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Rain came another day: Oakland A's postponed by rain for first time in 3 years

By Art Spander. The Sports Xchange
For the first time in three years, the A's had to postpone a game because of rain. Photo courtesy Oakland As via Twitter
For the first time in three years, the A's had to postpone a game because of rain. Photo courtesy Oakland As via Twitter

OAKLAND -- Rain? In Oakland? In baseball season.

"I think our tarp is over on the left field side," said Athletics manager Bob Melvin.

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It was, before being spread over the infield.

It's been a wet winter and early spring in Northern California, after five years of drought. Two hours before the scheduled start of the final game of the A's series against the Houston Astros on Sunday, officials announced a postponement because of inclement weather. It was the first rainout in Oakland since April 4, 2014.

"It's rare to come to Oakland and get a rainout," said Astros manager A.J. Hinch, who, having gone to Stanford, some 30 miles away knows the region. "So, obviously, the forecast isn't great. It's nice to get it called early and get home."

The Astros play the Los Angeles Angels at Minute Maid Park on Monday, staying with Charlie Morton (0-1) as their starting pitcher. When the A's face the Texas Rangers at the Coliseum on Monday, similarly they will use the man who was scheduled to start Sunday, Jharel Cotton (1-1).

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Melvin was philosophical about the rainout.

"This gives our bullpen a little bit of a break," he said. "The last couple of days it's been taxed pretty good."

Saturday, the A's had a 5-0 lead over the Astros, but Houston began to pound out hits, eventually going ahead 10-6 and winning its ninth straight over the A's.

Houston's 8-4 start to the season is the Astros' best 12-game stretch in 11 years. The A's, stung by a defense recognized as one of the worst in the majors--they made two errors Saturday and have committed at least one and a total of 15 in nine straight games--are 5-7.

"Since I've been here," said Melvin, beginning his seventh season in Oakland, "it's probably only rained during a game one time."

But that 2014 date, the field was soaked when the grounds crew neglected to use the tarp because the overnight forecast didn't show rain. {b: NOTES:} X-rays were negative of the right hand of Houston SS Carlos Correa, hit by a pitch on Saturday in the ninth inning. He is listed as day-to-day but had been replaced in Sunday's tentative starting lineup by Alex Bregman. ... Oakland SS Marcus Semien was placed on the 10-day disabled list after incurring a contusion on his right wrist. He will undergo a CT scan. "If there's something in there, a fracture or something," said manager Bob Melvin, "it could be longer." Adam Rosales will take Semien's place at short. ... The Astros scored 34 runs their last four games. ... Houston OF George Springer, who was tied for the major league lead in homers with six, is the first player in major league history to hit four leadoff homers in his club's first nine games. ... The A's are 2-for-37 (.054) with one run scored in the first inning. ... There were 365 total pitches thrown in Saturday's game.

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