A’s Gray throws 3-hitter for first complete game

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

ARLINGTON, Texas - Sonny Gray threw a three-hitter for his first career complete game and the Oakland Athletics beat Texas 4-0 Monday night in Rangers ace Yu Darvish’s shortest outing in the major leagues.

Gray (4-1) allowed only three singles while striking out six. Texas got only one runner to third base against the right-hander, who threw two wild pitches in the sixth after Robinson Chirinos singled.

Darvish (1-1) was gone after 3 1/3 innings, pulled after walking No. 9 batter Eric Sogard for the second time. Those were the only 2 walks for the right-hander, who allowed 4 runs and 6 hits while throwing 83 pitches (45 strikes). Darvish is winless his last nine home starts.

Josh Donaldson had a two-run single in the third, and the A’s made it 4-0 an inning later when Josh Reddick had an RBI triple before coming home on Daric Barton’s sacrifice fly.

Gray, in his 16th career start, threw 73 of his 108 pitches for strikes.

Oakland and Texas entered tied for the AL West lead and the league’s best record at 15-10. The Rangers, shut out for the first time this season, had swept a three-game series in Oakland last week.

Darvish made his 66th start for the Rangers since signing with them from Japan before the 2012 season. His shortest previous MLB outing had been four innings at Seattle on May 21, 2012, and he had since gone at least five innings in 56 consecutive starts. Darvish did have a start of only 1 1/3 innings in Japan eight years ago.

Darvish struck out four, but three of those came in the first five batters of the game.

Gray walked Rangers leadoff hitter Michael Choice to get his night started, but got out of the first with a fielder’s choice grounder and then a 4-5-3 double play with three Oakland infielders shifted to right side against Prince Fielder.

Choice grounded into an inning-ending double play in the third after the bottom two batters reached base.

After Donaldson’s big hit, a bouncer through the left side of the infield out of the reach of diving third baseman Adrian Beltre, the A’s had the bases reloaded on a one-out single by Brandon Moss.

Moss was thrown out retreating to first on a pitch that got away from catcher Chirinos, though the runner was originally ruled safe before Rangers Manager Ron Washington challenged and got the play overturned by replay. When Moss slid back in, his foot was against first baseman Fielder’s foot - and not the base - while being tagged.

WHITE SOX 7, RAYS 3 Alejandro De Aza hit a two-run home run and Adam Eaton and Marcus Semien had two-run doubles, leading host Chicago to a comeback victory over Tampa Bay. White Sox slugger Jose Abreu, named American League co-player of the week earlier in the day, went 2 for 4 with a walk and an RBI, his 32nd. But it was the lesser trio that did most of the damage, driving in five of theseven runs. The White Sox (14-13) move above .500 by taking three of four from Tampa Bay. It was Chicago’s third series victory this season. Andre Rienzo (2-0) allowed 5 hits and 3 runs - 2 earned - in 6 innings to get the victory. Jake Odorizzi (1-3) allowed 8 hits and 4 runs in 4 1/3 innings to get the loss.

NATIONAL LEAGUE BREWERS 5, CARDINALS 3 (12) Khris Davis overcame striking out four times earlier in the game and came through with a run-scoring triple in the 12th inning to lead visiting Milwaukee past St. Louis. Davis drove in Jonathan Lucroy, who doubled off Seth Maness (0-2) to start the inning. Mark Reynolds then drove in Davis with a sacrifice fly. Davis, who finished 1 for 6, struck out in the second, fifth, sixth and 10th innings. Zach Duke (2-0) picked up the victory with two innings of scoreless relief, and Francisco Rodriguez recorded his 12th save in as many opportunities by getting Jhonny Peralta to fly out with two on to end the game. Milwaukee, which leads the majors with 19 victories, has won four of five and eight of 10. Allen Craig and Matt Holliday homered for St. Louis, which has lost four of six.

Monday’s games NATIONAL LEAGUE Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati, ppd.

Milwaukee 5, St. Louis 3 (12) Colorado 8, Arizona 5 San Diego at San Francisco, (n) AMERICAN LEAGUE Oakland 4, Texas 0 Chicago White Sox 7, Tampa Bay 3 LA Angels 6, Cleveland 3

Sports, Pages 20 on 04/29/2014