A's Rookie After Homering Twice: ‘No Words' for Lowrie's ‘invaluable' Advice

OAKLAND - One is an up-and-comer still adjusting to life in the big leagues.

The other is a veteran serving an important role as the A's have traded off so many of their clubhouse leaders.

Chad Pinder and Jed Lowrie combined Saturday to lead the A's to one of their more impressive wins of the second half, an 8-3 victory over the Texas Rangers in which the A's knocked around Cole Hamels, one of the major leagues' hottest pitchers of late.

Lowrie, who drove in three runs, is no rah-rah clubhouse guy or larger-than-life personality. But Pinder, a rookie who homered twice Saturday, says Lowrie has been invaluable as a sounding board to go to for advice.

"There's really no words for it, because he's helped me a tremendous amount in the field and at the plate," Pinder said. "And he goes about it in a perfect way for me. He lets me go to him with questions. If he does see something he will come to me. But for the most part he lets me just approach him on these questions I have, whether it's hitting or infield."

That steady veteran presence might help explain why the A's will at least consider exercising the second baseman's $6 million club option for next season, even as the team is undergoing a youth movement in the grand scheme of things.

Lowrie is hitting .270 with 12 homers and 48 RBI, relatively modest numbers for late August. But he doubled twice Saturday, and his 40 doubles for the season are tied with Cleveland's Jose Ramirez for the American League lead. Lowrie is just the fourth player in Oakland history to notch two 40-double seasons with the club. Eric Chavez, Jason Giambi and Ben Grieve are the others.

His .344 on-base percentage also stands out on a team that ranks near the bottom of that category as a whole in the league.

"That guy's about as consistent as it comes every single day," Pinder said. "Whether he's 4-for-4 or 0-for-4, they're very professional at-bats. For us young guys to see that every single day, it's invaluable."

As focused as he is at the plate, Lowrie's thoughts also drift to his home in Houston. The city is preparing for major flooding and is already feeling some of the effects of Hurricane Harvey. Heavy rainfall and winds are expected in the Houston area through at least Monday.

Lowrie's wife, Milessa, is in the Bay Area right now with their two kids. But Lowrie's mother-in-law, who lives with them, decided to remain in Houston. Milessa is keeping in close contact with her.

"We're technically not in the flood plane, but it's close enough that you certainly don't take a storm like that lightly," Lowrie said. "You just hope everybody took the necessary precautions, because it's flooding that can be devastating."

On Saturday, the A's trailed 2-0 when Texas scored twice in the first off Sean Manaea. Then Pinder went deep to center in the bottom of the first off Hamels, and followed that by depositing a changeup over the wall just to the left of straightaway center in the third to tie the game.

Hamels came in with a 1.86 August ERA that was the lowest in the AL. But Pinder is a perfect 4-for-4 off Hamels for his career, with two doubles and two homers.

"The guy's 9-1 (this season) and he's a tough customer," A's manager Bob Melvin said of Hamels. "To be able to put two good swings on it and get us back into the game when we're down 2-0 was key not only for us, but certainly for (Pinder)."

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