Field Level Media
May 16, 2019
Jurickson Profar's grand slam highlighted a six-run third inning, Josh Phegley had four hits and drove in four runs and the visiting Oakland Athletics clobbered the slumping Detroit Tigers 17-3 on Thursday.
Phegley ripped two singles, a double and a homer as the A's snapped a three-game losing streak. Marcus Semien hit a three-run homer and Matt Olson and Mark Canha also went deep for Oakland, which banged out 16 hits. Robbie Grossman added two hits, two runs and two RBIs.
Oakland starter Chris Bassitt (2-1) tossed eight scoreless innings, allowing four hits while striking out seven.
Dawel Lugo, called up from Triple-A Toledo prior to the game, spoiled Oakland's shutout bid with a three-run, ninth-inning homer off Aaron Brooks.
Starter Spencer Turnbull (2-3) allowed six runs in four innings, but only one run was earned. Position player Brandon Dixon pitched the ninth inning.
The Tigers. who have lost four straight, squandered a scoring opportunity in the second. Ronny Rodriguez hit a one-out triple, but was thrown out at the plate on Josh Harrison's tapper to third baseman Matt Chapman.
Detroit's fielding woes aided the A's during their big inning. Grossman led off the third with a triple and scored on Phegley's single.
The Tigers had a chance to turn a double play on Semien's grounder but had to settle for one out, as Rodriguez couldn't get the ball out of his glove in time to nab Semien at first. After Chapman walked, first baseman Niko Goodrum then pulled Rodriguez off the bag on Olson's bouncer and all runners were safe.
Khris Davis struck out but Semien scored on Turnbull's wild pitch. Stephen Piscotty walked to reload the bases. Profar then hammered a curveball over the right-field wall for his first career grand slam.
With Blaine Hardy on the mound, the A's extended their lead to 9-0 in the sixth. Grossman drew a leadoff walk and Phegley blasted a homer to left. Hardy retired the next two batters before Olson clubbed his third homer over the left field wall.
Phegley's RBI double and Semien's three-run homer off Reed Garrett in the seventh made it 13-0.
--Field Level Media