(Sports Network) – Gio Gonzalez shoots for his fourth straight win this
evening when the Oakland Athletics continue a three-game series against the
Kansas City Royals at the Coliseum.

Gonzalez was magnificent in beating the Cleveland Indians on Thursday, as he
scattered four hits over seven scoreless innings to improve to 12-11, while
lowering his earned run average to 3.21.

He also walked four and struck out seven in the triumph and is averaging 8.95
strikeouts-per-nine innings. If he maintains that pace through his final
starts, he would break the Athletics franchise record, held by Todd
Stottlemyre at 8.80 strikeouts per nine innings.

Gonzalez has faced the Royals six times and is 3-2 with a 5.74 ERA.

Kansas City, meanwhile, will hand the ball to a young lefty of its own in
Danny Duffy, who is 3-8 with a 5.73 ERA. Duffy is winless in his last six
starts (0-4) and received a no-decision his last time out on Thursday in
Detroit, as he allowed five runs and six hits in five innings.

Duffy beat the A’s earlier in the year, holding them to a pair of runs in six
innings.

Kansas City used a five-run ninth inning to best Oakland, 11-6, in Monday’s
opener. Billy Butler went 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs, while Eric Hosmer
contributed three hits and two RBI with two runs scored for the Royals, who
won for the third time in five outings.

“Since this unit’s been intact it’s been good,” Butler said of Kansas City’s
offense. “We’re all feeding off each other and driving balls, putting up
runs.”

Greg Holland (4-1) worked a scoreless eighth for the win. Felipe Paulino
started, but was pulled after 4 1/3 innings after allowing four hits and six
runs with four walks.

Scott Sizemore clubbed a three-run homer for the Athletics, who saw their
four-game win streak halted.

Andrew Bailey (0-4) recorded just one out in the ninth and was charged with
the loss, allowing three runs on three hits. Rich Harden yielded four runs on
eight hits but fanned 10 over his five-inning performance.

Oakland is 4-3 versus the Royals this season.

The Sports Network

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Two tired teams took the field Thursday afternoon. One played like it.

The Athletics, behind a superb start from lefty Gio Gonzalez and timely hitting, stifled the Indians, 7-0, at Progressive Field. It did not matter that Gonzalez had struggled since the All-Star break. He was facing the Tribe, which meant he would dominate.

Gonzalez gave up four hits in seven innings to improve to 5-0 with a 0.72 ERA in 37 1/3 innings of six career starts against the Indians. In his only start against the Tribe this season, he extended his career scoreless streak against them to 27 2/3.

“Even when we have our full deck of cards, he’s tough on us,” Indians manager Manny Acta said. “He’s got an overpowering fastball and overpowering breaking ball.”

The Indians had won the first three games of the series, including 4-3 in 16 innings Wednesday night. Cord Phelps scored the game-winner at seven minutes past midnight. First pitch Thursday was 12:06 p.m.

“They played just as many innings as we did,” second baseman Jason Donald said. “That’s a non-excuse for anyone. Taking three out of four is a positive thing, but when you have a chance to sweep somebody, especially after beating them in 16 innings the night before. … They could have been down very easily, but give them credit. They came out and played a goodgame.”

The Indians (68-66) finished 6-5 on a homestand against three sub-.500 clubs. They opened by going 1-3 against Eric Wedge’s Mariners, then went 2-1 against Kansas City.

The Tribe began the homestand 4 1/2 games behind first-place Detroit in the AL Central. The deficit is 5 1/2 as the Indians head to Kansas City and the Tigers and Chicago White Sox meet this weekend in Detroit.

“I want to win them all, but I can’t sit here and complain about taking three out of four, or five out of seven,” Acta said. “If you’re winning five of seven the rest of the way, good things can happen.”

Last-place Kansas City helped the Tribe by splitting a four-game series in Detroit, including an 11-8 victory Thursday afternoon.

“We all know what we’re facing and what we’ve got in front of us,” Acta said. “There’s no time to complain, no time to rest, no time to shut it down. We just have to continue to get after it.”

