Lowrie delivers for A’s in the 10th
Bullpen shines in comeback victory
Jed Lowrie hit a two-out run-scoring double in the 10th inning Tuesday night and the Athletics bullpen bailed out starter Sean Manaea in a 4-3 road win at Cleveland.
Lowrie, hitting .367 with runners in scoring position, sliced the game-winner to left field against Cleveland reliever Nick Wittgren as the Athletics won their fifth straight game.
The Athletics improved to 65-48, having begun the day two games behind Houston in the American League West, while Cleveland fell to 55-56.
Andrew Chafin, the last of seven A’s pitchers, finished off Cleveland on a night when the bullpen put the game in lockdown after an early 3-1 deficit with Manaea on the mound.
Starling Marte got the Athletics’ game-tying rally in the eighth inning started with a single to right against reliever James Karinchak, then stole his MLB-leading 30th
base with Matt Olson at the plate. Olson lined a single to right, with Marte holding at third, but came home on Jed Lowrie’s infield out to tie the game 3-3.
Triston McKenzie, who came in with one of the highest walk rates in the major leagues, gave up two runs and four hits in six innings while walking one and striking out five.
Burch Smith came to the rescue after Manaea got the hook, stifling Cleveland by pitching 3 1/3 scoreless innings. He gave up one hit, no runs and record outs on 10 batters while throwing only 40 pitches -- 27 of them strikes.
He was followed initially with scoreless innings from A.J. Puk, recalled from Las Vegas Tuesday, and veteran Yusmeiro Petit, Sergio Romo and Lou Trivino.
Seth Brown hit his 14th home run with two out in the fourth inning to bring the Athletics within 3-2. Oakland also scored in the second on back-to-back doubles from Sean Murphy and Josh Harrison.
Manaea, coming off a 4 1/3 inning game against San Diego in which he gave up five runs and took the loss, looked lost from the outset.
In getting five outs, it was Manaea’s shortest outing of the season, with his previous quick exit coming on May 14 against Boston when he gave up 10 hits in two innings before getting the hook.
Pitching in temperatures in the high 80s with high humidity, Manaea walked three batters and continually sailed pitches high and outside to right-handed batters. He gave up a run-scoring single to Harold Ramirez in the first inning and then appeared to get a break in the second.
After giving up a single to Owen Miller and walking Austin Hedges, Ernie Clement hit a grounder to short which turned into an unusual 6-4-5 double play, with Elvis Andrus getting the force at second and Josh Harrison cutting down Miller at third.
However, Myles Straw drove in a run with a double and Amed Rosario hit single to left that was misplayed by Mark Canha, with Cleveland’s third run scoring on an error.
After Manaea walked Jose Ramirez, his day was done, having thrown 69 pitches to get five outs -- 39 of them strikes.
PUK SHARP IN RETURN » Lefthander A.J. Puk, a prized prospect who has battled injuries throughout his career, is getting another shot with the A’s.
Puk was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday. Right-hander J.B. Wendelken was designated for assignment to make room, the club announced.
The A’s didn’t waste any time using Puk as he was summoned from the bullpen in the sixth inning and turned in a dazzling performance. Puk was throwing 98-mph fastballs and struck out two batters in a scoreless inning
In his one relief appearance with the A’s on April 5, Puk threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings but then went on the 10-day injured list with a strained left biceps. Once off the IL, Puk was optioned to Las Vegas in hopes of building up his arm for a long-term stint with the big club.
Although Puk had a 6.06 earned run average and opponents were hitting .308 against him in 26 games (including one start), he had come around of late with a 1.64 ERA in his last 13 games.
“You’ve seen the numbers,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said in a pregame video conference. “He’s also a bit stretched out, which is good for us too. Gives us a third lefty, but whenever you have a guy that throws 98 miles an hour, has a good slider ... this is kind of a target date for him because he’s pitching well. That’s why he’s here.”
Puk threw for Las Vegas last Thursday and Friday, an inning each night, giving up one run. His longest stretch outing has been three innings — which he’s done twice — and there is no thought at the present time of giving him a start.
“He’s here as a reliever right now,” Melvin said. “We’re good with where our starters are and Daulton Jefferies would be the next in line for that.”
Puk’s most likely entry point would be after a starter falters early and the A’s need some middle-inning work with Andrew Chafin and Jake Diekman both available as left-handed options late in games.
“Sometimes you just have to see how it works out,” Melvin said. “But we have two lefties before him with more prominent roles late in games and whether he gives us length, or pitches well and pitches himself into a different spot.”
At 6-foot-7, 248 pounds, Puk, 26, still ranks as the A’s No. 2 prospect according to MLB.com.
The No. 6 overall selection out of Florida by the A’s in the 2016 draft, Puk had Tommy John surgery in 2018 and had his season shut down by a shoulder injury in 2020. Along with Jesus Luzardo, Puk was considered one of the A’s top prospects. Luzardo was traded to the Miami Marlins in the deal that brought outfielder Starling Marte to the A’s.
Wendelken, 28, was 2-1 with a 4.32 ERA in 26 relief appearances. He is out of options and if he clears waivers, Wendelken could return to the A’s organization. Melvin sounded as if he doesn’t expect that to happen.
“We had to open a spot, so sometimes you have difficult moves to make,” Melvin said. “We love J.B. here. Wish him the best. My guess is he’ll be picked up pretty quickly.” KAPRELIAN OK » Right-hander James Kaprelian, who threw six innings in a win over Texas on Sunday after coming off the injured list with a right shoulder strain, should be good to go for his next start.
“Felt great. I was a little worried about it, but communicated with him the entire game,” Melvin said. “Communicated with him the entire time, didn’t feel it. Next day, same thing. So all good with him.”