Game #45: Fowl(er) Ball Powers A’s to Victory

Relive all the game thread fun here!

I don’t want to make any pithy comments about addition by subtraction, but let’s just say that Brett Anderson left the game after the first inning, so please note the one run allowed accordingly. Warming up before the second inning, Anderson pointed to his shoulder and off he went, leaving the A’s thin bullpen to clean up eight innings without him.

Josh Lucas was the real pitching hero of the game; he was called up today and did nothing except hurl just one out shy of 4 innings of two hit, one run ball, allowing just the one run in the fifth, while striking out seven. He’ll be sent down if the A’s need the arms, but he should be back.

Meanwhile, Dustin Fowler provided nearly all of the offense for the A’s with a third inning home run and a seventh inning double to break the 1-1 tie. The A’s third run was doubled in by Josh Phegley, a boon for those of you on the Phegley-for-catcher train.

Despite Anderson only pitching the single inning, he was bailed out there, too. He allowed a lead-off single to Curtis Granderson, who moved to second and tried to score on a two-out single, but Matt Joyce uncorked a perfect throw and threw him out at home.

Fowler’s solo home run in the third gave the A’s the 1-0 lead, and the Blue Jays tied the game on a single in the fifth.

The A’s rolled together a two-out rally in the seventh to win the game, as back-to-back-to-back doubles by Pinder, Fowler and Phegley scored two runs.

Matt Chapman left his day off to come in for defense in the eighth inning, as Petit was bailed out of a 2-out rally by the Blue Jays after a walk and a single; Melvin brought Treinen in to end the inning and finish the game for his ninth save. With the win, the A’s move above .500. This is exciting.

baseballgirl’s Friday night game streak stands at four; that’s a month of winning Fridays! I have no idea who is going to be in the starting rotation for the A’s, but I know Sean Manaea is starting the morning special tomorrow at 10:07AM. The A’s will go for the series win behind him.