|
 Fifteen hits and 10 runs qualified as overkill.
Gray (11-3) won his fifth consecutive decision, allowing two hits
over 6 2/3 innings in Oakland's 10-2 rout of Baltimore at the O.co
Coliseum.
Every Athletic in the starting lineup except shortstop Jed Lowrie
collected at least one hit.
First baseman Stephen Vogt had three hits, while catcher John Jaso,
designated hitter Yoenis Cespedes, third baseman Josh Donaldson,
left fielder Craig Gentry and second baseman Eric Sogard each had
two. Jaso, Donaldson and Gentry drove in two runs apiece.
Gray struck out eight, walked two and allowed two runs, the second
one unearned. The A's were coming off an 8-4 loss to Baltimore, but
Gray, as usual, got them back on the winning track. He is 8-1 in his
starts after an Oakland defeat.
"It's big games coming off a loss," Gray said. "I know going in it's
a game where I really want to put up a good performance and try to
get the team back on track with a win. I think everyone's very
conscious of it."
Gray had a no-hitter through four innings, allowing just one
baserunner, a second-inning walk to shortstop J.J. Hardy.
 Hardy broke up Gray's no-hit bid and shutout in the fifth inning.
After first baseman Chris Davis' leadoff walk, Hardy launched an RBI
double to deep center that barely sailed beyond center fielder Coco
Crisp's outstretched glove.
"He was throwing strikes," Jaso said. "I think that was the big key.
He was mixing his pitches and throwing strikes with everything."
Gray went 0-2 with an 11.42 ERA in his first two career starts
against Baltimore, both at Camden Yards. This time he dominated the
Orioles and received a standing ovation when he left the game with
two outs in the seventh after giving up an RBI single to third
baseman Manny Machado.
"He's one of the best pitchers in the AL right now," Orioles manager
Buck Showalter said. "It's not like he's just picking on us. He's
picking on everybody."
Gray's five-game winning streak is his longest in a single season.
He won his final three decisions in 2013 and first three this year
for a career-high six-game streak.
"I feel good," Gray said. "Just really can't wait to get back out
there every time I come off the mound. I just love going out there.
It's nice to get into a little bit of a rhythm."
The A's beat the Orioles for the second time in three days to win
the three-game series 2-1 and the season series 4-2.
Oakland (61-37) remains 1 1/2 games ahead of the Los Angeles Angels
in the American League West, while Baltimore (53-44) saw its lead in
the AL East drop to three games over the New York Yankees and
Toronto Blue Jays.
[to top of second column] |
Orioles right-hander Kevin Gausman (4-3) lasted only four-plus
innings, allowing five runs on nine hits. On June 6 at Camden Yards,
Gausman earned his first major league win as a starter against
Oakland, giving up one run on four hits over seven innings. This
time, the A's got even.
Gausman dominated the A's at Camden Yards with his high-90s fastball
and wicked changeup.
"When you face a guy like that for the first time, it makes it
difficult on you because you don't really know what to expect,"
Donaldson said. "I think today we kind of had a good idea of what we
were going to get out of him and just kind of really harnessed in on
our approach and tried to get a pitch that we liked."
The A's struck quickly for two runs in the first inning off Gausman.
Crisp lined a leadoff single to right, and Jaso brought him home
with a triple to the right-center-field alley. Moments later, Jaso
raced home on a wild pitch, making it 2-0.
Oakland extended the lead to 3-0 in the third, taking advantage of a
mental error by Orioles center fielder Adam Jones.
Cespedes singled with one out and moved to third on first baseman
Brandon Moss' single. Jones charged in to catch Donaldson's line
drive, but he started jogging toward the dugout, apparently thinking
there were three outs, and Cespedes tagged up and scored without a
throw.
"He's one of the most engaged, locked in, intense guys you'll see,"
Showalter said of Jones. "It goes to show how just how tough it is
to stay focused for eight months. He's a guy you don't think twice
(about). I can guarantee he'll never do that again."
NOTES: Oakland RF Josh Reddick (strained right knee) could be
activated in time for Tuesday's game against Houston, manager Bob
Melvin said. Reddick began a rehab assignment with Class A Stockton
on July 14. "He feels good," Melvin said. ... RHP Bud Norris
rejoined the Orioles on Sunday in Oakland, and he will be recalled
from Double-A Bowie on Monday to start against the Los Angeles
Angels. Norris is 3-0 with a 0.32 ERA in four career starts against
the Angels.
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