Laureano's homer, defense provide A's with much-needed jolt

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Ramón Laureano provided the Athletics with the energy they needed to take down Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night at the Coliseum.

As he's done many times throughout his three-plus year career, Laureano got it done on both defense and offense.

In the top of the third inning, with two outs and a runner on first, it was Laureano's arm in center field that prevented the go-ahead run from scoring.

With Ohtani on the mound (and at the plate), the A's would gladly take any shot in the arm they can get against the two-way superstar.

“That was huge," A's manager Bob Melvin said postgame. "I mean, to get rid of it that quickly and then for Elvis [Andrus] to make the relay throw from the distance that he did, that’s a huge swing at that point in time because 1-0 with Shohei [Ohtani] is a much different game.”

Four innings later, Laureano's bat provided the jolt that just about secured an A's victory.

As electric as Laureano's home run was, some of his fellow teammates saw it coming.

“A couple guys, I think, called the home run," A's starter Cole Irvin told reporters. "We like to try and call each other's home runs, call each other's shots. We had fun with it.

“We do it all the time. We all have gut feelings, so we’ll occasionally just tell another guy and go nuts for each other. Like [Mike] Fiers the other night called the home run that Jed [Lowrie] hit and I went nuts for him, so it’s just whoever decides to call it, calls it.”

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With the way Laureano has been swinging the bat as of late, that prediction was long overdue.

Prior to Monday, Laureano had gone 10-for-53 (.188) at the plate in July without a single home run and just two RBI. He was due, and his teammates knew it.

"Hopefully that goes a long way for him," Melvin said, "not that he’s unconfident, he’s always confident, but when you’re going through a bit of a rut, a home run like that can do wonders for you.”

Whether it be with the bat or with the glove, Laser Ramón knows how to put on a show.

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