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 "We all know what Cespedes did for this organization and how well
he's liked and everything," Lester said Thursday night. "The biggest
thing, coming over here, you just don't want to screw that up. You
want to make the trade look like it had a purpose and it was good.
You don't want to come in halfway through the year after these guys
have battled their butts off to be in first place and screw that
up."
Lester showed exactly why the A's paid such a steep price to acquire
him, pitching his fourth career shutout Thursday and lifting Oakland
to a 3-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins in the opener of a
four-game series at the O.co Coliseum.
Making his second start for the A's, Lester allowed just three hits
and recorded his 11th career complete game. He struck out eight,
walked two and threw a season-high 122 pitches, improving to 2-0
with the A's and 12-7 overall.
A's fans gave Lester a standing ovation when he came out of his
first start with two outs in the seventh inning of an 8-3 win
against the Kansas City Royals. This time, they chanted, "Les-ter!,
Les-ter! Les-ter!" as he pitched a one-two-three ninth. Lester
struck out former A's left fielder Josh Willingham to end the game.
"That was his last hitter," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "My heart
was beating over there. I'm glad he did it. I probably wouldn't let
anybody else get to that point, but he's been there before. That's
why we got him here. Not only is he able to pitch that type of game,
he's also the guy that gives the bullpen a rest."
Gomes certainly wasn't surprised by Lester's gem.
"We're pretty spoiled watching that night in and night out," Gomes
said. "Stuff-wise, composure-wise, that's pretty par for the
course."
A's first baseman Stephen Vogt hit two-run homer, and Melvin became
the 76th manager in major league history with 800 career victories,
307 of them coming with Oakland.
The A's (70-44) beat Minnesota for the 10th consecutive time, the
longest streak against the Twins in Oakland history, and increased
their lead in the American League West to three games over the Los
Angeles Angels. They beat the Twins (51-62) at home for the seventh
straight time, tying an Oakland record.
"Lester was the story of the night," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire
said. "He was good. We had a couple of chances, but he made pitches
when he had to and got out of situations. He has all the pitches."
Lester, who pitched a no-hitter for Boston against Kansas City on
May 19, 2008, had a perfect game through five innings Thursday.
Former A's catcher Kurt Suzuki lined a leadoff single to left in the
sixth, ending Lester's bid for perfection and no-hitter No. 2.
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First baseman Chris Colabello singled to center, moving Suzuki to second
base. Lester struck out shortstop Eduardo Escobar and center fielder
Danny Santana, but he walked second baseman Brian Dozier, whose long
blast to left earlier in the at-bat went just left of the foul pole.
"Off the bat, I thought it was pretty much a home run," Dozier said. "I
didn't think it would get anywhere near the foul pole. Even when it
landed, I still thought it was fair. I guess the wind took it straight
left. You go from a very high to a very low in a short time."
Lester got third baseman Trevor Plouffe to ground out, ending the
inning.
"Everything was working," Melvin said of Lester. "You saw that early.
Both sides of the plate with the cutter, curveball. Fastball both sides.
You could see from the onset he was going to be tough to score on him
tonight. He got out of the one jam. That was really the only trouble he
was in. Once he got out of that one, he was smooth sailing again."
Twins right-hander Yohan Pino, a 30-year-old rookie, gave up three runs
on six hits over 5 2/3 innings in his ninth career start. Pino (1-4)
struck out two and walked one.
The A's grabbed a 2-0 lead in the third inning when second baseman
Alberto Callaspo led off with a walk and Vogt crushed Pino's fastball
into the right-center-field seats for his sixth homer of the year,
snapping an 0-for-23 slump. A's designated hitter John Jaso snapped an
0-for-18 skid with a bloop single with two outs but was stranded.
Oakland added a run in the fourth inning. Left fielder Brandon Moss
lined a leadoff double off the right-center-field wall, ending his
0-for-18 skid, and catcher Derek Norris doubled him home.
NOTES: Oakland SS Jed Lowrie (bruised right index finger) was out of the
lineup for the third consecutive game but pinch-hit in the seventh,
lining out to right. Manager Bob Melvin said Lowrie likely will start at
shortstop Friday. ... A's 1B Kyle Blanks (torn left calf) ran the bases
for the second time in three days, and he likely will begin a rehab
assignment Saturday or Sunday, Melvin said. ... Twins 1B Joe Mauer
(right oblique strain) had an off day Thursday during his rehab
assignment with Class A Cedar Rapids. He went 1-for-6 in his first two
games.
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