Bad trip ends with solid start
Cotton goes six strong; A’s draw eightwalks in spirit-lifting win
MINNEAPOLIS — Jharel Cotton and seemingly a cast of zillions stepped up for an A’s team that was stuck in the muck, carrying Oakland to an 85 win over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday.
It was just the second win on a nine-game trip that ended Thursday afternoon. Oakland didn’t hit much along the way, but thanks to eight walks, the A’s had plenty of base runners and for once capitalized.
“This was a tough road trip, up and down the lineup, the pitching staff, you name it,” catcher Stephen Vogt said. “So today to have a good day where we get a great start and everybody contributed.
“This was a very big game for us. Now we fly home and get ready for a big homestand.”
Cotton (3-3) was gifted with an early 4-0 lead, but when he gave up two homers in the space of three hitters in the bottom of the second, it wasn’t inconceivable that Thursday would turn out like most of the rest of the trip. The A’s had lost four in a row and seven of eight.
“There are certain games that are more important than others,” manager Bob Melvin said. “This was a big one for us, especially when he had a lead early on. We needed to finish this game off and have a better feeling going home, because for the better part of this road trip, every day was miserable.
“When you go 2-7 on a trip, there’s not too much to be proud of. So to win the last one hopefully puts the road trip in the rearview mirror.”
Cotton allowed just one hit other than the two homers, and he established a career high with nine strikeouts in his six innings.
“I think he just got a little upset and just got after them a little bit,” Melvin said. “That’s called maturity, when you’ve had a rough start or two and you get a four-run lead and they come back and after two home runs, you go back out there and pitch as well as you have all year.”
Cotton said anger after the second homer might have played into his game.
“After the second home run, I just wanted to keep the team in the game, so of course I had to get a little angry,” he said. “I just had to compete, compete for my team. That was my goal and I did that.”
Thursday may have seen the start of a new look for the A’s, who were desperate to find anything to cling to.
Before the game, coach Mark Kotsay took some cologne from first baseman Yonder Alonso’s locker and sprayed everybody who walked by. Since most of the A’s had decent days, it’s not out of the question that could be repeated.
Melvin did something more tangible, moving his two most productive hitters, Khris Davis and Alonso, into the Nos. 3 and 4 spots in the lineup. Before Thursday, Davis had only hit fourth and Alonso had bounced mostly between seventh, sixth and fifth.
The A’s tied a seasonhigh with 14 hits and their eight walks was a seasonhigh, so Melvin might stick with that lineup for a while.
The A’s announced n that starting with Friday night’s game against the Detroit Tigers at the Coliseum, there will be an unveiling of a “Holy Toledo” sign in center field, a homage to Hall of Fame broadcaster Bill King. The sign will light up with his catchphrase during big A’s plays.
The A’s scratched n plans for Sean Manaea to throw a full bullpen on Thursday when he reported that he was still feeling discomfort in his left shoulder. That scratches him from Sunday’s start, which will now go to Sonny Gray. Manaea probably will be out longer than the 10 days the A’s had been hoping for.
Catcher Josh Phegn ley went on the seven-day concussion disabled list and Oakland recalled catcher Bruce Maxwell from Triple-A Nashville. Melvin said Phegley is feeling better, but there’s a chance he will need more than seven days to be completely healed.
The manager was fine n with Ryon Healy bunting for a hit to end an 0-for-9 skid. “I’m up for anybody bunting for a hit and getting on base,” Melvin said. “When you are scuffling, sometimes that gets you going. His next time up he hits a home run.”
Melvin was less n pleased with Healy getting ejected following a called third strike in the eighth inning with the bases loaded. The third baseman was visibly and vocally distressed, and finally ump Mike Muchlinski ejected him. “He can throw some interesting games at you,” Melvin said. “His passion got away from him. He knows he can’t get thrown out of that game.”
John Axford threw a n 23-pitch bullpen Thursday morning. He’ll have one more bullpen session, then start facing hitters as he looks to return from the disabled list (right lat) midmonth.