Gonzalez and former Indian Craig Breslow combined on a five-hitter and struck out 10. All of the hits were singles.

“That guy, Gonzalez, has a good arm,” Tribe catcher Lou Marson said.

Through four innings, Tribe right-hander Fausto Carmona matched Gonzalez zero for zero. Oakland finally broke through with two outs in the fifth, Cliff Pennington and former Indian Coco Crisp delivering RBI singles.

Even with Gonzalez pitching, the Indians still had hope. It all but evaporated in the seventh, when the Athletics made it 4-0. Oakland took advantage of bad decisions by Carmona and second baseman Jason Donald and an error by left fielder Jerad Head.

Anthony Recker led off with a double. Eric Sogard bunted toward third, where Carmona let the ball settle on the infield grass.

“Fausto was thinking the ball might roll out, but the ball had no chance to roll out,” Acta said. “He knew he should have made the play at first.”

Jemile Weeks hit a fly to left that Head dropped, enabling Recker to trot home and Sogard to move to second. Head seemingly was too eager to throw out Recker and took his eye off the ball.

Pennington grounded to Donald, who looked to second and did not throw. By the time he redirected and fired to first, it was too late.

“I should have been more mindful of the base runners,” Donald said. “When I looked over at second, Weeks was sliding in. I should have taken the out at first.”

Acta hooked Carmona for lefty Nick Hagadone, who had been recalled from Class AAA Columbus earlier in the day and made his major-league debut. Hagadone well to limit further damage to one inherited runner scoring.

Carmona gave up the four runs (three earned) on eight hits. He walked two and struck out six. Carmona has worked at least six innings in nine straight starts, but is 6-13 overall with a 4.84 ERA.

“I thought Fausto threw the ball well — very well, actually,” Acta said. “It didn’t matter how well he threw the ball, we weren’t going to win without scoring any runs.”

Hagadone exited with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth. On Corey Kluber’s first pitch, Pennington dropped a two-run single into left-center for a 6-0 advantage. Crisp had an RBI single to account for the final margin.

Gonzalez, as good as he was, walked four and gave the Indians several openings. The Indians put runners on first and second with one out in the fourth. Jack Hannahan flied to left and Donald struck out. The Tribe put runners on first and second with two outs in the fifth and seventh innings, but Asdrubal Cabrera popped to right both times. Cabrera is 8-for-53 in his last 13 games, dropping his season’s average to .277.

Oakland (61-76) snapped a five-game skid.

On Twitter: @dmansworldpd

Read More: Fausto Carmona (P – CLE), Rafael Perez (P – CLE), Frank Herrmann (P – CLE), Vinnie Pestano (P – CLE), Oakland Athletics, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox

After playing a game last night that began in August and concluded in September, the Indians really need Fausto Carmona to come through on Thursday afternoon in a 12:05 game at Progressive Field that will wrap up this four-game series with the Oakland Athletics.

While neither Vinnie Pestano nor Rafael Perez appeared in last night’s game, and thus would be (hopefully) ready and fresh today, you don’t want either to have to pitch long-relief at this stage of the season — long relief being what Frank Herrmann did so brilliantly in last night’s 16-inning marathon win.

Carmona (6-12, 4.85 ERA) will try to give the Tribe a sweep against the Athletics and also equal the victory total from 2010, when the Indians went 69-93. With 68 wins at present, and 5.5 games behind the Tigers with less than 30 games to play, any and all wins are not only welcome, but vital.

Fausto has a nice template of success against Oakland in 2011, having gone eight innings and having allowed only one run in a 4-1 Cleveland win back on May 3. Carmona gave up five hits in that game to run his career record vs, Oakland to 4-5 in 10 starts.

Today’s opponent has owned the Indians in his career vs. Cleveland. Gio Gonzalez has started five times against The Good Guys and is 4-0 with a microscopic 0.89 ERA in 30.1 innings. This will be Gonzalez’s first outing of the year against the Tribe.

