CLEVELAND – The Oakland A's did not decelerate the Cleveland Guardians' offense late last month when the 2 teams met for a season-opening four-game series on the Coliseum.
That proved to be the case again on Friday, because the A's allowed five runs in the underside of the fifth inning and never recovered in a 10-2 loss to the Guardians, opening a 10-game road trip.
Starter Joe Boyle allowed a two-run home run to Tyler Freeman within the second inning and Steven Kwan and Andrés Giménez each scored two runs within the fifth inning, helping the A's fall to 1-4 in games against the Guardians this season. In those games, Oakland was outscored 39-13.
Cleveland starter Triston McKenzie (2-2) slowed the A's by allowing one run in five innings and striking out a season-high six. The right-hander had just five strikeouts in his first three starts after missing much of last season with an elbow injury.
Josh Naylor added a solo home run and Estevan Florial had a career-best three hits for the Guardians, who’ve won five of their last six and have the perfect record within the AL Central at 14-6. It's Cleveland's best start since 1999.
A's third baseman Abraham Toro hit his first profession leadoff home run and Brent Rooker added a house run off Scott Barlow within the ninth. Oakland is 7-5 after starting the 12 months with seven losses in eight games.
Boyle (1-3) made his fourth start and allowed seven runs in six innings. The Cleveland resident walked 4 hits and conceded five hits.
In the fifth, Boyle issued two walks because the Guardians loaded the bases. Kwan doubled and scored twice before Giménez scored two more together with his single.
“Other than the fifth, I thought I was pretty solid and efficient,” Boyle said. “Without these walks in the fifth part it would be a completely different trip.”
Freeman's wind-assisted home run hit the foul pole in right and scored Will Brennan, giving Cleveland a 2-1 lead within the second. Josh Naylor blocked a solo shot from Kyle Muller within the eighth.
The Guardians opened the sport with five runs within the fifth, highlighted by Kwan's two-run double. Giménez followed with a two-run single and got here home on successful by José Ramírez.
“There was some weak contact, but again, it's the walks and the free bases that really killed Joe tonight and caused us to fall behind in the fifth inning,” A's manager Mark Kotsay said. “I sent him out again for the sixth time. It's a part of that development that I still wish to get him back on the market and see how he recovers from that tough innings.
“He recovered in the sixth game but that’s part of that maturation process. When you get a few guys on base, you just try to slow the game down and he’s still growing.”
Oakland began a 10-game trip that included series with the Yankees and Orioles. The A's have one other stretch of 10 straight road games from May 10-19.
TRAINING ROOM
Athletics: OF Brent Rooker (thoracic cartilage) got here off the injured list after missing nine games and appeared as a pinch-hitter within the sixth. Manager Mark Kotsay said he would start on Saturday.
Guardian: RHP Gavin Williams (right elbow inflammation), who has been on the IL since March 25, is scheduled to throw three innings in a simulated game Saturday in Goodyear, Arizona.
NEXT
A's LHP Alex Wood (0-1, 8.10 ERA) has the third-highest ERA within the majors amongst pitchers with not less than 15 innings pitched. He also allows the third-highest OPS at 1.042. He faces Guardians LHP Logan Allen (2-0, 5.06 ERA), who beat Oakland and Seattle in his first two starts but gave up nine runs over 9 2/3 innings in his last two games.
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