Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo makes a pitching change as starter Madison Bumgarner hands over the ball in the fifth inning at Chase Field in Phoenix on Mon Apr 12, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Monday, April 12, 2021

Oakland jumped to an early lead against Arizona starter Madison Bumgarner and defeated the Diamondbacks 9-5 Monday in the first of a two-game interleague series at Chase Field in Phoenix.

Chris Bassitt (1-2) picked up his first win of the season, giving up two earned runs and two hits while walking five in five innings. Bumgarner (0-2) struck out five in 4 2/3 innings, but was tagged for six earned runs on seven hits while walking three. Bumgarner’s earned run average ballooned to 11.20.

Oakland took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Mark Canha scored on Jed Lowrie’s infield ground out. The A’s picked up two more runs in the third when Lowrie hit a two-run double to left.

The Diamondbacks cut the Oakland lead to 3-2 on an RBI single by Kole Calhoun and Asdrubal Cabrera’s sacrifice fly to center.

Oakland scored three times in the top of the fifth. After Lowrie delivered a run-scoring single and scored on Matt Olson’s sacrifice fly to left, Matt Chapman hit a solo home run to left, giving the Athletics a 6-2 lead.

Arizona battled back to pull within 6-5 with a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh on a run-scoring double by Cabrera, who scored on David Peralta’s single to center.

Elvis Andrus singled to drive in Stephen Piscotty in the top of the eighth, and the A’s tacked on two more runs in the ninth on an RBI single by Chapman and Sean Murphy’s run-scoring double.

Chapman finished 3-for-5, while Lowrie, Ramon Laureano and Sean Murphy each collected two hits, as the A’s outhit Arizona 12-7. Calhoun finished 3-for-4 for the D-Backs.
In the series finale, Oakland will start Jesus Luzardo (0-1, 6.10), and the Diamondbacks will counter with Zac Gallen (0-0, 0.00). Game time is 11:40 a.m.