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 Right-hander Sonny Gray got the A's back on track that night,
allowing one run over seven innings in a victory. On Tuesday night,
he capped a perfect homestand for the A's with another gem, giving
up one run on six hits over seven innings in a 6-1 victory over the
San Francisco Giants at the O.co Coliseum.
Oakland (57-33) won its season-high-tying sixth consecutive game,
moved a season-high 24 games over .500 and beat the Giants for the
second straight time in the Bay Bridge Series, which moves to San
Francisco for the final two games.
A's starters allowed one or fewer runs and pitched at least six
innings in each of the past six games, the longest such streak in
Oakland history. During the six-game stretch, the A's allowed a
total of five runs.
"You're just going out there and trying to keep it going," Gray
said. "I said after my last start when we first came home against
Toronto, it was something we needed to get going again and we were
able to do it that game and build each and every start. And now
we're just trying to keep it going."
Gray (9-3) struck out eight and walked one Tuesday. The only run he
allowed came on left fielder Tyler Colvin's leadoff home run in the
seventh, Colvin's second blast of the season, cutting Oakland's lead
to 4-1.
"They're all so competitive," A's second baseman Nick Punto said of
Oakland's starting pitchers. "All five of our guys, and now (Jason)
Hammel's in there tomorrow. I've played against him and know how
competitive he is. That's really the key, the competitive nature
that our five starters have. I'll put that against anybody's."
Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner (9-7) lost his third
consecutive start, allowing six runs on 10 hits over seven-plus
innings. He struck out just three, matching his season low, and
walked three.
The Giants (49-41) lost for the 20th time in their past 27 games
overall and for the 11th time in their past 13 games at Oakland.
"We're frustrated," Bumgarner said. "We're not playing the kind of
ball that we know we can play. Tempers flare a little bit, which is
good. It means our guys have a lot of heart and they care. We're
working. It's just a tough time. I don't really know how to explain
it. It's just not going our way, that's for sure."
Center fielder Coco Crisp, shortstop Jed Lowrie and catcher Derek
Norris each had two of the Athletics' 11 hits.
"They got some key hits and we couldn't," Giants manager Bruce Bochy
said. "I think we were 0-for-9. That's not going to work with
runners in scoring position. Too many strikeouts. We had trouble
putting the ball in play with runners in scoring position. They did,
and that was the difference. We created some pretty good chances. We
had our chances. We just couldn't get somebody to come through and
get a base hit."
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The A's scored four times in the third inning, batting around
against Bumgarner and taking a 4-0 lead.
Lowrie blooped a leadoff single in which Giants right fielder Hunter
Pence and second baseman Joe Panik nearly collided. Pence made a
nice running catch of designated hitter Alberto Callaspo's line
drive down the line, drawing a chorus of boos, primarily from A's
fans packing the right field stands. As he ran back to his position,
Pence cupped a hand behind his ear, drawing even more verbal abuse
as the rivalry game heated up.
Punto grounded a double into the left field corner, driving in
Lowrie. Crisp lined an RBI single to center and took second on the
throw home. Crisp raced home on left fielder Yoenis Cespedes' bloop
single, making it 3-0. After Bumgarner walked third baseman Josh
Donaldson, Norris grounded an RBI single to left.
That was more than enough support for the A's pitching staff on this
homestand.
"You're gonna win a lot of games when you give up less than a run a
game," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "Once the starters get on a roll
like that, they're really competing with each other and pushing each
other."
NOTES: Giants 3B Pablo Sandoval (bruised and swollen left elbow)
returned to the lineup Tuesday after missing two games. He went
1-for-4. ... Oakland RF Josh Reddick (strained right knee) said
Tuesday that he experienced no pain while taking batting practice on
the field and shagging balls in the outfield Monday for the first
time since going on the disabled list June 29. Reddick said his goal
is to go on a rehab assignment during the All-Star break, July
14-17, then rejoin the A's on July 18 when they open a home series
against the Baltimore Orioles.
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