like strikes that were called balls during a leadoff walk to Josh Reddick in the ninth, and he appeared to have a few things to say to the home plate umpire after walking Jose Altuve to force in the game-winning run.
When asked about the strike zone after the game, Treinen elected not to criticize the umpires.
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"We have to be careful how we comment on things because it's not really acceptable to speak your mind at times," Treinen told reporters. "I've got to make better pitches to Altuve, I still had a chance to get out of the inning and I didn't give any competitive pitches there late."
Pitching for the first time in five games, Treinen allowed an inherited runner to score in the eighth and then was squeezed in the ninth inning, when he issued three walks, including the one that ended the game. Had Treinen received some borderline calls, the A's might have been able to escape the inning. But the All-Star closer pointed the finger at himself for not being at the top of his game.
"If I do a better job of being in the zone there instead of yard-selling the first two, it's a little different," Treinen said after the game. "I didn't really give myself much of a chance to be successful in that at-bat and it's frustrating when the team played as well as they did to stay in it."
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Oakland Athletics
Treinen's uncharacteristic day spoiled what could have been a much-needed comeback win from the A's.
On the verge of being swept by their division rival, the A's frustrations were evident Sunday. The A's erased an early three-run deficit and appeared on track for a much-needed win.
But a tight strike zone coupled with a shaky Treinen gave the A's their third straight loss and sent them to Baltimore searching for answers against the Orioles.