By Michael Wagaman
OAKLAND – Osvaldo Bido struck out six players in five innings and won his third straight start, leading the Oakland Athletics to a 3-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday.
Lawrence Butler, Miguel Andujar and Darell Hernaiz each scored two goals to assist Oakland win the four-game series.
Bido (5-3) has been one in all the A's best pitchers over the past two months and was at his best again against the Rays, allowing one run and two hits to match the longest winning streak by an A's starting pitcher this season. JP Sears and Mitch Spence have also won three starts in a row.
“He's on a good streak and seems to be getting more and more confident,” A's manager Mark Kotsay said, noting that Bido has been working on mechanical changes to his pitch. “I take my hat off to Bido for making those adjustments and being able to repeat them. I think that's the reason for our success.”
After walking two of the primary three batters he faced, Bido struck out nine in a row to increase his scoreless streak to 18 innings before José Caballero's RBI double within the fourth inning.
“I've just been working hard and making my adjustments,” Bido said through an interpreter. “I'm just trying to keep going. I've had good results and we're just keeping working.”
Five A's relief pitchers combined for 4 scoreless innings. Mason Miller earned his twentieth save within the ninth inning, the third-most by a rookie in franchise history.
Christopher Morel hit two singles and Kameron Misner had his first profession major league hit for the Rays.
The A's scored twice within the second inning against Rays starter Jeffrey Springs. After Butler and Tyler Nevin opened the inning with back-to-back singles, Zack Gelof brought Butler home with a sacrifice fly before Hernaiz hit an RBI double to left.
Butler's RBI single within the third inning brought home Daz Cameron and gave the A's a 3-0 lead.
Springs (1-2) allowed three runs and 7 hits in 3 1/3 innings, his shortest start of the season. The left-hander, who underwent Tommy John surgery in April 2023, hasn't won a road game since Sept. 13, 2022.
Next
LHP JP Sears (10-8, 4.15) faces the Milwaukee Brewers within the opener of a three-game home series on Friday. Sears has pitched at the very least seven innings in each of his last 4 starts, the franchise's longest streak since 2015.
Originally published:
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