Game #44: Fifth sweep for Oakland, A's beat Indians 13-3

The A's complete the sweep by pummeling the Cleveland Indians 13-3 today, reversing their fortunes from last season, when they were swept over four game at Progressive Field. The Athletics outscored the Indians 30-6 over the series despite needing their bullpen for 14⅔ innings. Cleveland failed to put up a crooked number against the Athletics, and for each of the six frames the Indians scored, the Athletics scored in the next frame.

Walka Walka Walka Walka Walka Walka Walka Walka Walka Walka Walka Walka Walka Walka Walka

Both sides walked oodles of batters today. Jesse Chavez had three walks and went a season low five innings for the Athletics. He also pitched in ten three-ball counts in his brief outing. Chavez managed to escape his outing without much damage, however, giving up just two solo home runs, and doing just enough to qualify for the win.

The Indians combined to walk nine batters today, and the A's drove seven of those walks in. Josh Donaldson scored four times; he went 1-for-2 with three walks. Brandon Moss had one of the better offensive performance, with two doubles, a triple, and two walks, scoring four times and driving in three runs. Moss was not put out in any of his five turns on the base paths.

Double trouble

• Yoenis Cespedes drove in five runs on the power of two two-run doubles and a two-base error that should have been an RBI groundout.
• John Jaso with 2 RBIs on a double and a ground-out.
• Josh Reddick had 2 RBIs on a single and a double. He also walked but was stranded.
• Eric Sogard broke his 0-for-18 duck with a single in the fifth. He would score on Donaldson's single in the fifth.

What a relief!

• Well, first Jim Johnson pitched a terribly ineffective performance. He managed two outs in the sixth, entering the game with a 9-2 lead, but hit Lonnie Chisenhall, walked Michael Bourn on four pitches, walked Alex Aviles, and walked Michael Brantley to score a run. Can't blame this on BABIP when a run can score without being put in play.
• Fernando Abad struck out Ryan Raburn to escape the sixth before the Indians could get back into the game, and got three more outs to hand the game off to Joe Savery.
• Joe Savery picked up the last two innings, excellent work ahead of his demotion to Sacramento.

Injury bug

• Jed Lowrie left the game in the second inning with what the Athletics describe as a neck strain. He is described as day-to-day.
• Eric Sogard took a foul ball off his leg in the seventh. He remained in the game until the bottom of the eighth, when Kyle Blanks came in and Alberto Callaspo moved to second. No word on if it's anything more than a big owie.

And now my final thought

The A's have won nine out of their last ten and are twelve games over .500. Last season, the A's did not get to twelve over .500 until June 6.

Tomorrow is an off day for the Athletics. They start a three-game set against the Rays Tuesday, with Drew Pomeranz scheduled to start against Jake Odorizzi at 4:10 pm Pacific Time. The Rays are near the basement of the American League, ahead of only the Houston Astros.