A’s win 5-0 behind complete game shutout from Joey Estes

An absolute gem from Estes mixed with some scattered offense does the trick as the A’s claim a series victory

On a day where fans will get to enjoy some postgame fireworks to celebrate the incoming July 4th festivities, it was Joey Estes providing the spark for the A’s tonight.

Estes threw the first ever complete game of his career while allowing just five hits and no runs. It’ll go down as the best start for an A’s pitcher all season and in a significant while for that matter. It’s the first start of 7+ innings for the A’s since July 4 of last year, the first start of 8+ since Adam Oller back in August 2022 and the first complete game shutout since Sean Manaea back in June 2021.

On the offensive front, a pair of solo home runs and some more clutch offense fueled the A’s to a 5-0 victory. They’ve now taken the series over the Los Angeles Angels and they’ve claimed back-to-back wins for the first time in exactly two weeks.

Estes counterpart, Davis Daniel, went eight scoreless innings in his first and only start of the season last week, but the A’s tagged him early tonight.

With one out in the second, back-to-back singles from Zack Gelof and Lawrence Butler set up runners on the corners and Brett Harris tapped a Taylor-made double play ball back to Daniel. Daniel winged the ball a little low to second and off the glove off Brandon Drury as a result. The A’s were on the board, but Daniel gets credited with an error on a very catchable ball.

Later in the inning now with two down and runners still at the corners, Harris stole second and got caught in a rundown allowing Butler to score from third to grow the lead to 2-0.

From early on, it was evident that Estes was on his game. He faced the minimum through four innings striking out three in the process and also he benefitted from some sick A’s defense behind him. A pair of double plays got him out of some early jams while web gems from Harris and Butler certainly helped also. Estes prompted three double plays total tonight.

Estes didn’t allow his first hit until the fourth and he wouldn’t allow a runner to reach second until the fifth. He was in total control of his entire repertoire all night, he was efficient with his pitches, and in the end, he dominated from start to finish.

Daniel was good in his own regard as well, but the A’s and Max Schuemann tagged him for a third run in the fifth with a high-arching solo bomb to left.

Then in the sixth, it was Brent Rookers turn. Another solo shot made it 4-0.

Harris added a fifth run later in the inning with a line-drive single in the 5-6 hole for his second RBI of night. The same A’s offense that combined for eight runs being swept by the Angels last week in Anaheim have turned the tables these last two games. They’re scored 12 total in that frame.

The way Estes was working tonight, however, he would’ve only needed a run of support. Since he was so economical and efficient in his work, Estes went the distance and he never let his foot of the gas pedal. Here’s his final line below:

Estes induced weak contact all night and never allowed an extra base hit. He worked the minimum in 7/9 innings while throwing a whopping total of 92 pitches. Throwing against the same team in back-to-back starts is never easy, but Estes made it look that way tonight. Combined in his last two starts over the Halos, Estes has gone 14.2 innings allowing two runs, eight hits, three walks and striking out 12.

The A’s are now 2-0 in July, and they’ll go for the series sweep tomorrow on Independence Day. JP Sears gets the rock against Roansy Contreras of the Angels with a 1:07 PM PDT first-pitch.