A’s drop 8th straight with 6-1 loss to Guardians

JP Sears turned in another solid performance on the mound, but the Oakland Athletics came up short again in a 6-1 loss to the Cleveland Guardians.

Sears came in pitching well and settled in quickly in this one retiring the first nine batters he faced while striking out the side in the third.

The A’s threatened against Logan Allen in the third. Ryan Noda worked a leadoff walk. Carlos Perez lined out for the first out, before Brent Rooker walked to put runners at first and second. Jace Peterson grounded into a force play that left runners at the corners with two outs. Allen then walked Jonah Bride to load the bases, but Shea Langeliers went down looking to end the inning.

Sears ran his streak to 11-straight hitters in the fourth before Jose Ramirez singled. Perez gunned down Ramirez trying to steal to end the inning.

Oakland scratched across a run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Aledmys Diaz that scored Tony Kemp to make it 1-0.

The Guardians answered right back as Josh Bell homered with one out to tie the game. Andres Gimenez followed with a single and then stole second. Myles Straw brought him home with a triple to left to put Cleveland in front 2-1.

Sears walked Steven Kwan to start the sixth, but then got Rosario to fly out. He then struck out Ramirez while Perez threw down in time to nab Kwan for a double play. Sears stayed in and retired the side in order in the seventh. He would exit having put together another solid performance allowing four hits and two runs over seven innings. He struck out eight and walked just one.

Yacksel Rios made his Oakland debut in the eighth and struggled. Gabriel Arias walked to start the inning and then moved all the way to third on a single by Straw. Rios then walked Cam Gallagher with Arias scoring on a wild pitch to make it 3-1. Kwan loaded the bases with a single and Rios then walked Amed Rosario to force in a run to make it 4-1. A walk to Ramirez forced in another run to extend the lead to 5-1. Rios struck out Josh Naylor and then got Bell to fly out for the second out. Another wild pitch would plate an additional run before Gimenez popped out to bring the inning to a merciful end.

Cleveland’s bullpen retired eight-straight A’s hitters to end the game.

The A’s have now lost eight-straight following their seven-game winning streak and are 19-58 on the season. They will now make the trip up to Toronto where they will begin a three-game series against the Blue Jays Friday.