Photo credit: @Athletics

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND, Calif. — The A’s continue to play great baseball as they prevailed over the San Diego Padres 4-2 on the Fourth of July, Both teams played well, but in the end, the A’s were just a wee bit better.

A’s starter Sean Manaea did not figure in the decision, but had another strong pitching performance. Manaea went seven innings and allowed two runs and four hits. The Padres’ starter Luis Perdomo also pitched well. His line was 5 2/3 innings of work and he, too, allowed two runs and four hits.

The A’s won the game in the bottom of the eighth when they, as they have done so many times this season, were able to score late in the game. The A’s won for the eighth time in the last nine game and have won 14 of the last 17 as they move to a season-high nine games above the .500 mark with a record of 48-39.

The Padres scored two in the top of the second inning. Manaea issued a free pass to Hunter Renfroe. Padres’ rookie third baseman Christian Villaneuva homered to left field to give the Padres an early 2-0 lead. The A’s plated one in their half of the inning. With one out, Luis Perdomo walked Matt Olson. Right fielder Stephen Piscotty lined a ball into the gap in left-center-field to drive in Olson.

The A’s tied the game in the third. Josh Phegley walked to get things going. Dustin Fowler singled to put men on at first and second with no out. Perdomo struck out Matt Joyce for the first out. Jed Lowrie walked to load the bases. A’s DH Khris Davis followed with a solid single to left field to drive in Phegley. Matt Olson hit into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.

The A’s scored twice in the bottom of the eighth. Jed Lowrie received a walk that started the rally. Khris Davis doubled to left. Lowrie stopped at third. The Padres issued an intentional walk to Matt Olson to load the bases. Piscotty made the Padres pay as he hit his third double of the game to drive in Lowrie and Davis.

The Padres escaped further damage when they retired Olson at home on a force out, and Villaneuva turned a line shot off Marcus Semien’s bat into a 5-4 double play to end the inning. The A’s lead 4-2 heading into the top of the ninth. A’s closer Blake Treinen gave up a couple of hits but was able to escape without any damage and recorded his twenty-second save of the season.

Game Notes: Stephen Piscotty had three doubles in the game to tie and Oakland A’s single-game record. Treinen’s has converted each of his last 19 save opportunities dating back to May 4th. Lou Trivino was the winning pitcher, and his record is now 7-1. Jose Castillo absorbed the loss. The line score for the A’s was four runs, six hits, and no errors. The Padres’ line was two runs, seven hits, and no errors.

Khris Davis extended his hit streak to seven games, the second highest such streak of the season…is 10-for-27 (.370) during this span. • Matt Joyce snapped a five-game hitting streak. Mark Canha went hitless to end his career high 11 game hitting streak.

A’s third baseman Matt Chapman made the defensive play of the day in the sixth inning. He stabbed a Hunter Renfroe smash that looked like it was heading into the left-field corner. He dived for the ball and snared and in one motion righted himself to start a 5-4-3 double play.

Time of game was a crisp two hours and 33 minutes and 14,408 people watched as the A’s won again.

Up Next: The A’s are off on Thursday as they travel to Cleveland to face the Indians at Progressive Field starting Friday night. Paul Blackburn (2-2, ERA 6.46) will pitch for Oakland, and Cleveland will counter with righty Carlos Carrasco (8-5, ERA 4.24). The game will start at 4:10 pm PDT.