This late in the season, the Oakland A’s tried a new offensive approach to scoring runs in a baseball game and it actually worked.
Nearly twenty games below .500 with not many games remaining left on their schedule, now is as perfect of a time as any to experiment with the mere concept of how the sport is supposed to look and feel.
The game against the divisional rival Astros finished regulation with a tied score. In the top of the 12th inning, per MLB rules, Oakland started with a runner on second base. Then, the inning got a little off the rails.
Small ball, big results 🤷 pic.twitter.com/dEtmWjcLlJ
— Oakland A’s (@Athletics) September 11, 2024
Oakland outfielder Daz Cameron laid down a successful bunt, advancing runner Zack Gelof to third base.
Suddenly, the A’s had runners on first and third base as Max Schuemann came up to the plate. He, too, executed a perfect bunt that scored Gelof from home. Cameron found his way to third base and once again, Oakland had two runners on first and third.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it: Nick Allen came to the plate with no outs. Allen, to no surprise, also laid down a bunt that led to a fielder’s choice at second. In this play, though, Cameron scored.
This meant that on four pitches, the A’s officially scored two runs on three successful bunts. They went on to win the game. AMAZING.
