Javier Báez had a two-run single in the first inning, All-Star Michael Lorenzen combined with three relievers on a four-hitter and the Detroit Tigers routed to the Oakland Athletics 9-0 Thursday.
Jake Marisnick homered and drove in two runs for the Tigers, who pitched their fifth shutout of the season.
“This was a good bounce-back from the boys,” Marisnick said. “I think we did a good job of sticking to an approach, which let us grind out some at-bats,”
Oakland has been blanked 10 times and was held to four hits or fewer for the 16th time.
Lorenzen (3-6) allowed three hits in five innings, struck out four and walked none, throwing only 60 pitches.
“This felt good,” he said. “I’ve been working a lot of pitching with two strikes - trying not to throw the ball down the middle - and that was good today.”
PHOTOS: Báez's 2-run single in 1st starts Tigers to 9-0 rout of A's. 10th time Oakland shut out
Tyler Holton, Brendan White and Chasen Shreve followed.
“We felt pretty good with a 7-0 lead, and we wanted to send Michael off to Seattle on a good note,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “We had a rested bullpen for what seems like the first time all year, and their lineup worked well for us to get him out of the game.”
Hinch also rested Báez for the last two innings on an afternoon with a gametime temperature of 83.
“He got on base four times, including a walk, so that was his reward,” Hinch said. “It was hot out there - that’s as bad as it has been all season.”
Oakland had won four of five, outscoring the Tigers 13-3 in the first two games of the series. The A’s are 31-6 (.838) against Detriot since the start of the 2017 season, including 19-3 at Comerica Park. At 25-64 overall this year, Oakland is on pace to finish 46-116, the most losses since the 2003 Tigers went 43-119.
Rookie Hogan Harris (2-3) allowed a career-high seven runs, eight hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings.
“He pounded the strike zone and they hit him,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “They had a really good approach and he just couldn’t get the strikeouts or the ground balls that he needed.”
Detroit boosted its lead to 4-0 in the third on Kerry Carpenter’s RBI single and Jonathan Schoop’s sacrifice fly.
Zack Short and Marisnek opened the fourth with back-to-back doubles, and Matt Vierling’s RBI single opened a six-run lead.
Marisnek homered in the sixth off Rico Garcia, Marisnick’s second home run this season.
MOVES
Tigers left-hander Anthony Misiewicz was claimed off waivers by the New York Yankees and assigned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The Tigers optioned utilityman Tyler Nevin and left-hander Zach Logue to Triple-A Toledo after the game. They plan to activate right-hander Alex Faedo (right middle finger discomfort) and outfielder Akil Baddoo (strained right quadriceps) from the injured list before Friday’s game against Toronto.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Oakland OF Esteury Ruiz didn’t play after jamming a shoulder in the sixth inning of Wednesday’s 12-3 win and was scheduled for a MRI. … 1B Ryan Noda was out of the lineup with an illness but could have pinch hit in a closer game. .. CF Ramón Laureano (fractured hand) is out of his splint and has begun swinging a bat.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: RHP Luis Medina (2-7, 6.37) pitches Friday’s opener at Boston.
Tigers: Faedo (1-3, 5.54) is to have his first outing since May 31. RHP Alek Manoah (1-7. 6.36) starts for the Blue Jays, the 2022 All-Star’s first appearance since he was sent to the Blue Jays’ Florida Complex League on June 6 after he couldn’t get out of the first inning against the Houston Astros the previous day.
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