OAKLAND, Calif. _ If the A's are going to cash in on this unlikely playoff run at the end of the season, a member of the starting rotation will have to step up and join Sean Manaea as a reliable option every fifth day. Edwin Jackson may be turning into that guy.
As he's done most of this season, Jackson looked like a rejuvenated pitcher on the mound as his mix of velocities kept the Detroit Tigers off balance in Saturday night's 2-1 victory in front of 33,668 fans at the Coliseum. The win was Oakland's fifth in a row and 11th consecutive against Detroit.
Basically signed off the street in June, Jackson is bringing stability to a rotation that has had anything but with 12 different pitchers who have made a start at some point this year. The 16-year veteran who is now on his 13th team is providing more than just wisdom in the clubhouse, he's pitching like a guy who would probably start the first game of a playoff series as things stand right now if the A's are able to keep their current playoff spot.
Throwing just 78 pitches in what was his most efficient outing of the season, Jackson got through 61/3 innings as he allowed just an unearned run on five hits and a walk with three strikeouts. He could have easily gone longer, but with a rested dominant set-up man in Lou Trivino at his disposal, it was an easy call for A's manager Bob Melvin after Jackson surrendered a single to Victor Martinez with one out in the seventh.
Jackson improved to 3-2 on the season, lowering his ERA to 2.87. He's allowed three runs or fewer in seven of his eight starts with the A's.
Matt Chapman and Khris Davis helped out Jackson with some run support by homering in the third against Tigers starter Jordan Zimmermann.
Chapman, who also extended his career-high on-base streak to 20 games, led off the inning with a laser shot over the wall in center for his 14th of the season. Two batters later, Davis joined some impressive company by blasting a solo shot to left field for his 30th, marking the third straight season in which he's hit 30 home runs with the A's. The last A's player with three straight 30-plus homer seasons was Miguel Tejada from 2000-02.
