Casilla says loss over with

ARLINGTON, Texas — Santiago Casilla declined to speak to reporters after blowing a save Friday because, the A’s closer said, he was too upset to discuss his night. He apologized Saturday for not speaking after the loss to the Rangers.

“I felt kind of a little weird. I just didn’t think I was going to have anything good to say,” Casilla said, with Juan Dorado interpreting. “I didn’t really want to talk about it. I didn’t think anything would come out well.”

Casilla, the A’s primary closer, said he was frustrated because he’d thrown good pitches to Jonathan Lucroy and Rougned Odor to start the ninth. Lucroy reached on a groundball single, Odor on a flare off the end of the bat.

“It’s very difficult when you feel like you’re making good stuff and you’re making good pitches if the results don’t come out,” he said. “I felt like I made great pitches and it just didn’t work out in my favor. I’m not a stranger to baseball — I know sometimes you make pitches like that, they’re not going to be the right result every time.”

Joey Gallo ended the game by blasting a three-run homer off the pole in right on a 3-2 pitch, which Casilla said was just the second time he has allowed a homer on a curveball. “I wanted to strike him out, but

the pitch didn’t break,” he said.

Asked how he’d feel about coming in in the same situation Saturday, Casilla smiled and responded in English, “I love pitching.”

Griffin on tap: Former A’s starter A.J. Griffin is 4-0 with a 2.45 ERA, and he faces Oakland in the series finale Sunday.

“I’m trying to keep things simple,” he said, adding that he fixed some delivery issues that had led him to open up too much with his front shoulder.

He missed 10 days at the end of April with gout, however, necessitating a change in his diet. “No more fun things,” said Griffin, who is now eating primarily chicken and vegetables. Briefly: Reliever John Axford (shoulder) threw a hitless, scoreless inning at Triple-A Nashville, striking out one . ... Daniel Mengden (foot) worked 32⁄3 innings and allowed three hits and two runs; he walked three and struck out five . ... Jaff Decker cleared waivers and was sent to Nashville.