Game #15: A’s shut out Tigers for second straight day, run winning streak to seven

Oakland has a winning record!

The Oakland A’s haven’t allowed a run since Thursday.

The A’s blanked the Detroit Tigers on Saturday by a 7-0 margin, tossing a shutout for the second game in a row. Oakland’s winning streak is now seven games, including the last three against the Tigers, pushing their record above .500 for the first time this year.

*** Click here to revisit today’s Game Thread! ***

After a disastrous beginning to the year, the A’s pitching staff is finding its groove against the rebuilding Tigers. Oakland allowed an average of nine runs through their first five games this year, or one turn through the starting rotation. After a dozen games, even with the team winning, they were still letting through six per game.

However, Detroit has only managed four runs through the first three games combined, and they all came in the series opener.

The latest gem came from the newest member of the rotation, Cole Irvin. The lefty got beaten up twice by the Houston Astros this month, but he fared much better on Saturday against Detroit. He did get an assist from the umpire on a couple of generous Called Strike 3s, including one that bailed him out of his worst rally of the day in the 5th inning, but for the most part he earned his quality start by efficiently pounding the zone.

Irvin: 6 ip, 0 runs, 6 Ks, 0 BB, 4 hits, 93 pitches, 87.4 mph EV

There were a few loud outs along the way, and maybe with more normal luck and/or a couple star hitters to contend with, he’d have a couple runs on his record instead of all zeroes. But this was a winning effort by Irvin.

The A’s lineup built a big enough lead that the setup crew wasn’t needed out of the bullpen, but the supporting cast did their best impression. J.B. Wendelken took the 7th, Deolis Guerra breezed through the 8th, and Jordan Weems locked down the 9th, with the group retiring nine of their 10 batters with just one single mixed in.

That’s 18 straight scoreless frames for A’s pitchers, with the last runs coming in the garbage-time 9th inning on Thursday off Sergio Romo.

A’s smash

Lineup section coming in a minute! So many dingers.