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 Justin Upton and Chris Johnson backed Mike Minor with home runs,
and the Atlanta Braves completed a three-game interleague sweep with
a 4-3 victory over Oakland on Sunday night at Turner Field.
The A's (73-51) finished a 1-6 road trip with their fifth
consecutive loss to fall into a virtual tie for first place with the
Los Angeles Angels in the American League West. Oakland, percentage
points behind the Angels, led by four games at the start of the
trip.
"We're not getting results right now," said Lester, who won his
first three starts for Oakland after being acquired from Boston on
July 31. "The times we need to get a guy in, we're not doing it, and
the times we need to make a pitch, we're not doing it. This team is
too good to stay in this funk."
Minor (5-8) allowed just four hits over seven innings, the only
damage against him two bases-empty homers by A's first baseman Nate
Freiman. The Atlanta left-hander struck out seven and walked two.
"To me it all starts with the pitching," Braves manager Fredi
Gonzalez said. "We had some really good starting pitching in this
series. Mike had a terrific game, he really did."
The Braves (64-60) went 6-4 on their homestand against Washington,
the Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland after a 0-8 road trip. They are
six games behind the Nationals in the National League East, and they
are 1 1/2 games behind the San Francisco Giants in the race for the
second NL wild-card spot.
Lester (13-8) lasted six-plus innings and was charged with four
runs, three of which were earned. The left-hander gave up six hits,
struck out five and walked one.
Minor was dropped from the rotation for a turn after posting a 7.33
ERA over 10 starts, but he made a solid return Tuesday against the
Los Angeles Dodgers despite taking a loss.
"Hopefully now he'll keep going forward," Gonzalez said. "I feel
confident."
"I feel like I'm in a different mindset going out there," Minor
said. "I don't feel that anything is bothering me anymore. I'm just
going after hitters."
Frieman had his first multi-homer game, and he hit three of his four
blasts on the season in the weekend series. His homer in the seventh
inning came on a 3-1 slider from Minor, who has allowed 20
round-trippers in 24 starts this season.
Johnson got the run back with a blast of his own leading off the
bottom of the inning. The third baseman picked on a 2-1 cutter from
Lester and sent a drive into the left field seats for his ninth
homer of the season.
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The A's, though, made it a one-run came again in the eighth. Center
fielder B.J. Upton misplayed Sam Fuld's leadoff double off reliever
Anthony Varvaro, and the pinch hitter scored on center fielder Coco
Crisp's sacrifice fly.
Craig Kimbrel pitched a perfect ninth inning, striking out two, to
record his 37th save in 41 chances.
Freiman, who spent most the season with Triple-A Sacramento, put Oakland
ahead in the second inning. His mammoth blast to center field, which was
estimated at 450 feet, came on a 3-2 fastball.
The Braves quickly tied it with a gift run in the bottom of the inning.
Oakland third baseman Josh Donaldson's throw trying for a double play
hit Justin Upton, who had singled, and rolled into the Atlanta dugout
for a two-base error. Catcher Evan Gattis followed with an RBI single.
Justin Upton connected for a two-run homer in the fourth inning to put
the Braves ahead. Lester left an 0-2 cutter over the plate, and the left
fielder deposited a no-doubt line smash over the fence in left-center
field for his 23rd home run. Second baseman Phil Gosselin singled
leading off the inning.
"Playing three division leaders, I think we had a hell of a homestand,"
Gonzalez said.
NOTES: The game was the Athletics' first on ESPN's Sunday night telecast
since 2006. Oakland will be back on again next Sunday, though, in a home
game against the Los Angeles Angels. ... The Braves played their third
Sunday night home game this season and second in a row. ... Atlanta
opens a 10-game road trip with three in Pittsburgh starting Monday
night. ... The A's are off Monday before a two-game interleague series
at home against the New York Mets. ... Braves rookie INF Phil Gosselin
got his third consecutive start as manager Fredi Gonzalez stuck with a
hot bat. Gosselin was 2-for-4 in each of the first two games of the
series and hit his first major league homer Friday. He went 1-for-4
Sunday.
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