Bassitt, Olson lead way in win
Pitching gem, tworun homer stop Chicago
CHICAGO — Chris Bassitt’s desire to make a point to the White Sox turns out to be even stronger than an opponent striking out two batters an inning.
Bassitt’s breakthrough season continued Sunday when he stuck it to his former club, working seven strong innings in the A’s 20 victory. Though his teammates didn’t go nuts with the run support, a homer by Matt Olson provided the sum total of Sunday’s scoring.
“Every time I pitch against these guys for my career I’m going to try to prove to them they made a mistake,” said Bassitt, who came to the A’s with Marcus Semien, Josh Phegley and Rangel Ravelo for Jeff Samardzija and Michael Ynoa after the 2014 season. “Anyone who says different is lying. Anytime I pitch against these guys, they’re going to get my ‘A’ game.”
Oakland took the series two games to one to finish with a .500 record during the weeklong stay in Chicago.
The A’s most prominent offensive trait Sunday was the K: Chicago starter Lucas Giolito set a career high by striking out 13 in six innings, and he K’d the side in the third and sixth. Nick Martini and Mark Canha struck out in all three of their atbats against the righthander, who is averaging 11.3 strikeouts per nine innings.
Somehow in the midst of that, Matt Chapman — who struck out three times Sunday — doubled to rightcenter to open the fourth; Jon Jay jumped at the fence but the ball deflected off his glove, staying in the park. “I thought it was going to be 1015 rows deep when he hit it,” Olson said.
Olson then clobbered a 10 fastball to right, his first homer since July 30 and his 23rd overall, most among AL first basemen.
“With Chappy on second, I’m just trying to get something to get him over with, something inside,” Olson said. “I knew (Giolito had) been feeling comfortable with that fastball at the waist and I just wanted to be on time for something, and he just left something a little too middle and I was able to get extended on it.”
Bassitt didn’t have the fancy strikeout totals, but using an effective slider and a fourseam fastball that hit as high as 97 mph, he did rack up a few with men in scoring position. Chicago hitters were 0for6 with runners at second or third against Bassitt, and he struck out three of those batters. Bassitt allowed only four hits and two walks, and he struck out seven.
“Bassitt threw a hell of a game,” Olson said.
“Bueno, that’s a wow!” reliever Joakim Soria said as he walked by Bassitt after the game.
Manager Bob Melvin said Bassitt’s fastball was the best it has been all year, and Bassitt said, “I don’t think that’s much of a debate. That saved me today, because I had nothing else besides a fastball. When you have your best pitch and it’s the best of the year, it’s going to play out well for you.”
Bassitt also got a slick play behind him in the second when, with two on and no outs, Yolmer Sanchez hit a flyball to right that Chad Pinder hauled in, then shortstop Marcus Semien cut off Pinder’s throw toward third and nabbed Matt Skole trying to take second.
“That could have snowballed a little bit, but (Pinder) makes a great play, a strike to Semien, who reads it perfect, bangbang play and if anyone hesitates for a second, they’ve got second and third with one out,” Bassitt said.
“That’s a huge play early in the game,” Melvin said.
In six starts since the break, Bassitt is 31 with a 2.00 ERA. He’s 40 with a 1.52 ERA against AL Central teams, mirroring the A’s overall trend — Oakland has won 16 of its past 18 series against the division dating to midAugust last year.
Jake Diekman, Soria and Liam Hendriks finished the game, with Hendriks earning his 12th save since June 22, the most in the majors in that span, to complete Oakland’s eighth shutout.
Martini struck out four times in all, and the A’s racked up 16 K’s on the day.
“It comes with the territory,” Melvin said. “We hit home runs, we strike out some, there’s a strikeout pitcher on the mound. It’s going to happen sometimes. It’s a lot better feeling when you strike out that many times and win the game than lose it.”
Oakland went 51 against the White Sox, and the rotation was a combined 51 with an 0.88 ERA in the process.