OAKLAND, Calif. _ Former Minnesota Twin Chris Herrmann hit a grand slam. Former Twin Robbie Grossman had two singles, drew two walks and drove in a run. Former Twin Liam Hendriks picked up the save. The triumvirate of ex-Twins led the Oakland Athletics to a 8-6 victory on Tuesday night.
All-Star Matt Olson added a two-run blast and Mark Canha hit a solo shot in the seventh as Oakland took the first game of a three game series at Oakland Coliseum. The Twins gave up at least seven runs for the ninth time since May 29. They are 2-7 in those games. And this one was on the entire pitching staff.
Jake Odorizzi was knocked out in the fourth inning after a grand slam by Herrmann put the A's ahead 6-3.
It marked the fourth consecutive shaky inning by the recently named All-Star. Over his last four games, Odorizzi has posted a 7.85 ERA. Once the league's leader in ERA, Odorizzi hit the showers on Tuesday with it sitting at 3.15.
It's hardly the stuff an All-Star is made of. And while Odorizzi's season, overall, has been a strong one, he is sputtering toward the break. And it makes one wonder when his next start will be.
There were already a couple of scenarios in play before he took the mound Tuesday, and his outing, during which head trainer Tony Leo twice came to the mound to check on one of his fingers, provided another.
Odorizzi is next scheduled to start on Sunday against the Rangers. There used to be a rule that Sunday starters were not eligible to play in the All-Star Game. But it now can be up to the player and club to decide if he can pitch and for how long.
Odorizzi could request to pitch in the All-Star Game but, given the season the leaders of the AL Central division are having, he likely will opt to sit out. Then it goes to the next player listed on the player's ballot who's available to pitch.
It's unknown if Jose Berrios is next on the list or not.
"Before I talk to you guys about it, I'd probably like to have that conversation with Jake but internally we all know where he lines up," manager Rocco Baldelli said. "More than anyone, Jake knows where he lines up to pitch so we haven't formally sat down to talk about that yet but it's something that we'll do and something that definitely affects the next week and everything that happens then."
But will Odorizzi be healthy enough to make his next scheduled appearance, whether it's at Target Field against the Texas Rangers or Progressive Field in the Midsummer Classic.
Odorizzi was given a 3-0 lead on a two-run homer by Miguel Sano in the second and Max Kepler scoring on a double play in the third.
But Olson got hold of a 3-2 splitter with two outs in the bottom of the third to get the A's within 3-2.
Odorizzi's fourth inning went like this: Canha reached on Sano's error; Ramon Laureano walked; Grossman blooped a single to center to load the bases with no outs.
Manager Rocco Baldelli went to the mound with Leo, who checked out a finger on Odorizzi's right hand, and they left him in.
The next pitch was obliterated by Herrmann to five Oakland a 6-3 lead. Odorizzi was removed from the game. The Twins announced later in the game that he had a right middle finger blister.
With Odorizzi out of the game, the Twins kept scratching back. Jason Castro hit solo home runs to center in the fifth and seventh innings _ his first home runs here in 29 career games _ and Luis Arraez added a RBI double in the sixth.
Adalberto Mejia replaced Odorizzi in his first game back since being activated from the 60-day disabled list, and the lefthander pitched well, giving up a run over 31/3 innings. He was helped out by a terrific throw from left fielder Marwin Gonzalez to retire Canha at the plate, although Grossman followed with an RBI single.
Mejia gave up 11 earned runs over 111/3 innings at the start of the seaon before coming down with a right calf strain.
"I feel good overall and I feel good now," Mejia said.
