Photo credit: nbcbayarea.com

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s ended the 10-game road trip with a 6-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays Wednesday afternoon. The A’s finished the road trip with a 6-4 record and return home to face the Seattle Mariners Friday night.

The A’s veteran lefty Brett Anderson pitched well again on Wednesday. Anderson gave the A’s 6 1/3 innings and allowed seven hits and two runs. The Rays’ Yonny Chirinos also pitched well. The young man from Venezuela gave the Rays six innings of work. He allowed two runs and seven hits.

The A’s put one on the board in the top of the fourth. A’s DH Khris Davis led off the inning with a double. He tagged and went to third on Stephen Piscotty’s fly ball to centerfield. Ramon Laureano drove in Davis on an infield single. The A’s added a run in the sixth when Matt Olson took Chirinos deep with his eleventh big fly of the season. The A’s led 2-0 after six.

Anderson started the seventh inning. He was effective all game long as he mixed his pitches well and kept the hitters off balance with fastballs, sliders, and changeups.

With one out, Rays’ centerfielder Guillermo Heredia singled. Former San Francisco Giant Christian Arroyo walked. Ryan Christensen, who was managing, the club as manager Bob Melvin was tossed for arguing balls and strikes with the home plate umpire, brought in Liam Hendriks to pitch. Rays first baseman Yandy Diaz double to drive in Heredia with the Rays’ first run. Arroyo stopped at third. The A’s walked Austin Meadows, who is leading the AL in hitting, to load the bases. Rays’ right fielder Avaisal Garcia reached on a fielder’s choice. Marcus Semien fielded the ball, and since there was a force play at any base, he looked to get the out at third. Chapman wasn’t covering the base, and that forced Semien to try to get the out at second. The throw was just a hair late. Arroyo scored to tie the game.

The A’s regained the lead in the top of the eighth. Matt Olson led off with a single. Davis struck out. Piscotty walked. Rays’ reliever uncorked a wild pitch to advance Olson and Piscotty. The Rays walked Robbie Grossman to set up an inning-ending double play. The Rays brought in lefty Colin Poche to pitch to Ramon Laureano. The strategy failed as Laureano hit his ninth home run of the year to put four on the board.

The A’s called on Lou Trivino to pitch the eighth. Trivino gave up three hits, but the Rays failed to score. Blake Treinen retired the Rays to preserve the win for the A’s.

Game Notes: With the win, the A’s improve to 35-34. The Rays are now 41-26 and fall 1/2 game behind the New York Yankees in the race for first place in the AL East.

Liam Hendriks was credited with the win, and his record is now 3-0. He also received credit for his first blown save. Adam Kolarek was the losing pitcher for Tampa Bay.

Up Next: The A’s are off on Thursday. They resume play Friday night when they meet the Seattle Mariners for a three-game set at the Oakland Coliseum.