There are some losses so cruel that they leave you like a volcano ready to erupt. Such a loss was felt by the Oakland Athletics when they were handed a 9-6 loss by the Philadelphia Phillies at Sutter Health Park. The Athletics were already coming off a 10-game losing skid, hopeful to snap the streak. And they were even just inches closer for that to happen. But the 11th inning had different plans, finally handing over the Phillies with a 9-6 win.

During the 10th inning, Brent Rooker hit a 3-2 fastball to center field off the Phillies pitcher Orion Kerkering with the bases loaded. Then, a filthy throw from Brandon Marsh came in to take away the winning odds from the A’s.

Had it been any other team, the game would have likely ended after that play. However, for Oakland, it was different. They were desperate for a win after consecutive losses for two straight weeks.

Brandon Marsh had enough time to get under Brent Rooker’s fly ball to earn a running start. He caught it. In fact, he even made a single-bounce throw to J.T. Realmuto. Realmuto made a perfect tag on Logan Davidson at home plate. Since Nick Kurtz left the game with a hip injury, it was Davidson filling in for him as a pinch runner. Honestly, Davidson could have scored on his broken-bat flyout had he been able to muscle it up for a couple more extra feet.

At that point, the game was tied with two outs instead of winning with a sacrifice fly. For loading the bases again, Tyler Soderstrom was intentionally walked. This time, it was for Shea Langeliers.

He flew out to the left to end the inning as the Philadelphia Phillies scored three runs in the eleventh to hand the Athletics another brutal defeat. It was their 11th straight loss, dropping to 22-31.

And for the Athletics’ nation, it was simply painful to watch the team come heartbreakingly close to snapping away the losing streak, only to lose once again.

Athletics fans have officially hit their boiling point

The missed slide at the plate was tragic, at least for the A’s fans. The team is close to hitting its rock bottom. Going through 11 games with 0 wins is draining by all means. And at this point, fans aren’t slamming the team anymore. If anything, they are offering their painful sympathy. That’s their last boiling point.

Each move matters when the margins are thin. For Davidson, fans collectively had one thing to say: “He should have dived.” The scoreboard might have looked different if Davidson had opted for a straight head-first dive. In that case, he might have beaten the tag. But let’s not forget, baseball is all about what-ifs! So, better not to go under the idea of ‘what might have been.’

MLB fans weren’t slamming the team or Davidson this time. “Feel extremely sad for him…” Safe to say that the Athletics have been through a lot in two weeks. Davidson gave his all this time. Yet, it was just an unfortunate close call. The teams are going against each other once again on Sunday. Hopefully, the Athletics shift the odds in their favor.

The A’s looked fine before their last 10 games. The last one they won was against the Dodgers on 14th May by 11-1. Since then, they have lost back-to-back series to the San Francisco Giants, the Los Angeles Angels, and the Phillies. And of course, fans have been keeping tabs. “It’s crazy; 10 games ago we looked like one of the better teams in baseball. Now we look like one of the worst. Our bullpen has to be the worst in baseball.” During their losing streak, the A’s bullpen has recorded a 10.02 ERA. This isn’t just any decline. It’s a straight collapse.

The 10th inning was a near-victory point for the Athletics. Just when fans thought that this matchup would draw an end to their cold streak, things went downhill. “Ugh, so close yet so far! 😩 The A’s were this close to breaking that brutal 10-game skid, but it sounds like the baseball gods had other plans. What’s the vibe in the fanbase right now—still holding out hope, or just ready to chuck the whole season? 😅” Is it the time when fans will be checking out from the hopes of seeing the Athletics in the playoffs? Well, it looks like most of them are hanging somewhere in between.

The Athletics are currently at 22-31. It’s bad, but it wasn’t always this bad. After Saturday night’s matchup, fans couldn’t help but be helpless. “Gawd I hate being an A’s fan. 🫠 ”  This defeat took a heavy emotional toll on the fans. It’s not stemming from one loss. It’s the reflection of repeatedly getting disappointed.

Now, to the whole Athletics’ nation, let’s be hopeful for Sunday. It might be the day when your team comes out stronger than ever. No close calls against them, hopefully!