Stay hot, Mitch Moreland.
The Athletics’ veteran designated hitter tallied two home runs in Tuesday’s 7-0 win over the Minnesota Twins in the first game of the doubleheader, which also was Oakland's ninth straight victory.
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Moreland homered twice off Twins starter Matt Shoemaker, once in the bottom of the second and again to extend the A's lead in the bottom of the fourth. He now has five career home runs against the right-hander.
Moreland has been one of the clubhouse's silent, yet impactful leaders, preaching team chemistry when he does speak. He called teams' off-the-field bonding “a dying breed” in the modern era, but Moreland believed the A's 0-6 start would bring them closer together.
“We’ve talked a ton and believe it or not with the slow start, it made our chemistry even better, so everybody knew we were going to get on the board and win some games and it was going to get back to normal,” Moreland said on April 7 after the 4-3 walk-off win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland's first victory of the regular season.
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Moreland and others' veteran presence was essential to staying the course and earning a much-needed turnaround. The A's now are 10-7, winners of 10 of their last 11 games.
Moreland also has two walk-off at-bats in the last 11 games.
Needless to say, he’s becoming a force. Moreland's 4-for-5 with two homers and five RBI in his last five games.
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Moreland signed a one-year contract with the A’s this offseason, and his impact so far is pretty obvious.
The 35-year-old, who previously held the nickname “Mitchy Four Bags” before “Two Bags” became his name, might be going back to that original label. I’m sure he’ll happily oblige.