16-run Outburst Vs Dodgers Shows What A's Lineup Is Capable of

Like a Beatles album, the hits just kept on coming. 21 of them to be exact.

The A's exploded for 16 runs Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium, their most in a game since 2016. It had been nearly five years since Oakland amassed 21 hits, and almost three years since the Dodgers had allowed 20 or more.

"Our bats came to life," said manager Bob Melvin. "We expected (them) to, but I didn't think we would get 21 hits."

"It felt like a coming out party," added outfielder Khris Davis, who notched three hits, including a two-run home run in the first inning. "Knocks everywhere, a lot of momentum on our side. We've just got to keep it rolling."

This was the A's offense we were waiting to see. From top to bottom, the lineup caused havoc for Dodgers pitching. Every Oakland starter recorded at least one hit, and six players had multi-hit games.

"We feel like the strength of the team, at least through the offense, is the length of the lineup," Melvin explained. "We can score any inning and anybody can contribute. Literally everybody was involved."

Davis, Jed Lowrie, Jonathan Lucroy, and Matt Olson led the way with three hits each. Matt Chapman and Marcus Semien added two apiece. Even starting pitcher Daniel Mengden got in on the fun with an RBI single in the fourth inning.

"It's always nice helping yourself out," Mengden smiled. "I love hitting, so it was nice to get that."

What the A's need now is consistency. 44 of Oakland's 60 runs have come in five games. That leaves a total of 16 runs in their other eight contests, including four games with one run or fewer.

The lineup has certainly shown its potential. The question is whether it can deliver on an everyday basis.