The Oakland Athletics started off their 2020 season with a walk-off grand slam from Matt Olson in a 7-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels.
Matt Olson with the walk-off grand slam for the Oakland A's on Opening Day. 💣 pic.twitter.com/dIE0rKiqdd
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) July 25, 2020
Quite a way to get a victory on Opening Day, and the A’s didn’t take long to walk it off in grand style again.
The A’s and Texas Rangers were tied 1-1 with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning on Tuesday night, when Stephen Piscotty hit the first pitch over the center field wall for another A’s walk-off grand slam. A medium-depth flyball would’ve likely still gotten the job done, but the grand slam is a much more exciting way to walk it off.
SECOND WALK-OFF GRAND SLAM OF 2020
FINAL: #Athletics 5, Rangers 1#RootedInOakland pic.twitter.com/HPh8Y2Oq19
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) August 5, 2020
So, that’s two walk-off grand slams for the A’s through 11 games this season. That walk-off grand slam rate is as crazy as it seems.
The A’s had never hit two walk-off grand slams in a season, and no team has ever hit three walk-off grand slams in a season. They’re the first team to hit two walk-off grand slams in a season since the Chicago Cubs did so in 2018 (you may remember David Bote’s wild walk-off grand slam on Sunday Night Baseball).
The A's are the 1st team since the 2018 Cubs with 2 walk-off grand slams in a single season.
It's the first time in franchise history they've had multiple in a season.
No team has ever had three in a season.
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) August 5, 2020
The A’s have two first pitch walk-off grand slams in the last two weeks. There were none of those from the beginning of 2014 until July 2017 https://t.co/FetK93jgzR
— Jeremy Frank (@MLBRandomStats) August 5, 2020
Oh, and the A’s now have as many walk-off grand slams this season as the Pittsburgh Pirates have victories.
The A’s have won two games on walk off grand slams.
The Pirates have won two games
— Jeremy Frank (@MLBRandomStats) August 5, 2020
Tuesday night’s victory is the fourth straight for the A’s, who lead the AL West with a 7-4 record.
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.