OAKLAND, Calif. -- Jeff Samardzija arrived at the ballpark nearly five hours before making his first start with his new ballclub.
The right-hander left having secured a four-game sweep for Oakland with a performance that showed exactly why the Athletics were so eager to get him in a trade with the Chicago Cubs.
Samardzija pitched seven strong innings to win his Oakland debut and the A's beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 on Sunday.
"First impressions are always important," said Samardzija after lowering his overall ERA to 2.74.
"Like I said yesterday, they didn't need me here. They were doing just fine without me. I don't want to come in and change anything and change the atmosphere. I just want to come in and add and do my part," he said.
He did just that, giving up 4 hits and 1 run with 5 strikeouts and 1 walk while earning his first victory since June 7.
With the Cubs, Samardzija was 2-7 despite a 2.83 ERA. He was voted to the NL All-Star team but won't pitch and will spend the game in the AL dugout.
"He was excited as you could be," Oakland Manager Bob Melvin said. "It was great to get him off to a good start like that. Terrific performance."
Samardzija, acquired a day earlier, received several standing ovations. He was cheered during pregame warmups and again after striking out the side in the seventh.
The veteran pitcher was equally excited after receiving some early run support, something that was scarce in Chicago. The Cubs scored two runs or fewer in 11 of his 17 starts in the NL this season.
Oakland had no such issue.
Jed Lowrie had two hits and scored twice, and leadoff hitter John Jaso added two hits and an RBI for the A's, who won their fourth consecutive after getting swept in three games at Detroit.
Stephen Vogt singled and tripled to help the A's complete their first series sweep of the Blue Jays since taking a three-game series in 2000. Oakland hadn't swept a four-game series from Toronto since May 22-24, 1981.
ORIOLES 7, RED SOX 6, 12 INNINGS David Lough tripled to lead off the 12th inning and scored on J.J. Hardy's single as visiting Baltimore recovered after blowing a five-run lead against Boston.
INDIANS 4, ROYALS 1 Corey Kluber allowed 4 hits and struck out 10 in 8 1/3 innings, and Carlos Santana and Yan Gomes homered for host Cleveland.
ANGELS 6, ASTROS 1 Garrett Richards (10-2) won his sixth decision in seven starts, striking out a career-high 11 to lead surging Los Angeles to a four-game sweep over visiting Houston.
WHITE SOX 1, MARINERS 0 Hector Noesi pitched five-hit ball into the seventh inning for his first victory in a month, leading host Chicago over Seattle.
YANKEES 9, TWINS 7 Jacoby Ellsbury homered, doubled and drove in four runs as New York held off host Minnesota.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
REDS 4, BREWERS 2 Jay Bruce emerged from the deepest slump of his career -- 0 for 26 -- with a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning that rallied host Cincinnati over Milwaukee. The Reds gained a game on the NL Central leaders by taking two of three in their series, moving to six back. Cincinnati has won 10 of 15 overall. The Brewers have the NL's best record despite losing five of six.
MARLINS 8, CARDINALS 4 Henderson Alvarez worked seven innings and started the key rally with the first of his career-best three hits, helping visiting Miami take two of three from St. Louis.
DIAMONDBACKS 3, BRAVES 1 Wade Miley earned his first victory since early May, Paul Goldschmidt hit a two-run home run and visiting Arizona stopped Atlanta's nine-game winning streak.
GIANTS 5, PADRES 3 San Francisco's Tim Lincecum continued his mastery of host San Diego, taking a shutout into the seventh inning against the Padres 11 days after he no-hit them.
NATIONALS 2, CUBS 1 Ryan Zimmerman's single in the eighth inning drove in the go-ahead run for host Washington, which has won seven of eight.
DODGERS 8, ROCKIES 2 Matt Kemp had four hits and drove in two runs, Adrian Gonzalez had three RBI and visiting Los Angeles won three of four against Colorado.
PIRATES 6, PHILLIES 2 Jeff Locke gave up three hits and a walk in eight innings, and host Pittsburgh completed its first series sweep of the season.
INTERLEAGUE
METS 8, RANGERS 4 Zack Wheeler breezed into the seventh inning, Anthony Recker hit a three-run home run in a five-run first and New York beat visiting Texas.
Sports on 07/07/2014