OAKLAND, Calif. _ The Oakland A's have scoured baseball trying to find starting pitchers in a season when all their starters seem prone to injury.
Ross Detwiler, the latest of these finds, turned in a simply terrific first start with the A's on Wednesday night, throwing eight scoreless innings in helping his new team to a 1-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles, a team he'd never beaten.
He did it while making his first major league start since May, 14, 2015, when he was employed by the Texas Rangers. He was the 12th different starter used by the A's this season, matching the most used by an American League team this season.
The former first-round pick of the Washington Nationals _ sixth overall back in 2007 _ took to the mound at the Coliseum like he'd built it to his personal specifications. He worked the outside corner and the bottom of the strike zone with consistency after a scary start to give the A's more than they could have hoped.
The A's didn't give him all that much support, but they did do exactly what Detwiler needed. Right fielder Danny Valencia, second baseman Max Muncy and catcher Stephen Vogt turned what had been ruled a first-inning run into the first out of the game when the A's won an appeal of the original safe call.
And with two outs in the third inning, Marcus Semien doubled over the head of center fielder Adam Jones and scored on Yonder Alonso's double to right off Baltimore starter Yovani Gallardo. Gallardo is now 0-5 in his career against the A's.
Detwiler headed westward when the A's purchased his contract from the Cleveland Indians on July 17. The lefty began the season in the Indians bullpen, but they sent him to the minors after seven games and he'd been starting ever since.
Triple-A Nashville had given him four starts, and he'd gone 4-0 with a 3.83 ERA, but none of that prepared the A's for what they saw Wednesday. He'd never thrown more than 7 1/3 innings in a game in the big leagues, but he went eight innings, throwing 108 pitches before turning the game over to the bullpen.
He set down the final 10 batters he faced in order. He allowed six hits, walked no one and struck out two. John Axford was brought in for the save Wednesday.
With closer Ryan Madson needing a day off after saving one-run wins Monday and Tuesday, Axford gave up an infield hit to start the ninth inning, but the Orioles couldn't touch him after that as he got his second save.
The win was the third in succession for the 51-63 A's, who now have a chance to sweep the Orioles by taking Thursday afternoon's series finale.
The three-game winning streak, which comes against the majors' most prolific homer-hitting team, has seen arguably the best three starts in succession for the team all season. After putting ace Sonny Gray on the disabled list Sunday, the A's have seen Kendall Graveman, Zach Neal and now Detwiler combine to allow three runs, two earned, in 20 1/3 innings.
_ Jharel Cotton, the newly acquired right-hander who came within one out of a perfect game Tuesday at Triple-A Nashville, moved himself onto the list the A's will consider when next they need a starter. Cotton needed 108 pitches to beat Round Rock 3-0 with the Express getting its only runner with two outs in the ninth on a Daniel Bernier triple. Cotton, acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the trade of Rich Hill and Josh Reddick, opened eyes. "When you have a pitcher who comes into the organization and you get almost a perfect game, it gets your attention," manager Bob Melvin said. "He definitely opened some eyes. I know our guys were watching him pretty hard. It wouldn't surprise me if at some point in time we see him here."
_ Second baseman Jed Lowrie, on the disabled list and facing the possibility of season-ending foot surgery to deal with a bunion that has him hobbled, will be seeking a second opinion on how to proceed, Melvin said. Lowrie tried to play with pain for a month, but he went on the disabled list Aug. 5. He says most mornings when he gets up it feels about the same, and that's not good.