Overall Gonzalez is 11-11 with a 3.35 ERA and has won his last two starts to bounce back from a personal five-game losing streak.

Detroit is in action today at 1:05 vs. the Royals. The Chicago White Sox (who fell behind the Indians and into third place in the AL Central yesterday) have the day off.

The Indians had a chance to sweep Kansas City on Sunday and failed to seal the deal. Man, it would be nice to finish a sweep today and end the homestand on a 6-1 run.

Cleveland will be in Kansas City on Friday night to open a three-game set against the dangerous and pesky Royals.

AP Photo/George Nikitin

Toronto Blue Jays Henderson Alarez throws to the Oakland Athletics during the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, August 20, 2011 in Oakland, Calif.

Gio Gonzalez pitched eight stellar innings for his first win in more than a month, and the Oakland Athletics held on to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-1 on Saturday night.
Brandon Allen had two hits and scored the go-ahead run on a double play in the fourth inning while Josh Willingham homered as part of a three-run eighth for Oakland, which has won four of five at home after getting swept in a four-game series by Texas.
Eric Thames had two hits and scored the only run for Toronto, which played without slugger Jose Bautista. Bautista, who leads the majors with 35 home runs, was a late scratch with tightness in his neck.
One day after Rich Harden and Andrew Bailey combined on a three-hitter, Gonzalez (10-11) and Bailey nearly duplicated it. The duo allowed only four hits and teamed up to retire 25 of the final 27 Toronto batters.
Gonzalez, in particular, was very sharp and ended his personal five-game losing streak after getting off to a rough start.
Oakland’s All-Star left-hander allowed a one-out single to Thames in the first and hit designated hitter Adam Lind two batters later. Edwin Encarnacion then lined a single to right to drive in Thames, who beat the throw home from David De Jesus.
Colby Rasmus followed with a walk to load the bases but Gonzalez retired Brett Lawrie on a foul pop-up to first to work out of it.
Toronto, held to three hits a night earlier, didn’t get much else after that. Gonzalez gave up a leadoff single to Thames in the third then retired the next 15 straight until John McDonald’s leadoff single in the eighth.
McDonald was sacrificed to second but Gonzalez — who hadn’t won since July 17 — fanned Thames and Yunel Escobar to end the inning. Gonzalez finished with one walk and nine strikeouts.
Toronto starter Henderson Alvarez (0-1) took the loss despite a solid effort.
He allowed three consecutive hits in the bottom of the first, including Hideki Matsui’s tying RBI single, then retired eight of the next nine until the A’s scored an unearned run in the fourth.
Allen singled and took third after Toronto second baseman McDonald committed an error on Ryan Sweeney’s grounder. Allen then scored the go-ahead run when David De Jesus hit into a 4-6-3 double play.
Alvarez, who made his major league debut against Oakland on Aug. 10, kept it close and got some help from Toronto’s defense.
In addition to making the relay to first on the double play, Escobar saved a run in the sixth when he stopped Landon’s Powell’s sharp grounder up the middle and made a backhand throw to McDonald, who barely beat De Jesus to the bag at second.
Alvarez left after allowing seven hits with three strikeouts and one walk over six innings.
Oakland scored three times in the eighth to break open the close game. Willingham capped the outburst with a two-run pinch-hit home run, his 22nd homer of the season.
It was a painful night all around for the Blue Jays.
Bautista took batting practice and was in the lineup batting third before he was removed. The announcement was made less than 10 minutes before the first pitch.
Mike McCoy replaced Bautista in right field and hit in the leadoff spot.
Toronto later lost Lind, who was hit just above his right wrist by a pitch from Gonzalez. No word was given on his condition.
Notes: Less than a week after tearing his left hamstring, injured Blue Jays OF Rajai Davis has started running in Florida. Manager John Farrell continues to be hopeful that Davis can rejoin the team this season, though he acknowledged that the tear was “significant.” … SS Adeiny Hechavarria, one of Toronto’s top minor league prospects, hit safely in his first eight games with Triple-A Las Vegas and went into Saturday batting .529 with one home run and five RBIs. … RHP Guillermo Moscoso (6-6) pitches for Oakland on Sunday and will try to extend his personal winning streak to a career-best three games. His only win against Toronto came in relief on Aug. 11. … LHP Luis Perez (2-2) makes his first career start for the Blue Jays, five days after throwing 61 pitches over four innings of relief and getting the win against Seattle.

