PHOENIX (AP) — Oakland has recovered quite nicely from its 0-6 start to the season.
Matt Chapman homered among his three hits, Jed Lowrie added two hits and three RBIs, and the Athletics roughed up Madison Bumgarner in a 9-5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night.
Lowrie doubled home two runs in the third inning and singled and scored in a three-run fifth capped by Chapman’s second homer of the season for a 6-2 lead. The defending AL West champion A's have won four of five after their early six-game losing streak.
“We got punched in the gut. It was a wakeup call,” Lowrie said. “We realized that we are not playing very well. We had to find a way. This is a talented group up and down the lineup.”
Bumgarner (0-2) gave up seven hits and six runs in 4 2/3 innings, with five strikeouts and three walks. He was removed after hitting Sean Murphy with a pitch following Chapman’s solo homer.
Bumgarner has allowed 22 hits and 12 walks in 13 2/3 innings this year, his latest struggles since signing an $85 million, five-year contract with Arizona as a free agent before last season. He was 1-4 with a 6.48 ERA in nine starts in 2020.
“I’ve got to give us a lot better chance than I did … than I have been doing," Bumgarner said. “Nothing has been consistent for me. I haven’t been able to get ahead of guys, put guys away. Throwing a lot of pitches, getting behind too much.”
Ramon Laureano had two hits, two runs and two steals for Oakland. He leads the majors with seven stolen bases.
Arizona closed to 6-5 on run-scoring hits by Asdrubal Cabrera and David Peralta in the seventh inning before Oakland scored once in the eighth and twice in the ninth.
Chapman drove in Lowrie with a ninth-inning single and scored on Murphy’s double.
Oakland starter Chris Bassitt (1-2) gave up two hits and two runs in five innings, striking out four. Arizona loaded the bases with one out in the fifth on two of Bassitt’s five walks and a throwing error by first baseman Matt Olson, but Bassitt induced a popup and a fly ball to preserve a 6-2 lead.
Diamondbacks third baseman Eduardo Escobar was hitless, ending his career-best home run streak at four games.
OLSON REMOVED
Olson was hit by a pitch on the left thumb in the seventh inning. He stayed in the game after being examined by a trainer but was replaced by Seth Brown in the eighth.
X-rays were negative, manager Bob Melvin said. He added that Olson will not play Tuesday.
BASSITT A FAN OF DH
Bassitt felt shoulder pain after taking an awkward swing during his first at-bat in the second inning, but after a visit from the trainer he remained in the game.
“It popped out for a second and popped back in,” Melvin said. “It got better as the game went on.”
Bassitt struck out in both his at-bats and is 0 for 8 with five strikeouts in his major league career. He did not bat in the minors.
“It shouldn’t happen,” Bassitt said when asked how he felt about hitting. “No one wants to see a pitcher hit.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Athletics: DH/1B Mitch Moreland (hamstring) missed his third consecutive game.
Diamondbacks: 1B Christian Walker (strained right oblique) was placed on the injured list. INF Andrew Young was recalled to take Walker’s roster spot. … OF Josh Reddick signed a minor league contract and is expected to report to the club's training facility in Scottsdale.
UP NEXT
Arizona right-hander Zac Gallen will be activated from the injured list for his 2021 debut Tuesday. Gallen has been out since sustaining a hairline fracture in his right forearm during batting practice in mid-March. He was the Diamondbacks’ most relatable starter last season, going 3-2 with a 2.75 ERA in 12 starts. Oakland left-hander Jesus Luzardo (0-1, 6.10) will make his third start of the season
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