OAKLAND, Calif. _ Sonny Gray, who'd been out in the wilderness for most of 2017, was back in prime form in Wednesday's 4-1 win over the Marlins.
The A's have been longing to see this Gray, who came into the game with average numbers, including a 3.97 ERA and 1-1 record after spending all of April on the disabled list with shoulder problems.
The veteran right-handed starter opened the game by striking out six of the first nine batters he faced and wound up with 11 strikeouts, one shy of his career high.
He got a major boost from second baseman Jed Lowrie, who matched his career best with four hits, including two doubles. He drove in two runs and scored one while lifting his batting average 17 points to .300.
The A's, now 21-25 and in fourth place in the American League West, wound up victorious in four of the six games on the just-completed homestand and will play the Yankees in New York Friday.
The A's jumped out to a quick early lead against Miami starter Edinson Volquez with a Lowrie double in the first followed by a first-pitch homer to right field from Khris Davis. It was the club-best 14th homer for Davis, who was getting a rare day off from left field to serve as the designated hitter.
Gray was perfect through three innings, but back-to-back singles from Dee Gordon and Giancarlo Stanton got the Marlins going a little in the fourth. A Marcell Ozuna strikeout combined with a Gray wild pitch brought Gordon around to score.
Gray was able to hold the lead at 2-1 until the fifth when Matt Joyce walked and scored on Lowrie's double into the right field corner. And Oakland added a run in the seventh with Lowrie again delivering. This time his two-out single scored Adam Rosales.
Following the wild pitch that allowed Gordon to score and had Stanton on third base, Gray struck out the next two batters he faced, the start of nine consecutive men set down in order. A leadoff Ozuna double in the seventh could have been trouble, but a foul out and a couple of grounders kept the Marlins from scoring in what would be Gray's final inning.
He finished with 88 pitches thrown, 58 of them strikes. The seven innings was the most he'd thrown in a game since June 10 of last year against the Reds when he went 72/3 innings.
Ryan Madson pitched the eighth inning and Santiago Casilla the ninth to finish up for Oakland.