OAKLAND, Calif. —

Brandon Allen has had a pretty good couple of days since making his AL debut. The Oakland Athletics haven’t benefited from them yet.

Allen got three hits for the second straight day but the Athletics failed to hold a lead and fell to the Baltimore Orioles 6-2 on Monday night, their fourth straight loss.

David DeJesus doubled home a run and scored on Cliff Pennington’s single for the A’s, who have dropped four straight.

“It’s part of the game,” Allen said. “We got some good at-bats but their pitcher seemed to bear down when he felt a threat. Unfortunately they got the key hits and we didn’t.”

The Orioles managed only two hits off Oakland left-hander Gio Gonzalez (9-11) through the first six innings before scoring four times in the seventh.

“It was a positive outing,” said Gonzalez, who lost his fifth straight start. “I took a stride forward. My luck is turning a little bit and I just want to stay positive.”

Matt Wieters and Mark Reynolds both homered to help the Orioles begin a 10-game road trip with a victory following a 3-7 homestand.

Robert Andino hit a go-ahead bases-loaded double in the seventh inning and Josh Bell added a two-run single

Adam Jones and Vladimir Guerrero both singled before Gonzalez walked Wieters to load the bases. After a strikeout, Andino greeted reliever Fautino De Los Santos with a deep double over the head of center fielder Coco Crisp to drive in Jones and Guerrero.

Bell, batting only .143 coming into the game, followed with a bouncing single up the middle. Wieters and Andino both scored easily to make it 5-2.

“The seventh inning was a problem,” A’s manager Bob Melvin. “Based on how he pitched leading up to that it looks like Gio is righting the ship.”

It’s only Baltimore’s fourth win in its last 18 games on the road. The Orioles also won for just the second time in 14 games at the Oakland Coliseum since the start of the 2008 season.

Tommy Hunter (2-2) allowed two runs over 6 2-3 innings to earn his first win with Baltimore. The right-hander, who struck out three and walked one, had been winless in two starts since being acquired in a trade from Texas on July 30.

He also got help from the Orioles defense, which turned a double play in the second inning. Wieters also threw out Jemile Weeks trying to steal, the 28th runner the Baltimore catcher has caught this season.

Hunter allowed 10 hits and improved to 5-0 in six career starts against the A’s.

Oakland, outscored 23-8 while getting swept in a three-game series by Texas over the weekend, lost for the sixth time in seven games and fell a season-low 15 games under .500.

Gonzalez gave up four runs and four hits while walking three to raise his majors-leading total to 72.

The A’s strung together four consecutive hits in the bottom of the inning to go in front.

Josh Willingham singled and scored on DeJesus’ double to left center. Allen followed with a base hit before Cliff Pennington’s RBI single gave Oakland a 2-1 lead.

It stayed that way until Baltimore scored four times in the seventh.

Reynolds, who had been in a 1 for 28 slump with 14 strikeouts, homered off Trystan Magnuson in the ninth.

Notes: The A’s set an Oakland record with their 92nd consecutive game with two home runs or fewer. … A’s manager Bob Melvin expects Conor Jackson to be out a few days after the first baseman woke up with a sore neck. … Baltimore IF Chris Davis was not in the starting lineup in order to rest a sore shoulder. … Baltimore 3B Josh Bell underwent a CAT scan on his left side which proved negative. … LHP Brian Matusz (1-4) is expected to be recalled from Triple-A Norfolk to start for Baltimore on Tuesday night. Matusz had a 0.56 ERA in his last two starts in the minors. RHP Guillermo Moscoso (5-6) will go for the Athletics.