FIERS STRIKES
Former Tiger fans eight over 51⁄3 innings in debut; A’s scratch out victory
OAKLAND >> The A’s weren’t expecting Mike Fiers to be perfect, though he flirted with it for several innings. They just wanted him to be reliable, and that’s what he was in his debut.
Making his first start since he was acquired in a trade from the Detroit Tigers earlier in the week, Fiers pitched nearly identical to the reports on the type of pitcher the A’s were getting as he departed with the lead in Wednesday’s 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in front of 32,062 fans at the Coliseum.
Fiers was perfect through four innings, allowing just one run on four hits and no walks with a season-high eight strikeouts. With this dominant bullpen, which entered the night with the fourth-lowest ERA The top two wild-card teams face each other in a one-game playoff. The winner advances to the divisional round against the division champion with the best record. (3.29) in the majors, the A’s will take that every time out from their newest starter.
The swing-and-miss stuff from Fiers, typically a fly ball pitcher, was a bit of a surprise to A’s manager Bob Melvin. The right-hander racked up the eight strikeouts through his first 12 batters faced, which Melvin said may have been a result of the adrenaline from pitching in front of a large and lively crowd mixed with A’s and Dodg-
ers fans.
“It was a pretty good crowd and first time with the new team you want to make an impression,” Melvin said. “Got off to a good start and our fans appreciated it and got into it. Past of the reason they got into the game early like that was him striking some guys out.”
Fiers agreed with Melvin about the adrenaline he felt. But that was eased by the fact that he was reunited with former Milwaukee Brewers teammate Jonathan Lucroy, who caught Fiers from 2011-15.
“I felt good the whole game. Everything was working. Me and Lucroy felt like old times there,” Fiers said. “He knows my strengths and weaknesses. Just trusting in him, we both were on the same page.”
As for the abnormal strikeout total, Fiers himself couldn’t pinpoint an exact reason as to why he was able to rapidly increase the punch outs.
“I don’t know. I was just trying to throw strikes and make them put it in play, get to two strikes and try to expand. Just pitching my game,” Fiers said. “I don’t
know what their approach was but it looked like early on they were swinging for the fences and I got a couple strikeouts here and there. I’ll take them.”
Melvin already had a good idea of what Fiers was about having watched him pitch for the Tigers, but was glad to see that “gritty” side of him come out in what felt like playoff atmosphere Wednesday night.
“The competitor you see on the other side showed up again,” Melvin said. “He likes to pitch and wants to be out
there. He wasn’t scared of the moment with a big crowd here.”
Fiers was in line to get the victory, but a rare run allowed by Lou Trivino on a two-out single by Chris Taylor in the seventh allowed the Dodgers (63-52) to tie it up. The run snapped a streak of 9 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings.
Jed Lowrie picked the perfect time to break out of an 0-for-14 slump when he singled to right in the eighth inning off JT Chargois to give the A’s (68-47) runners on
first and third with one out, setting up a chopper to third by Khris Davis that allowed Marcus Semien to score and break the 2-2 tie after Yasmani Grandal was unable to handle a throw to the plate from Justin Turner.
The A’s were aggressive early against Clayton Kershaw and built his pitch count up. They were rewarded for it in the fourth with a pair of two-out RBI singles by Stephen Piscotty and Ramon Laureano to put them ahead by two.
Though they did not light
up Kershaw by any means, his one strikeout over six innings was just the third time in his career he’s struck out one batter or fewer in a start and the first time since July 15, 2010.
Blake Treinen turned in a scoreless ninth inning for his 29th save of the year.
• Mired in a 17-for-96 slump entering the night, Lowrie went into Wednesday’s game with his batting average now having plummeted to .265 after batting over .300 for most of the first half. The A’s All-Star revealed after Tuesday’s loss to the Dodgers that his leg strength has still not fully recovered since a collision with Stephen Piscotty in a game at San Francisco last month, which could be a leading to his down offensive numbers as of late.
Though Lowrie may not be at full strength at the moment, Melvin said the second baseman is still their best option and will continue to play as he looks to get back on track.
“We’ve given him some day games off and I communicate with him all the time,” Melvin said. “He wants to play and wants to be out there, especially in the position that we’re in. Whether or not he’s a hundred percent with his legs, probably not. But he holds down the three-hole.
“Everybody’s gonna have some periods during the season where they struggle some. He’ll get it going back again.”