Anthony Gose Doubles, Homers To Lead Tigers Over A's 7-3
DAVE HOGG, Associated Press
DETROIT (AP) — Anthony Gose doubled and homered, Anibal Sanchez pitched through a wild outing and the Detroit Tigers beat Oakland 7-3 Thursday to take three of four in the series against the Athletics.
Gose entering with a .170 and had not gotten an extra-base hit since homering on opening day.
Sanchez (3-2) scraped through 5 2/3 innings while still searching for his proper mechanics. Sanchez allowed two runs and three hits while striking out nine, but walked seven — one shy of his big league high. He allowed three runners to steal without a throw.
Sanchez was the first Tigers starter to walk seven and strike out nine in the same start since Jack Morris against Texas on April 14, 1988.
After Khris Davis' RBI single in the ninth, Francisco Rodriguez got the final out for his fifth save in six chances, inducing Stephen Vogt to pop out with runners at second and third.
Vogt homered for Oakland, which lost for the fifth time in six games and dropped below .500 at 11-12.
Chris Bassitt (0-2) gave up seven runs, 10 hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings. He is 0-2 with a 13.50 ERA in his last two outings, allowing 24 runners in 8 2/3 innings.
Sanchez tweaked his delivery for the second time this season, bringing back the rotation that sees him turn his back on the batter. It worked for two innings, but in the third he walked two batters and allowed two stolen bases without a throw. Josh Reddick's RBI single put Oakland ahead.
Detroit took the lead with four runs in the bottom of the inning. After consecutive doubles by Gose and Ian Kinsler, and Miguel Cabrera's RBI single, there were runners at the corners and no outs when Victor Martinez lifted a fly to shallow left. J.D. Martinez bluffed for the plate, drawing a throw from Mark Canha, but the ball was cut off when Cabrera started jogging to second.
Martinez then sprinted home and beat Jed Lowrie's throw on what was ruled a fielder's choice, and Cabrera went to second. Nick Castellanos added an RBI double.
Vogt's homer cut the deficit to 4-2 in the fourth, but Gose hit a two-run drive in the bottom half.
BAD TRIP HOME
Bassitt grew up in Toledo, Ohio, about an hour south of Detroit, and had numerous friends and family at the game. He had only pitched at Comerica one other time, beating the Tigers for the Chicago White Sox in 2014.
HITCHOCK MOVIE BREAKS OUT
The field was swarmed by pigeons at times, a problem that doesn't usually occur until summer. At one point, J.D. Martinez had to catch a fly ball while surrounded by 13 fluttering birds in right field.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Athletics: SP Henderson Alvarez (shoulder) is scheduled to throw four innings or 60 pitches for Class A Stockton on Saturday. He threw 40 pitches for Triple-A Nashville on Monday.
Tigers: C James McCann (ankle) got plenty of work in his rehab game for Triple-A Toledo on Thursday. In a 15-inning game, McCann went 1 for 6 with an RBI. He is now hitting .182 in three games and could join the Tigers in Minnesota this weekend.
UP NEXT
Both teams will be giving major league debuts to top pitching prospects on Friday.
Athletics: Sean Manaea, acquired last season in the deal that sent Ben Zobrist to Kansas City, is scheduled to face Mike Fiers (2-1, 5.73) at Houston.
Tigers: Michael Fulmer is to make his debut at Minnesota against Phil Hughes (1-3, 3.91). Fulmer was acquired from the New York Mets in July's Yoenis Cespedes trade.
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