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 Norris hit both homers on 3-0 pitches by Gio Gonzalez, who was
traded from Oakland to Washington before the 2012 season in a deal
that included Norris. Kazmir (5-1) bounced back from his only loss
in his last start, allowing four hits without walking a batter and
striking out four.
Gonzalez (3-3) had his shortest outing of the season, lasting 4 1/3
innings in which he gave up seven runs and nine hits. The Nationals
scored four runs in 28 innings of the series.
Gonzalez recorded the first two outs in the opening inning but then
got into trouble, walking Josh Donaldson and giving up an infield
single by Yoenis Cespedes before Norris clubbed his first shot over
the fence in left field for a 3-0 lead. The Athletics weren’t
finished in the frame, as Alberto Callaspo, Brandon Moss and Nick
Punto came back with three straight singles to plate another run.
Craig Gentry led off the second with a single and, two outs later,
Cespedes walked before Norris hit another blast over the wall in
left for a 7-0 advantage. Moss finished with three hits and Punto
drove in three runs for the Athletics.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The last player for the Athletics to homer on a 3-0
pitch was Josh Willingham in 2011. … Oakland leads the majors with
five wins when trailing after seven innings. … The Nationals had
more errors (five) than runs during the series.
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