By DANIEL DULLUM
Sports Radio Service
Saturday, March 21, 2015

MESA, Arizona – The Oakland Athletics announced that CT scans were nagative on outfielder Sam Fuld, who was injured during the A’s exhibition game Friday against Colorado at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale.

Fuld left the game against the Rockies in the seventh inning after he was hit in the jaw by an errant throw from the shortstop while running to first base.

The tests were performed at Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Medical Center. Fuld is listed at day-to-day.

This spring, Fuld is hittingh .265 with a .441 slugging percentage and an on-base percentage of .316 in 12 games. He has two doubles, two triples and six runs batted in, and was 7-for-21 in his last seven games.

A’s belt Cincinnati

On Saturday, Oakland used a 12-hit attack to defeat Cincinnati 8-1. Third baseman Brett Lawrie belted a two-out three-run homer in the bottom of the first off Reds starter Raisel Iglesias. Catcher Josh Phegley added a two-run shot in the sixth off Cincinnati reliever Aroldis Chapman.

The hit parade didn’t end there for the A’s. Second baseman Eric Sogard, hitting in the No. 9 slot, had a pair of doubles, as did DH Mark Canha. A’s starter Jesse Hahn worked five innings of shutout ball to get the win. Hahn struck out two, walked two and gave up four hits. Aside from one run allowed in the seventh, the Oakland relief crew of Evan Scribner, Fernando Abad and Kevin Whelan scattered four hits. Scribner struck out three.

The A’s head to Goodyear for their next two spring games, facing Cincinnati Sunday and Cleveland on Monday.

CACTUS NEEDLES: An announced crowd of 9,057 watched the A’s and Reds do battle Saturday at Hohokam Stadium. … Going into this weekend, the Athletics have the third-best record in the Cactus League – 12-7-1 – trailing Kansas City (12-6) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (9-4-6). … OF Billy Burns continues to raise eyebrows of Cactus League observers. Burns has five multiple-hit games this spring while hitting .520 (13-for-25) in his last nine games. Burns leads the CL with four stolen bases, and is fifth in batting (.415). … Four of OF Billy Butler’s five hits this spring have been for extra bases (two doubles, two home runs). … OF Coco Crisp is 2-for-8 in his last three games after coming back from a week off to address an elbow injury. … C Josh Phegley is tied for the CL lead in doubles (5). … On Friday, Oakland’s split squads earned wins – one over the Dodgers, the other against Colorad. RHP Sonny Gray threw 5 1/3 innings against LA, but LHP Barry Zito threw the final three innings to earn his first win of the spring. Zito has a 3.09 ERA, has struck out nine with one walk in four games.