Kurtz powers A’s as White Sox seek series win
Nick Kurtz is working to avoid a sophomore slump, and his latest performance offered a reminder of his impact at the plate.
The reigning American League Rookie of the Year delivered a key moment Saturday night, hitting a two-run home run in the seventh inning to tie the game at 6-6 as the Athletics rallied from an early deficit. The A’s went on to secure a 7-6 victory over the Chicago White Sox in 11 innings on Max Muncy’s sacrifice fly.
Kurtz, who batted .290 last season with 64 extra-base hits — including 36 home runs — and 86 RBIs, is still finding consistency early in the new campaign. His homer on Saturday marked just his second of the season, but it came at a critical time as Oakland erased a 5-0 White Sox lead.
Reflecting on his power production, Kurtz acknowledged its inconsistency. “It’s baseball. It’s not always going to happen,” he said. “Especially for me. I feel like I’m a streaky power hitter, so when the times come where you put them all together, they’ll come together.”
Despite hitting .235 through the first 21 games, Kurtz has remained productive by getting on base. His 23 walks lead the major leagues, complementing his 19 hits.
Kurtz has also emphasized team results over individual numbers. “I wouldn’t really call it frustrating with the home runs, because we’re sitting here around .500. That’s all you can focus on, is winning games,” he said.
The teams enter Sunday’s series finale in West Sacramento having split the first two games. Chicago’s offense has shown power, hitting four home runs across the opening contests, compared to two by the Athletics.
Both bullpens have been heavily used, potentially setting the stage for another high-scoring game. Chicago deployed six relievers on Saturday after starter Erick Fedde exited in the fifth inning, while Oakland used four relievers in Friday’s 9-2 loss.
In that game, Munetaka Murakami highlighted Chicago’s offensive potential with a grand slam in the seventh inning.
The Athletics will start left-hander Jeffrey Springs (3-0, 1.46 ERA) in the finale. Springs, now with his fourth team in nine seasons, holds a 1-1 record with a 5.54 ERA in four career appearances against Chicago.
The White Sox will counter with rookie left-hander Noah Schultz (0-1, 6.23 ERA), making just his second career start. Schultz debuted earlier in the week against Tampa Bay, taking the loss after allowing four runs (three earned) in 4 1/3 innings.
Looking back on his debut, Schultz pointed to both progress and areas for improvement. “A lot of stuff to build off of,” he said. “A lot of things I was proud of, a lot of things I need to work on this week.”
He acknowledged early nerves, noting there were “definitely nerves in the first inning,” but added that he was encouraged by how he “bounced back” and “got ahead of hitters a little bit more” as the outing progressed.
Chicago will aim to secure its first series victory since sweeping the Toronto Blue Jays from April 3–5, while the Athletics look to build momentum on timely hitting and improved pitching depth.
