"Our bullpen has been good all year. They're being taxed at this point."
In an ideal world for the A’s, Frankie Montas gets the third out in the seventh inning.
Not only would that have secured Montas’ third straight seven-inning start at a time when Oakland’s rotation is collectively struggling to notch quality innings, but it could have prevented a sequence that required manager Bob Melvin to use his over-taxed, high-leverage bullpen arms in a game that could have been a laugher.
The Oakland A’s 8-6 win over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday afternoon at Comerica Park began with the A’s taking an eight-run lead after four innings and ended with Sergio Romo closing out Detroit’s valiant attempt to come back. Still, it’s a series win fresh off a six-game losing streak hoping to gain momentum heading into Toronto to play a tough Blue Jays team.
“Baseball happens. We have short term memory,” Tony Kemp said. “We don’t worry about those series losses. We keep moving forward.”
Montas continued his hot streak, holding the Tigers to one rune earned on Harold Castro’s home run through six innings. He distributed his fastball, slider and splitter evenly to keep the Tigers off balance, incurred a healthy 16 whiffs total. He also got some help from Elvis Andrus, who chopped down Victor Reyes at home trying to score on an infield drive in the third inning. Through 6 2/3 innings, Montas struck out seven batters.
But the last out proved elusive. He got two outs after walking Niko Goodrum to start the seventh inning, Montas’ third walk issued, and gave up a two-run home run after falling behind 3-1 to Akil Baddoo on his 103rd pitch. Deolis Guerra took over in hopes of getting that last out and perhaps a few more with a still-healthy lead, but let all four batters he faced on base, including a Jeimer Candelario three-run home run.
A win in jeopardy and the lead down to two runs, Melvin tapped Andrew Chafin for the final out and another scoreless eighth inning — Chafin’s fifth appearance in eight games. Romo closed a game that, at one point, didn’t look to be destined for a save situation.
“Our bullpen has been good all year. They’re being taxed at this point,” Melvin said. “We have less guys available from day-to-day and a good guy who has been available for us gave up some runs. We didn’t want to have to use Chafin and Romo, but when they came in they nailed the game down. So I’d rather look at it that way.”
State of the rotation
Though the bullpen was able to close the door, it’s slightly concerning that Chafin and Romo had to be used in a game were Montas delivered a quality start.
The Oakland A’s rotation has been the team’s strong suit this year. But with Chris Bassitt’s injury and the rest of the rotation struggling to get out of the fifth inning of late, Montas’ recent success and strong start on Thursday could have given a taxed bullpen a breather. Especially heading into a key series in Toronto against one of the strongest offenses in baseball.
With a crucial month left to crawl back into a postseason spot, the taxed pitching staff may start to catch up to them. The rotation has pitched a league-leading 755 2/3 innings with five pitchers starting at least 15 games — that ultimately trickles down the bullpen workload. And with Lou Trivino suffering back spasms this week and not pitching since last home stand, the high-leverage options are thin.
How did the A’s score?
Roles have reversed in the A’s dugout with the offense gaining steam against the Tigers and the pitching staff starting to show vulnerability. They scored eight runs quickly off Detroit starter Matt Manning. Jed Lowrie’s three-run home run in the first inning and Mark Canha’s second opposite field home run of the series to give the A’s a quick 4-0 lead.
A trio of RBI doubles from Starling Marte, Yan Gomes and pinch hitter Khris Davis — in his first at-bat back with the A’s since his call-up on Wednesday — extended the A’s lead to 8-0 by the sixth inning. Davis went 2-for-3 as a pinch hitter, in for Lowrie as he deals with some wrist discomfort.
