Takeaways From 'Interstate 80' Series Between A's and Giants

On rivalry weekend, Logan Webb brought his best to face the team he grew up rooting for in the A's, and pitched a masterpiece. It means something more to him, surely, being a Sacramento-area homegrown player, to find success here in Northern California.

This year, the Giants have seen Logan Webb mature and grow as a pitcher, as manager Bob Mevin tells MLB.com's Maria Guardado. “It’s a different repertoire,” he said. “It’s not just sinker, changeup, put it in play. There’s a four-seamer involved. There’s a cutter involved. There’s a sweeper involved. More pitches, and he’s getting some swing-and-misses."

While many A's fans are disappointed in the loss, you have to tip your cap to the Sac town native.

Offense Gone Missing

The A's offense, which was bursting at the seams just a few series ago, has suddenly gone cold. They were firing on all cylinders, and shooting to the top of the charts as one of the best in the league.

With the ever-changing nature of baseball paired with a tough schedule, the lineup is just not executing well right now, said manager Mark Kotsay. Still, he remains confident in his lineup and the talent they have on their roster that they'll come out of this rut soon.

There was a glimmer of hope in Sunday's game, when Lawrence Butler hit a two-run single up the middle in the top of the fourth inning to give the A's a 2-1 lead. They'll need more of that production at the top of their lineup to get the offense going again.

Holding Out for a Hero

The Giants are no stranger to heroics, as they have had six walk-off celebrations this year. The latest came in the 10th inning, as Wilmer Flores drew a bases-loaded walk against A's closer Mason Miller. This put Flores atop the RBI leaderboard, and sent the A's back to West Sac on a five-game losing streak.

The A's have been missing that clutch moment the last few series. Jacob Wilson can't be the only one to rely on in those big moments, and the spark has been missing in the Dodgers and Giants series.

Pitching Woes

One of the downfalls for the A's lately has been being the depth of their starting and relief pitching. Finding a solution is easier said than done, and whether they look internally or explore other options as summer nears, the A's will have to get creative.

The A's pitching staff ranks No. 26 in baseball in team ERA with a 5.12, and that is not going to be sustainable over the course of the season. Jeffrey Springs kept the A's in Sunday's game, at one point retiring 20 batters in a row after a leadoff home run, but the bullpen was unable to hold the lead late. They'll need more guys that can do that when the offense goes cold.