Triston McKenzie struck out seven over 6 1/3 scoreless innings and Franmil Reyes drove in two runs as the visiting Cleveland Guardians completed a three-game sweep of the Oakland Athletics with a 7-3 win on Sunday.
McKenzie (1-2) allowed four hits and walked one for Cleveland, which has won three straight following a seven-game losing streak. McKenzie threw a season-high 96 pitches.
Oakland starter James Kaprielian (0-1) struggled in his season debut, yielding four runs on three hits over two-plus innings. He walked four and struck out two.
The Athletics trailed 7-0 before scoring three runs in the ninth against Anthony Gose. Oakland has lost six of its past eight games.
Cleveland concluded a 3-7 road trip by jumping to a 6-0 lead after four innings. Luke Maile began the scoring with a one-out RBI double off Kaprielian in the second.
Kaprielian, just off the injured list after recovering from a shoulder injury, loaded the bases in the third by walking the first three batters on 13 pitches.
Jake Lemoine replaced Kaprielian and allowed a two-run single to Reyes and Andres Gimenez’s run-scoring double.
Reyes, who snapped a 0-for-26 skid with his single to right field, later capped the rally by scoring from third on a wild pitch.
The Guardians extended their lead when Steven Kwan scored on Owen Miller’s sixth-inning sacrifice fly.
Gimenez had two hits for Cleveland, which recorded its first series sweep of the Athletics in Oakland since April 10-12, 2000.
Bryan Shaw replaced McKenzie with two runners on and one out in the seventh, and he retired Kevin Smith and Elvis Andrus to end the inning.
Oakland was outscored 10-4 in the final two games of the series while going a combined 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position.
Chad Pinder had two hits and a ninth-inning sacrifice fly on Sunday for the Athletics, who also got ninth-inning runs on RBI doubles from Christian Bethancourt and Smith.
–Field Level Media
After using just two starting pitchers over their first three games, the Los Angeles Dodgers will get a new face into the mix when hard-throwing right-hander Bobby Miller makes his…
Tyler O’Neill is unlikely to forget his debut in a Boston Red Sox uniform. O’Neill broke a major league record by homering for a fifth consecutive Opening Day as the…
Left-hander Kyle Harrison gets an opportunity to avenge his only career defeat when he and the San Francisco Giants oppose the host San Diego Padres on Friday night. After staff…
Tyler O’Neill, Red Sox look to build on opening win vs. M’s
Giants attempt to bounce back against Padres
Guardians hope catching depth pays off again vs. A’s
D-backs seek encore after explosive opener vs. Rockies