Oakland Athletics right fielder Brent Rooker catches a ball hit by Cleveland Guardians’ Josh Bell during the second inning at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Thu Jun 22, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

Oakland A’s left starter JP Sears had his best game of the year for the A’s. Sears gave the A’s seven innings and allowed four hits and two runs. It was certainly a quality start. Unfortunately for Sears, the A’s offense did not back the pitcher with enough of an attack to win the game.

The A’s offense produced three hits, all singles, as the A’s fell to the Cleveland Guardians 6-1 at Progressive Field in Cleveland. The A’s only run came in the fifth inning, and it came without the benefit of a hit.

Sears retired the first 11 batters he faced on Thursday. The Guardians’ third baseman Jose Ramirez singled with two out in the fourth to break the spell. Ramirez was caught stealing to end the inning. In the top of the fifth, the A’s scored their only run in the game, and that happened without the benefit of a hit.

Here’s how it happened. A’s left Fielder Tony Kemp walked. Esteury Ruiz was at the plate. A’s manager Mark Kotsay had Kemp running on the pitch to Ruiz. Amed Rosario fielded Ruiz’s ground ball. Rosario’s throw to first nipped Ruiz for the out.

Kemp motored to third base on the play. Ryan Noda’s sacrifice fly drove in Kemp with the run. Cleveland answered with two runs in their half of the fifth. Sears retired DH Josh Naylor for the first out. First baseman Josh Bell blasted a 430-foot home out of the park to tie the game.

It was Bell’s seventh of the year and the 18th home run allowed by Sears. Sears leads baseball in that department. Serving up gopher balls has been a problem for Sears this year. Sears gave up the second run when Andres Gimenez singled. Gimenez stole second and scored on Myles Straw’s triple. The Guardians led 2-1 after five innings.

The Guardians scored four times in the bottom of the eighth. The A’s summoned Yacksel Rios from the bullpen to pitch. Rios was making his A’s debut. It was a performance that he would like to forget. Rios threw 44 pitches in the inning. He struggled to find the strike zone.

The Guardians scored four times. Rios gave up two hits, walked four, and threw two wild pitches. The Guardians led 6-1 after eight innings. Reliever Eli Morgan set the A’s down to end the game.

Game Notes- The A’s lost their eighth game in a row. Their record fell to 19-56. The Guardians swept the three-game series to improve to 36-38.

The line score for Oakland was one run, three hits, and no errors. Cleveland’s line was six runs, six hits, and no errors.
JP Sears’ line was seven innings pitched, four hits, two runs, eight strikeouts, one walk, and one home run allowed. Sears threw 106 pitches and 79 strikes. The Guardians’ starter Logan Allen went four innings and allowed two hits and no runs.

Kemp and Esteury Ruiz had their hitting streaks stopped Thursday afternoon.

The A’s finish the six-game road trip against the Toronto Blue Jays. The A’s starter will be James Kaprielian (2-6, 6.38 era). Former A’s starter Chris Bassitt will be on the hill for the Blue Jays. Bassitt is 7-5 with an ERA of 4.16. The game will start at 4:07 pm.