Inside The As

A's Affiliate Obliterates Opposition with 24-Run Outburst

Jason Burke

Jul 4, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; The third base with an “Independence Day” logo during the seventh inning between the Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Angels at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 4, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; The third base with an “Independence Day” logo during the seventh inning between the Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Angels at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports / Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
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Well, Thursday's game between the Midland RockHounds and Amarillo Sod Poodles started off close. Through two innings, it was 0-0. Then the Oakland A's Double-A affiliate put up an eight-run bottom of the third, and after Amarillo answered back with one in the top of the fourth, the RockHounds added another six to their own total, making it 14-1 through four. By the time all was said and done, Midland had scored 24 runs and smacked 29 hits in the 24-5 victory.

The win was a complete team effort, with every player collecting at least two hits in this one, and with all but two players in the lineup getting at least three hits. The six through nine batters each went 4-for-6, with Jeremy Eierman hitting two homers and collecting seven RBI. Midland hit seven home runs in total.

While the run total is ultra impressive, there were also some firsts that we should recognize from last night's game. The first first was the A's No. 10 prospect on MLB Pipeline's list, Henry Bolte, who mashed his first Double-A home run.

He was promoted from High-A Lansing at the beginning of the week, and was batting third as the team's DH on Thursday. In the four games that he's played thus far, he is 5-for-19 with a homer, a double, and a walk. He's also stolen a base, giving him 29 total on the season, while his home run last night gives him 12 on the year. He could be a real power/speed threat as he develops.

24-year-old Jeisson Rosario signed a minor-league deal with the A's in November after spending time on the farm with the Padres, Red Sox, and Yankees. Last night in the bottom of the eighth, he collected his first home run with an A's affiliate, knocking a grand slam as the big blow in a six-run inning. Rosario was one of those batters that collected four hits last night.

He's had home runs at the Double-A level at previous stops, but this was his first with Midland in 50 games played. He is batting .280 on the year, which is a high mark since he was in Rookie ball in 2017.

The A's No. 3 prospect, Denzel Clarke, hit for the cycle, and it was an eighth inning single that wrapped up that accomplishment for him. All four hits were compiled in the MiLB tweet below.

It wasn't a first, in fact it was the sixth time, but Oakland's No. 5 prospect and 2022 first-round pick Daniel Susac also went deep as part of a 3-for-5 evening with two RBI and four runs scored.

All in all, it was an impressive display by the RockHounds, who, and yes I have to say this, provided their own fireworks on the fourth of July.

More A's News:

Joey Estes Praises Fans After Big Start

A's Promote Henry Bolte to Double-A

Oakland's No. 2 Prospect Headed to MLB Futures Game

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Jason Burke
JASON BURKE

Jason is the host of the Locked on A's podcast, and the managing editor of Inside the A's. He's a new father and can't wait to take his son to his first baseball game at the Coliseum. 

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