Mark Kotsay and Brent Rooker react to A's walk-off win vs. Astros

Mark Kotsay and Brent Rooker speak to reporters after his team’s 12-10 win against the Houston Astros on Sunday at Sutter Health Park.

Mark Kotsay and Brent Rooker react to A’s walk-off win vs. Astros originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Video Transcript

What an amazing Easter Sunday victory for the Athletics.

A walk-off home run, and the A’s win 12 to 10, a final in 10.

What an amazing back and forth ball game.

Astros and Athletics, absolutely incredible.

And the man who is sending everybody home with a big smile, Brent Rooker.

You know, you’ve been the captain of this team.

You’ve been the leader of this team, and to hit a home run like this, to really get the team going here in 2026, how big was this win, and how big was it to show everybody how resilient your ball club is?

Yeah, man, what I’ve been is not very good so far, so happy to do something to help us win today.

I’m gonna wear it.

They missed mostly, so it’s fine.

no, man, I’m proud of our guys.

We fought hard today, overcame a lot, never gave up, against a really good team over there, so that’s a good win.

Hey, hey, Brent, g- great at bat, I gotta tell ya.

I mean, one mistake they didn’t wanna make was a fastball in to Brent Rooker, and you got just what you wanted right there.

And how’d that feel coming off the bat?

Yeah, that was a good one.

That’s, the pitch I’m looking for too, right there.

really take a shot to end it, in a hitter’s count right there, and then go from there.

So I got the pitch I was looking for, and thankfully I was able to connect.

And for you personally, to get it going in this game, especially with a really tough road trip coming up.

You’re gonna play in New York against the Yankees and the Mets.

Talk about what this meant for you.

Yeah, I mean, hopefully it built some momentum for us going into a, a big week.

you know, big travel day now, and going to play two really good teams over on the East Coast, so hopefully we can build on that win and then go get some more.

Hey, Brent, one thing great I c- I can say about this team is TV cameras panned down there during the– in the dugout during the game when you guys are down, there’s no panic on anybody’s face.

This team seems to be pretty resilient.

Yeah, we know what we can do offensively.

We know we’re just, you know, one or two swings away from tying the game up at any moment.

So a lot of faith in ourselves, and like I said, I’m just proud of our guys today.

Rook, happy Easter to you, your family, and the girls.

Enjoy the flight, and enjoy New York.

Thanks, guys.

Thanks, Brent.

Hey, Brent Rooker obviously not, not just once, but twice, two big swings of the bats.

I know he’s had kind of a slow start to the year, but what can you say about, the way he came through for you guys today?

Well, he needs to break more chairs.

That’s the first, first statement.

he finally got a little, angry yesterday post-game or– and, I think that was good for him.

I think he came today, obviously with a different mindset and, you know, he’s our guy.

He’s a catalyst for the offense.

you know, I think we get him going, obviously the offense goes when he goes.

but, two, two great at-bats today, obviously to, in that moment, stay patient.

we talked pregame about not chasing, trying to stay within our zone, and he just looked more relaxed today.

so I think that’s one of the better wins right there as a team.

It was a grind day.

you know, obviously having the lead.

the thing that I’m most proud of the team is that they showed up to play today.

you know, yesterday was a tough day.

obviously I was, wasn’t very happy with the performance as a whole and, and they came out and played, played the game the way they can today.

for Rooker, that was– the first one was his one hundredth home run with the A’s.

it’s obviously been a lot of big rise for him in a short amount of time.

What can you say about his journey to this point, from the time he joined your, your team?

he’s writing his script for sure and, you know, I couldn’t be happier for a player that, that really, you know, when he came to us, had bounced around and I mean, we all know the story, but to, to have the patience and, and the work ethic and the determination to be where he’s at today, you know, says a lot about the person.

and I just, yeah, I couldn’t be more proud of, of the man.

Yeah, after the, that, I guess very suffering performance by your pen, could you talk a little bit of what Encarnacin did in the tenth inning?

He allowed the hit by Correa, but then with the bases loaded, he got two big outs and allowed the difference to just be one run.

Yeah, I mean a-anytime we’re at the- Alvarado point o-of, of, extra innings for the bullpen, this series I think pitched more than half of the innings leading up to, today when they entered into the game.

I think our starters only threw thirteen point one innings, if I’m right.

I think I am.

but big situation for him to come in and have the success he did.

You know, Harris, we had to run these guys as long as we could.

obviously we had, you know, a couple guys down in that bullpen that, that would’ve pitched, but, you know, we do everything we can to, to win a game and, we needed a big strikeout there and we got a big strikeout and we got out of the inning and, and I think that carried the momentum to the offense, offensive side.

Anytime you’re only chasing one, and you’ve got a runner in scoring position to start the inning, you feel pretty confident that you’re going to be able to score.

and I think the guys took the mentality today that it was just one at-bat at a time.

nobody wanted to just go out and try to be the hero, which is the right mindset.

Yes.

Could you talk about the very aggressive play by Langoliers there?

You know, the ball was right there.

The catcher just let it by like a couple of meters.

Yeah.

for Lang, he caught all three games.

He caught, you know, yesterday’s day game after a night game.

in fact, when we went to extra innings and as, he came off the field, I just asked him, “Hey, are your, your legs heavy?

Are you all right to, to go out and run?”

We were thinking about pinch running for him and, then he goes and reads the ball in the dirt and gets to third base.

Um-Couldn’t be more of a leader in that situation right there.

example for everybody that, you know, he- he- he’s caught 10 in 10 innings in a game, all three games of the series, and yet he’s still, you know, the effort level’s still max.

And, it was a huge base.

It’s a huge base to get to third and, and, and having Soty up with the ability to tie the game with it, just a fly ball.

Yeah.

And you guys hadn’t scored any runs since the fifth inning on Friday.

Could you talk a little bit about that at-bat by Cortes there, who opened the, thing for you guys?

Yeah, I know.

Carlos is a, is, you know, a big asset for us, obviously.

you know, when he’s in there against right-handed pitching, we’re, we’re confident he’s gonna put out some good at-bats and, and he did that today again.

you know, he’s a professional hitter.

He’s been that throughout his career in the minor leagues.

We saw what he’s capable of last season and, he’s a big piece of, of this offense when he’s in there.

We talked about Curts before the game.

reached base five times, stole a base, was running around.

How cool was it just to see him get the first extra base hit out of the way and, and kind of, you know, get it going a little bit today?

Yeah.

A- another big piece of the offense for, for us, and that was a really impressive day for Nick.

You know, again, anytime you look up on the board and, and you don’t see what you want, I think there’s a tendency to press and to try to do more, and he was patient today.

He, he didn’t swing outside of his zone, outside of that last sinker maybe from the, from, King that he, that he got on a 3-2 pitch.

But overall, to be on base five times, that’s what you’re looking for from the, from the lead off guy.

And, and he was that today.

Kotz, you mentioned before the series started, just the juice that kind of a division rival here and, you know, opening at home, being impressed with the win and just securing the first series of the season, just, what impressed you most about it, I guess?

Yeah, no.

The, the– What I’m impressed by was how we showed up to play today.

That says a lot about the group.

The character of the group showed up.

you know, it, it’s, it’s easy to, you know, get your tail kicked, come in the next day feeling sorry for yourself and, and kinda lay down and, and that’s not what this group’s about.

This group’s about the fight and, and, and that’s what was the most impressive part of, of today for me.

Mark Kotsay and Brent Rooker react to A’s walk-off win vs. Astros

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