“He got there like three hours before the game”.
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“I needed to stay focused and locate instead of trying to rear back and throw”, Anderson said.
Manager Bob Melvin was thoroughly impressed with his new pitcher. “It really worked out tonight”. He fell to the Chicago White Sox in his last turn when he gave up two runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings. After the game, Melvin announced that Brooks will remain in Oakland’s starting rotation. Marcus Semien hit a home run and Billy Butler and Sam Fuld had two hits each as they A’s scored five runs on eight hits. He was coming off his worst start of the season in which he allowed six runs in four innings.
Offensively, Chisenhall was also the team’s only major contribution with his fifth-inning moonshot of a home run.
“It feels good to get a win, especially the way Danny went out and pitched”, Chisenhall said.
It is still early to make any sweeping statements on Chisenhall, but if this game is any indication, the trip down to the Triple-A did some good for the third baseman turned right fielder. “He got us pretty deep into the game”.
As Brooks exited his second big-league start Saturday night the sound was similar – but the circumstances could hardly have been more different.
Brooks retired 17 of the first 19 batters and only allowed two runners past first base. He left to a standing ovation in the seventh after getting Mike Aviles, hitless in his past 24 at bats, to fly out with a runner on first.
“I had a little more downhill tilt to my fastball and I was able to locate it”, Anderson said. “I think I heard them all game”.
Salazar stifled the As afterward, retiring the next 18 hitters in a row. Indians 2B Jason Kipnis (.333 average, tied for second in AL) has strung together three straight multi-hit outings and is 9-for-13 during the stretch.2. Cleveland had a three-game winning streak halted and has scored only six runs in the series despite emerging victorious the first two games.
Anderson gave up four runs in 6 2/3 innings.
When the Indians took the lead in the ninth, manager Terry Francona had a decision to make, send Salazar out to pitch the ninth or bring closer Cody Allen in for the save.
The A’s designating Eric O’Flaherty for assignment Saturday was at least partly due to Pomeranz’s performance as a late-innings left-hander in the bullpen.
Rzepczynski went 2-3 with a 4.43 ERA in 45 games this season. LHP Sean Doolittle is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Saturday and could advance to pitching batting practice if all goes well. Newly acquired pitcher Felix Dubrount could be activated Sunday.
The evening started out auspiciously as Oakland A’s fans turned out in droves, 28,152, to see the Athletics face the Cleveland Indians during 90’s night, a promotional celebration of the music and fads of the decade.
Athletics: RHP Sonny Gray (11-4) pitches the series finale going for his second win against the Indians this season.
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Bassitt got off to a shaky start when he gave up hits to the first four Cleveland batters.
