Athletics’ Ross Stripling joins the party in sweep of Pirates
OAKLAND — Ross Stripling is so focused on each pitch that he doesn’t spend much time assessing his own success or failure based on his won-loss record.
It was different on Wednesday when Stripling threw six shutout innings in the Athletics’ 4-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at the Coliseum for his first win since Oct. 1, 2022, while a member of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Stripling (1-5) had an 0-5 record in 22 games with the Giants last season.
“First win I’ve seen since late 2022, and it feels that way,” Stripling said after the A’s completed their first sweep of the season and improved to 15-17. “It’s not really something I track. I don’t know my career record and I couldn’t give you a ballpark guess, but you are certainly aware when you’ve gone almost two seasons without a win.”
It was the A’s fourth straight win, and they locked down the Pirates (14-18) with 11 hits and three runs in the three games. For the series, Pittsburgh batters hit .124 (11-for-89) with 20 runners left on base and were 0-for-14 with runners in scoring position against A’s pitching.
Stripling threw 79 pitches, 58 of which were strikes. He walked none and struck out two, inducing a succession of grounders and lazy fly balls.
“He was throwing it where my glove was,” catcher Kyle McCann said. “It was like sitting in a lawn chair. He was on today, and when he’s on, he’s going to do exactly what he did today.”
The Athletics had solo home runs against starter Quinn Priester (0-2) from Abraham Toro in the second inning, his third, and Tyler Nevin in the third, his fourth.
Manager Mark Kotsay called upon five relievers to cover the final three innings — T.J. McFarland, Austin Adams, Dany Jimenez, Michael Kelly, and closer Mason Miller.
Miller pitched a scoreless ninth with one strikeout in a non-save situation, as McCann’s run-scoring single in the eighth gave the A’s a four-run lead.
Although Adams and Jimenez got into trouble with each walking two men, it was three more scoreless innings for a bullpen that hasn’t given up a run in 27 1/3 innings.
With a paid crowd of 4,679 despite bright sunshine and 71 degrees at first pitch, the A’s drew 12,083 for the three-game series.
The Toro'd Pitchers Department pic.twitter.com/pBxSr7amFY
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) May 1, 2024
McCann’s single in the eighth brought in pinch-runner Esteury Ruiz, who had stolen second after running for Toro, who walked to lead off the inning.
The A’s scored a gift run in the third courtesy of a two-out infield single by Nevin, walks to JJ Bleday and Shea Langeliers to load the bases, and a grounder to short by Toro that Oneil Cruz threw away for an error, bringing in Nevin.
Toro got the A’s on the board in the second inning with a one-out solo home run that carried 406 feet and left the bat at 106.3 miles per hour. In the third, Nevin connected on a two-out solo shot to left on a 1-2 pitch, which departed at 102.2 and carried 384 feet.
Toro’s blast hit the top of the fence before rebounding off a wall and back off the field. The infielder, in the offseason, has provided a spark in the absence of Zack Gelof with an oblique strain.
The A’s made three errors — two throwing errors by Nevin at third and one by Stripling. Both of Nevin’s errors came with two out, with Stripling getting the next hitter.
But the Athletics also made some sparkling defensive plays, the first coming when shortstop Darrell Hernaiz cut down Cruz at the plate with the infield in. Cruz was originally called safe, but the call was reversed on appeal.
Hernaiz had another solid play later in the game, as did Nick Allen, a late-game defensive replacement who ranged up the middle to take away a potential Pittsburgh hit.
The A’s have an off-day Thursday before facing Miami in a three-game series at the Coliseum.
NOTABLE
— First baseman Ryan Noda was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas after the game. Noda went 0-for-3 on Wednesday to extend his hitless streak to 0-for-28, dropping his batting average to .128. Noda exchanged hugs and well-wishes with teammates in the clubhouse following the game.
— The A’s sweep of the Pirates was the first since June 25-27 in 2010.