A's catcher MacIver gets go-ahead hit, throws out runner to end game in big league debut at age 28
Associated Press
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Willie MacIver hit a go-ahead single in the eighth inning of his major league debut. Minutes later, the 28-year-old catcher threw out a runner trying to steal second for the final out that ended the Athletics' 11-game losing streak.
'I woke up hoping for a Gatorade bath at the end of the game and, man, I've never felt such a good feeling with such cold water,' he said after the A's beat Philadelphia 5-4 on Sunday and stopped the Phillies' nine-game win streak.
MacIver was among five players brought up from the minors on Friday. He started Sunday in place of Shea Langeliers in the day game after a night game.
'This is part of the talk that we had in spring training, it was going to take the whole army that was in the room,' said manager Mark Kotsay, who watched the end from the clubhouse following his first ejection this season.
MacIver, hitting .389 with two homers and 30 RBIs at Triple-A Las Vegas, grounded out in the second and fourth against Jesus Luzardo, then struck out in the sixth.
After Trea Turner homered in the eighth off Hogan Harris for a 4-3 lead, another Friday call-ups sparked the rally.
Logan Davidson walked and scored on Lawrence Butler's triple against Matt Strahm. MacIver fouled off a fastball, then drove a cutter into center field to bring home the go-ahead run.
'I'm always upset about walks,' Strahm said. 'I just feel like I've had too many too close together.'
A day after blowing a ninth-inning lead, Mason Miller allowed a two-out single in the ninth to Alec Bohm. Johan Rojas pinch ran and MacIver, who had been in the minors since 2018, threw to shortstop Jacob Wilson, who tagged the sliding Rojas on an elbow.
'I had family here, friends, teammates, ex-teammates,' MacIver said. 'It's a dream come true. I can't even put it into words.'
Rojas at 29.9 feet per second has the fifth-highest sprint speed in the majors among players with 10 or more opportunities, according to Statcast.
MacIver was selected by Colorado in the ninth round of the 2018 amateur draft from the University of Washington. He played in the 2021 Futures Game with Bobby Witt Jr., Julio Rodríguez and Spencer Torkelson.
MacIver became a minor league free agent last November and signed a minor league contract with the Athletics a month later.
'I'm so grateful for my family and for my support system,' he said. 'They've been everything to me and I obviously wouldn't be here without them and like I can't thank them enough. ... The fact that they could be here and see my first hit and how that game ended, man, it's awesome.'
Davidson started at first a day after Nick Kurtz left the game because of a left hip issue. He had two hits and two RBIs a day after a forgettable debut.
Davidson entered as a pinch runner for Kurtz in the 10th inning. He was thrown out at the plate, called for obstruction and ended a 9-6 loss by striking out.
'There's a lot of confidence that I have in this kid,' Kotsay said. 'I've invested a lot of time, we've had a lot of conversations through the last two seasons about what it was going to take for him to be a big leaguer and he has not backed down from anything that I've given him and to see the reward come today and just his first start and contributing and having such an impact to the win, was awesome.'
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
recommended
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
19 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Royal Challengers Bengaluru win Indian Premier League title
AHMEDABAD, India (AP) — Royal Challengers Bengaluru earned their first Indian Premier League title by beating Punjab Kings by six runs on Tuesday. Bengaluru finished runners-up in 2009, 2011 and 2016, but finally won at the Narendra Modi Stadium — thanks largely to Krunal Pandya's sensational spell of 2-17 in four overs. Virat Kohli shed a tear as Bengaluru clinched victory. Kohli top-scored for Bengaluru with 43 runs off 35 balls to help put up 190-9 in 20 overs. Pacers Arshdeep Singh (3-40) and Kyle Jamieson (3-48) shared six wickets between them. Punjab's reply stuttered after a good start and despite a consolation half-century from Shashank Singh, it fell short and finished with 184-7 (20 overs). ___ AP cricket:
Associated Press
19 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Massachusetts high school volleyball team rallies around teammate detained by immigration agents
BOSTON (AP) — A high school volleyball team in Massachusetts is asking fans to wear white to their match Tuesday night to show support for a teammate who has been detained by federal immigration authorities. 'Our game on June 3rd will be played in honor of Marcelo. We will continue to pray and fight for our brother,' the Milford High School boys volleyball team said in an Instagram post. Marcelo Gomes da Silva, a junior born in Brazil, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents Saturday on his way to volleyball practice. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said Monday that agents were looking for the teenager's father, who owns the car Gomes da Silva was driving at the time. 'Like any local law enforcement officer, if you encounter someone that has a warrant or … he's here illegally, we will take action on it,' he said when reporters asked about the teen. Asked why ICE would detain an 18-year-old with no criminal record, Lyons answered, 'I didn't say he was dangerous. I said he's in this country illegally and we're not going to walk away from anybody.' Gomes da Silva has filed a request in federal court seeking to be released as his immigration case proceeds. A judge on Monday gave the government two weeks to respond and ordered that Gomes da Silva not be moved out of Massachusetts without 48 hours' notice given to the court. The arrest has sparked outrage among Democratic officials, including Gov. Maura Healey, who demanded information about his location and whether he is being afforded due process. The superintendent of Milford schools said the district plays no part in immigration enforcement and supports all families, including immigrants. Hundreds of students at the school staged a walkout Monday, holding signs reading 'Free our friend' and 'America was built by immigrants.' Teachers will be at Tuesday night's volleyball game along with other community members who support Gomes da Silva's release, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts Teachers Association said. 'The Massachusetts Teachers Association condemns ICE's cruel and inhumane actions in the strongest possible terms,' the union said in a statement. 'We call on leaders at every level to ensure our schools remain safe spaces of learning, belonging and safety for all students — not hunting grounds for ICE agents.' ___ Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire.
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Hurricanes' Brind'Amour plans return to handshake lines after coaches sat out in Eastern final
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour plans to return to the handshake line between teams at the conclusion of a playoff series, coming after Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice convinced Brind'Amour the coaches should sit out after their Eastern Conference final series. Maurice has said he believes long-running hockey tradition should be solely between and keeping focus on the players. That led to an animated discussion between Maurice and Brind'Amour as players went through the on-ice line after Florida's clinching Game 5 win at Carolina last Wednesday, which sent the reigning champion Panthers back to the Stanley Cup Final for a rematch with Edmonton. 'So I get his point, that it is about the players,' Brind'Amour said Tuesday. 'Moving forward, I think I'll probably go back to it just because it's a sign of respect – that's the way I look at it,' Brind'Amour added later. 'We're not out there on the ice battling, but we're right in there with these guys. So that that's my take. I think you're entitled to whatever one you want. He won, so I kind of went, 'OK, I'm going to follow your lead in that.' But I do think it's important, to me anyway, to show respect to the players.' Brind'Amour pointed to the Hurricanes' first-round win against New Jersey, which featured former Carolina players like Brett Pesce, Dougie Hamilton and Stefan Noesen. Notably, when Brind'Amour reached Pesce — who rose from Carolina draft pick to play nine seasons with the Hurricanes reaching back to Brind'Amour's time as an assistant coach -- the two had a hearty hug and amiable chat. 'I've had some pretty impactful memories and moments in that line as a coach going through,' Brind'Amour said, adding of players he formerly coached: 'So it meant something to me to go through there and shake their hand.' Maurice had said he wasn't sure when coaches joined the post-series handshake line and wondered if it was someone looking to get more TV time. Brind'Amour shrugged that off with an inadvertent quip and nod to his often-animated reaction to officiating calls. 'For me, I'm not thinking about a TV moment,' Brind'Amour said. 'I get enough of that every time there's a penalty.' ___
