Bassitt's pre-win boost 'better than donuts'

CHICAGO -- The past week didn’t start out how the A’s envisioned.

Not only did Oakland lose the series finale against the Rangers on Sunday and drop the first three games of the series against the White Sox, but the club also lost its ace in Chris Bassitt, who could potentially be done for the year after taking a line drive off his face on Tuesday.

The A’s were struggling, but as they made their way to Thursday’s matinee against Chicago, they were greeted by the person who could lift their spirits most.

“[We] saw Chris today in the hotel. He was kind of waiting for us by the buses,” Cole Irvin said. “Was just good to see him. We hadn't seen him since what happened, and it was just important that ... I know a bunch of guys saw him, so that just helped a lot with motivation.”

Bassitt seemed to provide the boost that Oakland needed, as it avoided a four-game sweep at the hands of the American League Central-leading White Sox in a 5-4 win at Guaranteed Rate Field on Thursday afternoon. The A’s overcame deficits in the first and fifth innings to end their 10-game road trip with a victory, and it seems like things could be starting to click right before the Bay Bridge Series begins on Friday.

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“I think [Bassitt] helped today. I really think [he] did,” Irvin said. “Just being able to see him and know that he's in good spirits, it really just got all of us going.”

And as Oakland got going, it was many of the contributors that have helped keep the team squarely in the playoff picture who led the way.

Matt Olson once again proved to be among the most trusted bats in the lineup, cracking a go-ahead, two-run blast off White Sox reliever Michael Kopech in the top of the seventh that ultimately made the difference. It was his 31st home run of the year, putting him in sole possession of fourth in the Majors and third in the AL.

Matt Chapman isn’t having the year he’d hoped for, and he ended the last homestand hitting .213 with a .667 OPS on the season. When the A’s hit the road, though, Chapman brought his bat with him. He picked up a single in the fourth and a solo shot in the sixth, giving him a .400 average and five long balls on the trip as his bat continues to heat up heading into the final stretch of the year.

“He's been great. Nobody's shocked by it, by any means,” Olson said of Chapman. “I think everybody just knows and appreciates how hard he works. He hasn't been having his ideal year, and he's had a great attitude, showing up to the field every day and being a leader on this team. It's a big testament to his attitude and his work ethic, and any time a guy like that is doing that, you gotta be happy when he gets results.”

Then there was Starling Marte, who continued to wreak havoc on the base paths. His fifth-inning walk was the only time he reached base, but it quickly led to another stolen base for the center fielder. Marte’s 35th steal of the season tied the Major League lead, and it was already his 13th in just 19 games with the A’s.

Not to be lost in the shuffle, Irvin escaped multiple bases-loaded jams to earn a quality start with six innings of three-run ball. In the process, Irvin ended a season-high six-game stretch of Oakland starters tossing fewer than six innings as he picked up his ninth ‘W’ of the year.

“He's not particularly a strikeout guy, maybe [allowed] a couple more walks than he usually does, but makes a big pitch when he had to today,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “Six innings was key for us.”

The back half of the road trip had the A’s on the brink of falling out of the AL Wild Card picture, but thanks in part to Bassitt’s boost, they head back to Oakland with a half-game lead on the Red Sox.

“This sucks that it happened,” Irvin said of Bassitt’s injury, “but I think in the same breath, the fact that he was able to joke about the way he looks right now and just have very high spirits, I think that really just put guys in a good mood this morning.

“That's better than donuts.”