CLEVELAND (AP) - Josh Reddick knows how to break out of a slump.
Mired in an 8-for-43 skid over his last 13 games going into Friday night, Reddick homered twice, including a grand slam, and drove in a career-high six runs in the Oakland Athletics’ 11-1 win over the Cleveland Indians.
“I was getting some pitches to handle and not missing them,” Reddick said. “That’s how you keep a hot streak going, you don’t miss pitches.”
Oakland manager Bob Melvin sure was pleased to see Reddick pounding out hits.
“It’s nice to see him drive some balls,” Melvin said. “The first one obviously puts four runs on the board and opens it up in a hurry. The second one was one of the more aggressive swings I’ve seen him have in a while.”
Reddick’s second career grand slam and Josh Donaldson’s three-run homer sparked an eight-run second inning. Reddick added a two-run homer in the seventh.
Sonny Gray (5-1) allowed one run and two hits with nine strikeouts in six innings for Oakland, which has won seven of eight.
Both homers in Oakland’s biggest inning of the season came off Zach McAllister (3-4), who struck out the side in the first, but retired only one batter in the second for the shortest outing of his career.
The game-time temperature was announced at 49 degrees, a big difference for the Athletics, who had been playing in warm weather during a nine-game home stand.
“Early on it felt like one of those cold nights that it was going to be tough to get some good swings,” Melvin said. “Certainly in the second inning we got a lot of good swings.”
Nick Swisher’s solo homer in the first put Cleveland ahead, but Oakland sent 11 men to the plate in the second, with the first five reaching base. Brandon Moss doubled and took third on Yoenis Cespedes’ single. Lowrie’s single got the Athletics even and Derek Norris walked. Reddick followed by hitting a 1-0 pitch into the seats in right.
Coco Crisp and John Jaso drew one-out walks before Donaldson drove a 3-2 pitch into the home run porch in left field. The ball hit off a souvenir stand located in front of an entrance gate and traveled an estimated 410 feet.
“That’s probably one of the best swings I’ve had this year,” Donaldson said.
Indians manager Terry Francona pulled McAllister for left-hander Kyle Crockett, making his major league debut. Gray played catch with Jaso in front of Oakland’s dugout to keep loose during the pitching change.
“You try to stay in the game,” Gray said. “You do what you can to try to stay loose, especially when it’s a cold night.”
Gray was in control other than allowing Swisher’s homer. Michael Brantley singled with two outs in the third. The right-hander retired the final eight hitters, including five strikeouts.
“I felt good, especially later in the game,” Gray said. “I felt like I was getting better and better.”
Lowrie drove in two runs, including a leadoff homer in the third, while Donaldson has homered in three straight games.
McAllister allowed eight runs in 1 1-3 innings and threw 38 pitches in the second, in which he gave up two homers, two singles, a double and three walks. The right-hander hasn’t won since April 21, a stretch of five starts.
“Everything went so well for me in the first,” he said. “Then in the second, I fell behind in counts, and they were able to get some balls in play and hit them hard. I wasn’t able to make any adjustments.”
Crisp was back in the lineup after missing seven games with a strained neck. Oakland’s leadoff hitter was hitless with two walks in two at-bats.
Brantley returned after sitting out Thursday’s game with a sore back. He had one hit in four at-bats.
The Indians are in last place in the AL Central, having lost four of six after winning a season-high four straight.
NOTES: Reddick’s grand slam was the first by the Athletics and the first allowed by the Indians this season. … Francona said OF Nyjer Morgan has a sprained ligament in his right knee, but will not need surgery. Morgan was injured trying to catch a fly ball Wednesday in Toronto. … Athletics 1B Kyle Blanks, acquired Thursday from the Padres, pinch hit in the ninth and singled. … Francona said 2B Jason Kipnis (strained right oblique) could begin a minor league rehab assignment next week. … Oakland LHP Scott Kazmir (5-1) faces RHP Josh Tomlin (2-0) on Saturday. Kazmir was 10-9 in 29 starts for the Indians last season.
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