Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Tommy Milone delivers to Colorado Rockies batter Brandon Inge in the first inning of a baseball game in Denver, Wednesday, June 13, 2012. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
DENVER -- Two innings into Wednesday night's game, the A's were staring at a four-run deficit and the loss of their cleanup hitter to another hamstring injury.
Their response?
Another come-from-behind victory at Coors Field, this one a 10-8 decision in which they scored three runs in the top of the ninth to erase an 8-7 deficit.
That helped ease the sting of losing left fielder Yoenis Cespedes in the second inning when he aggravated a strained left hamstring that sidelined him for the previous four games.
Coco Crisp, who didn't start the game, got things rolling for the A's in the ninth with a leadoff single. After Jemile Weeks' sacrifice bunt, Crisp got a huge jump on Rockies closer Rafael Betancourt (1-2) and stole third base.
He scored on Collin Cowgill's game-tying sacrifice fly to shallow right, executing a perfect slide to avoid the tag of Rockies catcher Wilin Rosario. After Seth Smith's double and an intentional walk to pinch-hitter Josh Reddick, Brandon Inge delivered a sharp two-run double that third baseman Jordan Pacheco couldn't backhand.
The A's overcame an early 6-2 deficit, after A's starter Tommy Milone gave up five runs in the first inning.
But Cespedes' injury has to be a concern. In his only at-bat in the first inning, he hit a ground ball up the middle for a 4-3 putout. It was a close play at first, and Cespedes trotted slowly back to the dugout. He appeared to be moving gingerly in left field afterward
and was replaced by Jonny Gomes in the bottom of the second.Cespedes was cleared by the training staff to return after he did well in running tests Tuesday. But he admitted before the game that he didn't feel 100 percent.
"I want to try to control my speed," Cespedes said through interpreter Ariel Prieto. "I'm going to try to run, and if I can go 100 percent, I'll do that. If I have to go 80 to 90 percent, that's the speed I'm going to do."
A's manager Bob Melvin was asked before the game if it was a risk bringing Cespedes back before he was full strength.
"There's risk at anything," Melvin said. "But our training staff felt he ran well enough yesterday (to where) we can put him in a corner spot and limit his movement a little. Hopefully he can take it a little easy on the bases.
"We've been careful with him, and I don't think this day is pushing it."
Milone's struggles on the road continued, as he's 2-5 with a 7.42 ERA in eight starts away from the Oakland Coliseum. He allowed a first-inning grand slam to Todd Helton and two homers to Michael Cuddyer in just four innings.
But the A's fought back, as they did to erase a 4-0 deficit in Tuesday's victory.
Smith -- now 15 for 29 over his past eight games -- crushed a two-run homer to right-center in the first. Brandon Moss homered for the third time in the series, and Gomes homered after replacing Cespedes.
- It appears Brandon McCarthy's shoulder injury is not as serious as the A's feared, but the right-hander may still be bound for the 15-day disabled list.
"He had an MRI and there weren't any changes in there," Melvin said, indicating there is no structural damage. "Whether or not he's able to pitch Saturday, that's probably in doubt. But I'm not going to rule it out."
Melvin said the A's would decide Thursday if McCarthy can start Saturday at home against San Diego or whether a D.L. stint is needed. If he can't pitch, Triple-A starters Graham Godfrey and Tyson Ross are the candidates to take his place.
- Melvin was chosen by Texas manager Ron Washington as one of his All-Star coaches for the American League squad.
"Ron called and asked me, and it didn't take long to accept that," Melvin said. "The All-Star Game is a feather in anybody's cap."
The A's haven't landed a position player on the All-Star team since catcher Ramon Hernandez in 2003. Given that, Melvin said he could "potentially" push for a position player of his to make the team.
Right fielder Reddick would be the clear choice as of now, with rookie reliever Ryan Cook (who got his second save Wednesday) a strong candidate among pitchers.
- A's catcher Kurt Suzuki and his wife, Renee, have established the Kurt Suzuki Family Foundation, which raises funds for kidney disease research.
Friday's homestand opener against the Padres is Kidney Disease Awareness Day at the Coliseum. Five dollars from every field level ticket purchased online at oaklandathletics.com/Suzuki will go to the foundation, and players' wives and girlfriends will host a silent auction during the game to raise funds.
Suzuki's father, Warren, is a four-year kidney cancer survivor. Renee's sister, Patricia, has focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a genetic abnormality in the kidneys.
"We always wanted to start a foundation and do something that was close to us," Suzuki said.
- The A's are on the verge of signing top draft pick Addison Russell, a shortstop from Pace High School (Fla.). Russell's high school coach, Charlie Warner, confirmed Russell is flying to Oakland on Thursday and will be a guest of the A's at the Coliseum on Friday.
The A's signed four draft picks Wednesday -- center fielder Herschel Powell (20th round), right-hander Lee Sosa (26th round), shortstop Christopher Wolfe (30th round) and first baseman John Wooten (37th round).
- A's broadcasters Glen Kuiper and Ray Fosse won a Northern California Emmy in the "On Camera Talent, Sports" category.
No comments:
Post a Comment