Game #80: Griffin's Complete Game, Two-Hit Shutout Helps A's Sweep Reds

You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve and chivalry,
Set Gryffindors apart;

Well, see, that was a pitching performance. What else can I say about A.J. Griffin? Griffin evened his record at 6-6 as he easily earned the win, throwing a complete game, 9-inning shutout, allowing just two hits and two walks along the way. He would also strike out seven in the effort. The A's offense plated four in the fourth and one in the seventh to provide more than enough offense, and once again, the A's are off and rolling, sweeping a really good team. The A's offense only collected 8 hits, but they made them all count and after the fourth inning, the game was never in doubt.

Griffin's only blemish of the game came in the first inning, where he issued two walks, but he struck out two in the inning to end the Reds' threat. He wouldn't allow his first hit until the fifth inning, and erased the baserunner on a double-play.

Meanwhile, the A's had a heck of a fourth inning, as they started out with a single from Lowrie, and a single by Cespedes after another great at-bat. Brandon Moss doubled in the A's first run and Josh Donaldson promptly hit a 3-run homerun to take all of the suspense out of the game, giving the A's the 4-0 lead. Sogard and a pinch-hitting Freiman hit back-to-back doubles to plate one more run for the A's, and we ended up with a 5-0 A's victory going into tomorrow's off-day. Coco Crisp did not make an appearance in the game, but should be back for the weekend series as the very good St. Louis Cardinals, the best team so far in the stacked NL Central, blow into town.

Enjoy the off-day! We'll see you back here Friday night as Bartolo Colon will take the mound, looking for his 11th win on the year.