ESPN: Oddities, chants mark A’s debut in Sacramento

Oddities, chants mark A’s debut in Sacramento

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Major League Baseball arrived in this city along the Sacramento River on Monday night, and it came bearing quirks.

The clubhouses in Sutter Health Park — the home of the Athletics for at least the next three seasons — are located beyond the wall in left-center field, the stadium holds about 14,000 people, and the designated interview room is a corrugated metal shed down the left-field line.

Those oddities meant little to the fans who filled the place for the A’s home opener and first home game away from Oakland since 1967. The enthusiasm in Sacramento was considerable. Fans piled up outside the gates of this heretofore minor league stadium long before they opened, and there was a general feeling of disbelief that this was actually happening. The excitement, however, was no match for the game, which the Chicago Cubs won 18-3 behind 10 extra-base hits, 10 walks and a cycle by catcher Carson Kelly.

“Not a good showing on our first night here,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “I though the energy was great. … We just played bad.”