by Jerry Feitelberg

Baseball is such a crazy game. No matter how many years one follows the game, things occur that make fans literally go insane. Take the 2015 edition of the Oakland A’s, for example. They had such a horrible start to the season. Nothing went right for the for the first 44 games of the season. They could not buy a clutch hit. Their fielding was terrible as was the bullpen, They played a lot of one-run games but could not win. However, hopefully, the team may have turned around the season as they won in Detroit Thursday afternoon 7-5 to sweep the Tigers. It was a season-high fourth win in a row for Oakland and their ninth win in the last 12 games. They are not out of the hole yet as they are still ten games under .500 with a record of 23-33, but things are looking better. The A’s Jesse Hahn pitched well as he recorded his third win of the year and his record improved to 3-5. Drew Pomeranz, working out of the bullpen, pitched the eighth and shut down the Tigers. The only sour note in the game was the performance of Dan Otero. Otero is not having one of his best years. Some of the time, Otero is good and some of the time he is not-so-good. His outing Thursday was a not-so-good outing. He retired one hitter, the ever-dangerous Miguel Cabrera but gave up four runs on four hits as the Tigers made it a 2-run game. Bob Melvin went to his closer, Tyler Clippard, for the save and Clippard came through getting  Nick Castellanos  and James McCann on flyballs to the outfield to end the game.

The A’s scored three runs in the top of the second. Josh Reddick and Brett Lawrie singled to start the frame to put men on at 1st and 3rd with no out. Eric Sogard reached on a fielder’s choice when Tigers’ pitcher Shane Greene made an error on the throw to second trying to start a double play. Reddick scored on the error. Lawrie was safe at second and Sogard was safe at first. The next hitter Josh Phegley tripled to deep center field to drive in Lawrie and Sogard.

The A’s added a run in the fourth, two in the 5th and one more in the 7th. In the fourth, Stephen Vogt walked leading off the inning. Vogt scored on a Billy Butler double to left. In the 5th, Billy Burns walked and stole second. It was the 10th steal for Burns. The Tigers issued an intentional walk to Vogt. Billy Butler singled to left. Burns scored and when Tiger left-fielder Daniel Fields overran the ball, Vogt came home with the A’s 6th run of the game.

The Tigers got on the board in the bottom of the 6th. With tow out, Anthony Gose and Jose Iglesias singled to put men on at 1st and 2nd. Miguel Cabrera singled to drive in Gose with the run. The A’s got the run back in the 7th of tiger pitcher Tom Gorzelanny. Gorzelanny walked Ben Zobrist and Stephen Vogt. With two in the inning, Brett Lawrie doubled to drive in Zobrist with the A’s 7th run.

Jesse Hahn was done after 7 innings and it looked like it was going to be smooth sailing for Oakland. Drew Pomeranz was brought in to pitch. It was Pomeranz’s first appearance since coming off the DL and he worked a scoreless 8th inning for Oakland.  Bob Melvin made the call to the bullpen. Dan Otero came in and retired the first batter he faced, Miguel Cabrera. That was they only hitter that Otero retired. Daniel Fields doubled. Ian Kinsler singer to drive in Field to make it a 7-2 game. J.D. Martinez singled. That was followed by a Tyler Collins’ home run. Detroit is back in the game trailing 7-5. Melvin brought in his closer, Tyler Clippard and Clippard retired Castellanos and McCann to end the game.

Game notes- The line for Jesse was 7 IP, 5 hits, and 1 run allowed. Hahm\n’s record in now 3-5 with a 3.51 ERA. Pomeranz went 1 inning with all zeros and Tyler Clippard earned his 9th save. Shane Greene took the loss for Detroit and his record in now 4-5. He went 4.1 innings and gave up 6 runs, but two were unearned.

The A’s move on to Boston for a three-game set at Fenway Park. It will be a battle of left-handers as Scott Kazmir will go for Oakland and Wade Miley will be on the hill for the Red Sox.

Game time will be at 4:05pm PT.