by Charlie O. Mallonee

The Oakland Athletics used the Sonny Gray’s strong pitching and three home runs to defeat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-2 in the final game of the four-game series. It was the A’s second consecutive victory which gave them their first back-to-back wins since April 13-14.

The win also gave the A’s a 2-2 series split versus the first place team in the American League East. Oakland (16-30) finished the seven-game road trip with a 3-4 record. They will be satisfied with that record as they had to face two division leading teams in Houston and Tampa Bay (24-21).

The Athletics may have just found the momentum that has been missing throughout most of this season.

On the Bump

The A’s are always confident when they have their best pitcher – Sonny Gray – on the mound, and he did not disappoint on Sunday.

Gray (5-2) had great control of his fastball and slider on Sunday. He worked 5.0 innings giving up just four hits, no runs while striking out four batters and walking none. Gray threw 69 pitches (47 strikes).

Gray would have worked more innings had he not taken a James Loney line drive off his right ankle in the bottom of the fourth inning. Gray stayed in the game and pitched the fourth and fifth innings. With Oakland up 5-0 after five and one-half innings, Gray was pulled from the game to have the ankle evaluated.

The team announced after the game that the x-rays of the ankle were negative. Gray will have four days off to rest the ankle before facing the New York Yankees next Friday in Oakland.

Oh What a Relief It Is

The Athletics’ bullpen came on in the bottom of the sixth inning to take over for Gray. Dan Otero threw two scoreless innings giving up just three hits.

Fernando Rodriguez came in for the eighth inning and had a shaky outing. After striking out Kevin Kiermaier, Rodriguez gave up a double to Joey Butler and walked Longoria. He then gave up a base hit to James Longey to load the bases. Logan Forsythe singled to center driving home Butler and Longoria. Rodriguez was lifted for Evan Scribner.

Scribner was able to get the final two outs of the inning.

Arnold Leon took the mound in ninth for the A’s. Leon worked a perfect final inning including posting two strike outs.

The bullpen worked four innings giving up two runs (both earned) on two hits.

The victory went to Gray who broke a string of two consecutive losses.

In the Batters Box

The A’s had a good day at the plate scoring seven runs on eight hits. The eight hits included three home runs.

Billy Burns got the scoring started by hitting his first major league home run on the first pitch of the game. The RBI was just the second of Burns’ young career.

Burns scored the second run of the game for Oakland in the third inning when he came home on a Stephen Vogt sacrifice fly to center field.

In the sixth inning, Stephen Vogt picked up a lead-off walk. Billy Burns was then hit-by-pitch. Max Muncy flied out to left for the first out of the inning. First baseman Mark Canha came to the plate and hit a Erasmo Ramirez pitch over the left field wall for a three-run home run. That gave the A’s a 5-0 lead.

The A’s scored again in the seventh inning. Josh Reddick hit two-out home run to right center field to make it a 6-0 game.

The A’s scored their final run in the top of the ninth. With two men on base, Stephen Vogt hit his second sacrifice fly of the day allowing Billy Burns to score his third run of the game. That made it a 7-2 game which is how it would end.

It’s All About the Defense

The A’s played their second consecutive game without making an error. They also did not give up any unearned runs.

In the bottom of the first with a runner at first, James Loney hit a hard grounder down the third base line into the corner. The runner – Steven Souza – decided to attempt to score. Sam Fuld hit the cut off man Marcus Semien who fired home to Vogt who was standing in front of the plate. Souza knocked Vogt down as he made the tag and the catcher was able to hold on to the ball. It was a beautiful 7-6-2 put-out that kept a run from scoring.

Up Next

The A’s open up a seven-game homestand on Monday afternoon against the Detroit Tigers. It will be the Tigers in for three games followed by the New York Yankees in for a four game set.

RHP Jesse Hahn (1-4, 4.43) is scheduled to face the Tigers’ RHP Shane Greene (4-2, 4.05).

There will be no television for the Memorial Day afternoon game.