When Paul Blackburn needed 47 pitches to make it through the first two innings Authentic Daniel Kilgore Jersey , it didn’t seem he would last long for the Oakland Athletics.
Then Blackburn found his groove and led the streaking A’s to another win.
Blackburn pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning and Oakland won its fifth straight game, beating the Cleveland Indians 3-1 on Friday night.
”It was just finding a tempo and rhythm,” Blackburn said. ”It’s something I’ve struggled with the first couple of innings. Once I get over that hump in the second inning, I feel like everything is more put together.”
Marcus Semien and Khris Davis drove in runs against Trevor Bauer (7-6) as the A’s followed up a four-game sweep at Detroit with a win in the opener of a five-game homestand.
Jed Lowrie provided insurance with a solo homer in the eighth off Zach McAllister to move Oakland a season-high seven games over .500.
”Games like that, it feels like a 10-run homer,” manager Bob Melvin said. ”The guys coming to the plate get your attention in the last inning. It was paramount. It gives you a little bit of wiggle room.”
Blake Treinen allowed two baserunners in the ninth before earning his 21st save in 23 chances. He has converted 18 straight save opportunities.
Blackburn (2-2) had a 12.70 ERA his past three starts and struggled early against Cleveland, with four of the first seven batters reaching base safely. But a caught stealing and a double play helped him make it through the first two innings unscathed and he settled down from there.
He retired 14 of the final 15 batters he faced, allowing only a two-out walk to Yonder Alonso in the fourth before leaving after retiring Edwin Encarnacion to open the seventh. Blackburn allowed three hits and struck out five.
Francisco Lindor hit an RBI double off Yusmeiro Petit in the eighth inning for Cleveland.
The A’s, who score nearly two fewer runs per game at home than on the road, managed to get single runs against Bauer in the second and sixth innings. Matt Olson doubled in the second and scored on Semien’s two-out hit.
Oakland added an insurance run in the sixth when Matt Joyce singled and scored on Davis’ double.
”He seemed to be very patient so I wanted to make a point of getting ahead in that count,” Bauer said. ”He hit a bad pitch. He’s a good hitter. That’s what you’re supposed to do with hanging breaking balls, hit them.”
Bauer allowed two runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings, striking out eight. His 148 strikeouts are the most for a Cleveland pitcher before the end of June since Sam McDowell had 151 in 1970.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Indians: Manager Terry Francona said the team will have a decision soon on the status of injured starter Danny Salazar, who has been on the DL all season with a right shoulder injury. Francona said the team is ”exploring some things” and said he would have more information in the next couple of days.
Athletics: 3B Matt Chapman (hand) took grounders and hit off a tee. He will take BP on Sunday and could be back as early as next week. … RHP Andrew Triggs (right arm nerve irritation) had his rehab shut down because he felt tingling in fingers. He will get a second opinion next week. … RHP Trevor Cahill (right Achilles) threw a 30-pitch bullpen session and will either have a lengthier bullpen session or simulation game next in his rehab.
UP NEXT
Edwin Jackson (0-0) makes his second start for Oakland after allowing one run in six innings of a no-decision in his debut against Detroit. His nine-game winning streak against Cleveland is the longest since Storm Davis also won nine straight vs. the Indians from 1986-92. Adam Plutko (4-1) starts for Cleveland.
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The Arizona Diamondbacks have put their miserable May in the rearview mirror. The New York Mets are in a June swoon that keeps dragging on.
Paul Goldschmidt and Daniel Descalso homered, Zack Godley pitched effectively into the seventh inning and the Diamondbacks beat the staggering Mets 7-3 on Friday night.
The NL West leaders have won seven of eight and 11 of 14. The freefalling Mets have dropped four straight, 12 of 13 and 19 of 23.
After starting the season 12-2 Authentic Josh Sitton Jersey , the Mets (28-38) have gone from 10 games over .500 to 10 games under earlier than any team in major league history. The previous mark was held by the 2011 Marlins, who did it in their 76th game.
It wasn’t that long ago that the tables were turned. When the Mets swept three from the Diamondbacks in New York from May 18-20, Arizona was in the midst of losing 15 times in 17 games. Since then, the Diamondbacks are 13-4.
”We were scuffling pretty bad the last time we played these guys, right in the middle of that pretty terrible stretch,” Descalso said. ”It seems like since we’ve been home after that road trip and kind of got right it’s been a much better ballclub, a much more offensive ballclub and we’ve been playing a lot better.”
New York’s stagnant offense has mustered just 21 runs in the last 13 games, scoring three or fewer in 11 straight.
Rookie manager Mickey Callaway insists he’s seeing subtle signs his team is breaking out of it.
”We were very close. We had lots of baserunners tonight,” he said. ”We put ourselves in position where we didn’t even need hits to score runs. We just needed some groundballs. … It felt different during the game. When you get in here at the end of the night it feels like the same thing, but we’re slowly coming out of it.”
Goldschmidt gave Arizona a lead in the first with his second solo home run in two nights. The slugging first baseman, having a torrid June after a horrendous May, has nine homers and 21 RBIs in his past 20 games. He also singled twice and drove in two runs.
Descalso had a sacrifice fly to go with a two-run homer off Seth Lugo (2-2) that put Arizona up 5-2 in the fifth. Jon Jay added three hits, including a triple.
Dominic Smith, brought up from Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday, homered and doubled for the Mets on his 23rd birthday.
Godley (7-5) dodged trouble through the first four innings before retiring 10 of the last 11 batters he faced. He went 6 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and five hits while striking out eight and walking three.
”I had to fight myself pretty much for the first three innings Authentic Fred Warner Jersey ,” Godley said. ”After that I kind of settled in a little bit, got some quick outs and was able to go deep in the game.”
With two runners on, Brad Boxberger retired Michael Conforto for his 16th save.
Lugo led off the third with a single, Conforto was hit by a pitch and Todd Frazier followed with an RBI double. But the damage was limited when Godley fanned the next three batters to keep it tied at 1.
David Peralta singled with one out in the fifth ahead of Descalso’s eighth home run of the season.
”I left that changeup up to Descalso,” Lugo said. ”I think if I execute that pitch we’re in a different ballgame.”
In the sixth, Jarrod Dyson drew a one-out walk, stole second and third and scored on Jay’s single to make it 6-2. Jay tripled in the eighth and Goldschmidt singled him home.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: Activated INF Wilmer Flores (back) from the 10-day disabled list and optioned INF-OF Ty Kelly to Triple-A Las Vegas. Flores entered in a double switch in the sixth and had an RBI double in the ninth.
Diamondbacks: LHP Robbie Ray (strained right oblique) made his first rehab start Thursday night for Class A Visalia, allowing five runs, two earned, and five hits with three strikeouts. He threw 45 pitches in 2 1/3 innings. His next start will be Tuesday for Triple-A Reno, when he is to throw 65-75 pitches. … RHP Randall Delgado threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings in a rehab appearance for Reno on Thursday. He is to throw an inning of relief for Reno on Monday.
UP NEXT
The Diamondbacks send left-hander Patrick Corbin (6-2, 3.21 ERA) to the mound and the Mets counter with lefty Steven Matz (2-4, 3.53) on Saturday night in the third matchup of the four-game series.
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