Erceg, Miller 1-2 punch has A's dominating final innings

OAKLAND -- If the A's are holding a lead heading into the eighth inning, they are most likely going to win that game.

One month into the season, a clear formula for success has developed: get an early lead, squeeze just enough out of the starting pitcher and turn it over to the bullpen, which has not allowed a run in its last 23 1/3 innings pitched.

It worked again on Tuesday. Three RBIs on a pair of home runs by JJ Bleday and Mitch Spence's three scoreless innings of relief following a short outing by starter Alex Wood set the bridge for the emerging formidable late-inning duo of Lucas Erceg and Mason Miller. They inherited a three-run lead and slammed the door on the Pirates by striking out all six batters faced in the eighth and ninth innings to lock down a 5-2 win at the Coliseum.

The A's are now 10-0 this season when leading after seven innings, and most of those wins have come with Erceg and Miller dominating the final two innings.

"They're both absolutely disgusting," A's catcher Shea Langeliers said. "It's a great 1-2 punch. … It's a lot of fun to just be back there catching it. They're special guys with electric stuff. When they're running in out of the bullpen, it's like, 'We're going to win this game.'"

Against Pittsburgh, Erceg needed just 14 pitches in the eighth to strike out Andrew McCutchen, Jack Suwinski and Joey Bart. His bowling ball sinker topped out at 98.7 mph and was coupled with a slider that averaged 86 mph to provide quite the deception in speeds.

The recent national buzz Miller has received for his electric arm has overshadowed what has been almost equally impressive from Erceg. He has not allowed a hit in eight straight appearances. Over that nine-inning span, opponents are 0-for-25 with three walks and 13 strikeouts.

"Erceg has done a great job," A's manager Mark Kotsay said. "He may go unnoticed, but he's not unnoticed to hitters. … The maturation from last season to this season, he's controlling the zone a lot more and is in and out of the zone when he needs to be."

While Erceg serves as the strong appetizer, Miller remains the main event. Returning from a 10-game road trip highlighted by impressive outings at Yankee Stadium and Camden Yards, Miller was greeted in his first appearance back at the Coliseum with a new closer entrance.

As he ran in from the bullpen in left-field foul ground, every video screen in the stadium went dark. Once he grabbed the ball and stepped on the mound, his walkout song, "Burn it to the Ground" by Nickelback, blared over the speakers as a green and gold "It's Miller Time" sign flashed on the screens.

Facing the bottom third of Pittsburgh's lineup, it only took 16 pitches for Miller to notch his eighth save of the year. The flamethrowing rookie first struck out Jared Triolo on a 101.6 mph fastball before punching out Michael A. Taylor and Oneil Cruz back-to-back on 88 mph sliders.

Going on 10 consecutive games now without allowing a run, Miller has racked up 27 strikeouts while allowing just four hits and three walks in his last 12 1/3 innings pitched.

"Their stuff is just electric," Bleday said of Erceg and Miller. "The fact that they throw 100 mph and over, then have a nasty secondary pitch, I'm just glad they're on my team."

With Tuesday's win, the A's secured a series victory over the Pirates. The A's finished April with a record of 13-14, marking their highest win total in a single month since going 14-12 in July of 2022. This season's start is a stark contrast from last season, which saw the A's go 12-50 before reaching their 13th win on June 6.

"Winning is just way more fun," Bleday said. "You can tell with the vibes in the clubhouse, coming to the park early and getting our work in, there's just a difference in our mindset. … It's just a night and day difference from this year to last year."