The Athletics aren't going to mail in these last few games of the 2022 MLB season. But, despite the 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday at Angels Stadium, Oakland competed and fought hard until the last out.
No A's player exemplifies these attributes more than second baseman Tony Kemp. Even though the 30-year-old didn't start the game against the Angels, the veteran infielder is setting an example for the younger players to never take a play off.
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As the Angels were threatening to score with a runner on second base and Liván Soto at the plate, the 22-year-old hit a flare that perhaps 99 times out of 100 would fall, but didn't due to a spectacular catch by Kemp.
"Just wanted to try to catch anything I could and went out there until shallow right and just try to make a play on something, and luckily, it stayed in my glove right there," Kemp told reporters after the loss.
Oakland skipper Mark Kotsay praised the catch made by Kemp, which at the time, kept the score tied at 3-3 with Jo Adell at second base.
"Tony's made some great plays this year," Kotsay told reporters. "He definitely has the ability to make those type of spectacular plays that we saw earlier. And at the time of the play, it's momentum shifter and obviously exciting for the ball club."
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Despite the catch going viral on social media and Kemp calling it one of the better web gems of his career, the A's second baseman would have preferred the win.
"Yeah, definitely top ten," Kemp added. "Surprise myself there, but wish we would have got the win right there and just happy I made the play."
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The A's will attempt to even the series on Wednesday when they send Adrián Martínez (4-5, 6.10 ERA) to the mound; meanwhile, the Angels will counter with Michael Lorenzen (7-6, 4.78 ERA) as they go for the series victory.