OAKLAND — Chris Smith was one out away from earning his first major league victory in nine years, but Santiago Casilla’s meltdown prevented the celebration.
The A’s closer shattered all hopes for Smith’s potential feel-good story from transpiring after blowing a 3-2 lead in the ninth, unable to finish the inning after surrendering two runs on back-to-back singles to Adeiny Hechavarria and Shane Peterson with two outs. The boo birds came out for Casilla as he handed the ball over to manager Bob Melvin. It was his fifth blown save of the season.
Liam Hendriks came on for Casilla and struck out Peter Bourjos to keep the deficit at one run, but the A’s were unable to mount a comeback in the ninth, falling to the Rays 4-3 for their second consecutive loss.