**Summary: The Athletics’ Sacramento Era Begins with a Disappointing Home Opener**
The Athletics faced a rough start to their Sacramento era, losing 18-3 to the Cubs in their first home game at a minor league park.
### Who, What, When, Where, Why
– **Who:** The Oakland Athletics (A’s)
– **What:** First home game in Sacramento
– **When:** Monday
– **Where:** Minor league ballpark in Sacramento
– **Why:** Transitioning from Oakland to Las Vegas after 57 seasons
### Emotional Tribute to Rickey Henderson
The game began with an emotional tribute to Athletics legend Rickey Henderson, who passed away in December at the age of 65. Each player wore Henderson’s No. 24 during the game, and his daughters threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
### A Disastrous Game
– The A’s fell behind quickly, with the Chicago Cubs leading 4-0 before the Athletics even batted in the first inning.
– The Athletics’ pitching staff struggled, allowing a total of 18 runs, including 14 runs after the first inning.
– Catcher Carson Kelly made history by hitting for the cycle, a feat never accomplished at the Oakland Coliseum.
– Joey Estes allowed six earned runs, while Noah Murdock also gave up six earned runs in just one inning of relief.
– This marked the most runs allowed by any team in a home opener in 100 years.
### Technical Difficulties and Fan Reactions
– The Athletics’ radio broadcast experienced multiple outages during the game, even switching to the television broadcast at one point.
– Manager Mark Kotsay conducted his postgame press conference in a shed, highlighting the team’s struggles.
– Fans expressed their frustration with “Sell the team” chants, and there was a drone delay during the game.
– Despite the loss, the game was announced as a sellout, with 12,119 attendees.
### Acknowledgment from Cubs Infielder
Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner, an Oakland native and A’s fan, expressed disappointment over the team’s move, stating, “A lot of players speak highly of their experiences playing games at the Coliseum… It was just a great baseball place.”
### Conclusion
The Athletics’ transition to Sacramento has begun on a challenging note. Will the team be able to turn things around in the coming seasons?
### FAQs:
**What was the final score of the Athletics’ first home game in Sacramento?**
The final score was 18-3 in favor of the Chicago Cubs.
