Zack Gelof continued his strong run at the plate as the Athletics moved closer to a three-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies with a 7-5 win on Saturday in Las Vegas. Gelof stretched his hitting streak to 17 games, helping the A’s win their fourth straight after dropping their Las Vegas debut against the Milwaukee Brewers earlier in the week. Oakland has now taken two straight from Milwaukee and the first two games against Colorado, while the Rockies have lost three in a row.
Sunday’s series finale will feature a matchup between Athletics left-hander Jeffrey Springs and Rockies right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano. Springs enters the game with a 3-6 record and 4.68 ERA, but has struggled lately, going 0-6 over his last 10 appearances. Sugano has been Colorado’s most reliable starter this season, leading Rockies pitchers in both wins and ERA at 6-4 with a 4.08 ERA. He will try to improve to 3-0 in June and build on his past success against the Athletics, against whom he owns a 1-1 record and 3.18 ERA in two previous starts.
The Athletics have been on a winning run during their first series in Las Vegas, but they also must contend with extreme heat. The last three games in the city have started with temperatures of at least 102 degrees, and Sunday’s forecast calls for a high of 106 degrees in the afternoon. If the game reaches the hottest part of the day, it could rank among the hottest major league contests ever played. Despite the conditions, rookie first baseman Nick Kurtz said the team’s mindset remains focused on performance and winning rather than the weather.
Colorado is trying to stop its skid after showing signs of improvement during a 4-2 homestand. The Rockies still have some offensive momentum from catcher Brett Sullivan, who has been productive in recent games. Sullivan has gone 6-for-13 over his last five games and has hit three of his four home runs this season in the past three contests. He hit a solo homer Saturday night and added a sacrifice fly, continuing a strong stretch at the plate. Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer praised Sullivan’s comfort and timing, while Sullivan credited the team’s collective effort rather than individual success.
Colorado outfielder Cole Carrigg has also made an immediate impact since being called up before Tuesday’s game against the Chicago Cubs, hitting two home runs in his first run with the club. Even with those contributions, the Rockies have been unable to reverse their recent slide, while the Athletics continue to build momentum in both the standings and the heat of the desert.
