A’s Shoot Past Tigers Early

The one, two punch of early hitting, and quality pitching was too much for the Tigers, Monday night. They fell to the Oakland A’s, 8-3. Tigers starter, Buck Farmer hung in there in the first two innings, only giving up a single run. However, it was the 3^rd inning when the A’s did most of their damage. Farmer hit the first batter with a pitch. A single and a sac fly would follow; and then a home run and a double. Farmer was relieved, with Lewicki taking over, but the damage had already been done. The Tigers trailed 5-0.

The A’s pushed across two more runs in the 4^th. Tiger batters got things going in the 5^th inning. A single and two doubles, from Jones and Kinsler put a pair of runs on the board. Ian Kinsler hit a single home run shot to left in the 7^th, cutting the A’s lead to four, 7-3. The A’s would answer that run with one of their own, in the 8^th, on a walk, a single and a ground ruled double.

Buck Farmer had a rough night. In only three and two thirds of pitching, he gave up four earned runs, on six hits with no walks and three strikeouts. With the early exit, the Tigers had to lean on five different relievers to close out the game. On the other side of the plate, Castellanos and Mahtook lead the way. Castellanos went three for four with two singles, a double and a steal. Mahtook went two for four with two singles and a walk. Ian Kinsler hit home run nineteen and RBI, number forty six on the season.

With the loss, the A’s take game one, in their three game series at Comerica Park. The Tigers look to bounce back, Tuesday night. There are only a dozen games left in the season, for the Tigers. Starting pitcher, on Tuesday, will be Chad Bell(0-3  6.43 ERA). The A’s will send out Daniel Gossett(4-9  5.02 ERA). Our coverage begins at 6:45 on 95.3 WBCK.