Wild pitches spoil Oakland’s rare shot at victory
OAKLAND, Calif. — Oakland starter Frankie Montas took a nohit bid into the eighth inning, then reliever A.J. Puk threw a pair of run-scoring wild pitches with two outs in the ninth that gave the Seattle Mariners a 2-1 win over the Athletics on Thursday.
The Mariners loaded the bases with three walks and rallied on Puk’s wayward tosses to complete a threegame sweep. Seattle won with two hits, both in the eighth.
“It’s not the best win, not the cleanest win. But it’s a win,” Mariners first baseman Ty France said.
Before the wild ninth, it seemed the 29-year-old Montas would be the story of the day.
Montas didn’t allow a hit until Adam Frazier lined a clean single to left field with two outs in the eighth. Montas gave up another hit and was pulled after the inning.
Montas struck out eight in a season-high eight innings, and exited with a 1-0 lead — he has received either one or zero runs of support in 11 of his 15 starts. He is expected to be among the starting pitchers available as the Aug. 2 trade deadline approaches.
With regular closer Dany Jimenez out with a shoulder injury, former Arkansas Razorback Zach Jackson (12) entered for the ninth and walked two before Puk entered with two outs and two on.
Puk walked pinch-hitter Kevin Padlo to load the bases before throwing wild pitches that allowed Dylan Moore and Jesse Winker to score.
“He came in and couldn’t find the zone,” Oakland Manager Mark Kotsay said. “It’s uncharacteristic so far this year. He’s been throwing strikes. Unfortunately today, he couldn’t find the fastball.”
Paul Sewald retired the A’s in order in the bottom of the ninth for his fifth save. The Mariners have won 11 of their past 12 at the Oakland Coliseum.
The A’s are 3-16 in June and have the AL’s worst record at 23-48.
Montas hit 98 mph with his fastball and said he had a good feel for his cutter too. He did not second-guess Kotsay’s decision to pull him after the eighth at 102 pitches.
“I felt like I did my job [finishing] the eighth,” Montas said. “I had 102 pitches. That’s kind of a lot.”
Seattle ace Robbie Ray limited the A’s to 4 hits and struck out 6 over 6 innings. Oakland scored in the first when Christian Bethancourt hit an RBI single to snap a 0-for-12 slump.
Reliever Diego Castillo (4-1) got the win.
ORIOLES 4, WHITE SOX 0 Dean Kremer (2-1) and three Baltimore relievers combined on a ninehit shutout and Adley Rutschman hit a two-run home run in a victory over Chicago.
TWINS 1, GUARDIANS 0 Nick Gordon hit a third-inning home run that stood up for starter Devin Smeltzer (4-1), and Minnesota cooled off Cleveland to dodge a sweep.
YANKEES 7, ASTROS 6 Aaron Judge lined a game-winning single, capping a four-run ninth inning that included Aaron Hicks’ tying, three-run home run off closer Ryan Pressly in New York’s victory over Houston.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
BRAVES 7, GIANTS 6 Dansby Swanson hit two home runs and Atlanta built a big lead early before holding off San Francisco.
BREWERS 6, CARDINALS 4 Tyrone Taylor hit a three-run home run, Willy Adames added a home run and Milwaukee beat St. Louis.
DODGERS 10, REDS 5 Freddie Freeman homered and drove in three runs, leading Clayton Kershaw (5-1) and Los Angeles past Cincinnati. MARLINS 3, ROCKIES 2 Avisail Garcia drove in the go-ahead run on a fielder’s-choice grounder in the eighth inning, and Miami completed a threegame sweep of Colorado.
PHILLIES 6, PADRES 2 J.T. Realamuto hit a three-run home run and Kyle Schwarber added a two-run shot as Philadelphia defeated San Diego. PIRATES 8, CUBS 7 (10) Michael Chavis hit a tying home run in the eighth before pulling off a defensive gem and delivering a game-ending single in the 10th, sending Pittsburgh over Chicago.