by Jerry Feitelberg

The A’s lost another one-run game Wednesday afternoon. The Detroit Tigers beat them 3-2 to win the rubber match of the three-game series. A’s starting pitcher, Scott Kazmir left the game after three innings with tightness in his left shoulder. He underwent an MRI, but the results will not be known until Thursday. He was replaced by Dan Otero. Otero went two innings giving up five hits and three runs. The decisive blow was a three-run home run off the bat of  former Athletic, Yoenis Cespedes. Sean Doolittle made his first appearance of the season and pitched well in his one inning of work.  His fastball topped at 90 miles per hour but he used his slider and change-up effectively.  With the loss, the A’s won-loss record for the year is 17-32 while Detroit improved to 28-20. Otero took the loss for Oakland while Kyle Ryan, called up from Louisville and making his first appearance of the season, received credit for the win.

The game was scoreless until the fifth inning.  With two out, Tiger second baseman, Ian Kinsler doubled. The A’s elected to walk Miguel Cabrera to put men on at first and second. That decision did not turn out well as former Athletic, Yoenis Cespedes hit a line shot to left field that went over the wall for a three-run homer. After the game, Bob Melvin said that the A’s would not let Cabrera beat them and the A’s were willing to face the next batter no matter what.

The A’s got on the board in the bottom of the seventh. Stephen Vogt led off the inning with a triple. The ball hit the 367 mark but did not go out. Mark Canha, pinch hitting for Max Muncy, flied out to centerfield and Vogt was able to tag up and score. Detroit leads 3-1 after seven.

The A’s made it a one-run game in the bottom of the eighth.Marcus Semien, pinch hitting for Sam Fuld, led off with a triple to right field. Semien scored on a ground out by Eric Sogard to make it a 3-2 game.  Billy Burns doubled to put a man in scoring position with one out but  Josh Reddick popped up for the second out and Ben Zobrist fouled out to end the inning.

The A’s failed to score in the ninth. Billy Burns singled and advanced to second when Mark Canha walked. Tigers’ closer Joakim Soria Struck out Brett Lawrie and Marcus Semien to end the game.

Game notes- The Oakland A’s are 6-16 at home this season, the worst record after 22 games in Oakland history and are 8-18 in May.  The A’s have lost two of three games against Detroit and have not won a series since taking two of three from Texas May 1-3.  The A’s are 0-10 in one-run games in Oakland.

The New York Yankees will be in town for four games starting Thursday night at the O.co Coliseum. Game time will be at 7:05pm.

Kendall Graveman (2-2, 6.04 ERA) will pitch for Oakland and the Yankees will have the pride of Vallejo, C.C. Sabathia ( 2-6, 5.47 ERA)  on the hill

20,387 paid to see the game.