|
 Hahn continued his mastery of the Tigers, limiting them to one run
and five hits in seven innings, and the A's completed a three-game
series sweep with a 7-5 victory on Thursday afternoon at Comerica
Park.
Hahn, who is 1-5 with three no-decisions against all other
opponents, posted his first career complete-game shutout against
Detroit in Oakland on May 25.
"I don't know if it's their lineup or I just felt good when I
happened to go out there and face them," Hahn (3-5) said. "Today, I
had a sinker working for me and I had fastball command. When you
have that, you can get through a lot of lineups."
Hahn took the same approach against the Tigers, who had only two
left-handed hitters in their starting lineup, as he did during his
shutout.
"My mentality before the game was stick with what we did the last
time and if we have to adjust, then adjust," he said. "That's kind
of what I did.
"The first four or five innings, I stuck to exactly what I did the
last time, throw sinkers in and get some ground balls. Once they
started opening up and adjusting to me, I started to mix some other
things in."
Catcher Josh Phegley and designated hitter Billy Butler drove in two
runs apiece in support of Hahn. Third baseman Brett Lawrie added an
RBI double for the A's (23-33), who have won six of their last seven
games. Center fielder Billy Burns extended his hitting streak to
nine games with a fifth-inning single.
The A's starting pitchers have gone 8-2 with a 1.36 ERA in the last
12 games to spearhead the team's turnaround.
"It's awesome," said Oakland first baseman Stephen Vogt, who left
the game in the ninth with a right leg cramp. "You look at the way
Jesse came out and threw the ball and the way we were able to get
big hits at key times today, we're just playing really good team
baseball.
"That's what's going well for us during this stretch and it's
exciting."
Detroit (28-27) rallied for four ninth-inning runs against reliever
Dan Otero, including right fielder Tyler Collins' three-run homer,
before Tyler Clippard got the last two outs to notch his ninth save.
Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera had a run-scoring single in the
sixth, extending his streak of reaching base safely to 23 games.
Detroit starting pitcher Shane Greene (4-5) allowed six runs (four
earned) and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. Greene gave up five home
runs to the Los Angeles Angels in his previous start.
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"We need Shane to get back to where he was a couple of starts ago,"
Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "When he's right, he keeps the ball
below the waist. Right now, he's having trouble doing that."
Ausmus' club, which has lost 10 of 12, had trouble doing anything
against Hahn.
"His sinker is a good matchup for right-handed hitters and we're a
right-handed lineup," Ausmus said. "Also, we're not swinging the
bats like we normally can. So you combine those factors."
Tigers left fielder Yoenis Cespedes exited in the top of the third
with flu-like symptoms.
Phegley's first major-league triple, which knocked in two runs, came
just after the A's scored their first run on a Greene error in the
second.
Butler's RBI double in the fourth gave Oakland a four-run lead. He
added a run-scoring single in the fifth that knocked out Greene.
NOTES: A's SS Marcus Semien, who had appeared in every game, did not
start Thursday as manager Bob Melvin opted to give him some rest.
... Oakland LHP Scott Kazmir will start the opener of a three-game
series in Boston on Friday. Kazmir missed his last start after
pitching only three innings against Detroit on May 27 because of
left shoulder tightness. ... Detroit DH Victor Martinez, who is on
the 15-day disabled list with left knee inflammation, took batting
practice at the team's facility in Lakeland (Fla.) on Thursday. He
could rejoin the team next week. ... Tigers RHP Justin Verlander
will throw 85-90 pitches in his second rehab start at Triple A
Toledo on Saturday, according to manager Brad Ausmus. Verlander has
been on DL since late March with a right triceps strain. He could
rejoin Detroit's rotation next week. ... Detroit LHP Kyle Ryan will
make his first start of the season in the opener of a three-game
series against the Chicago White Sox on Friday.
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