4-Run Seventh Costs A's In 5-3 Loss To Indians
CLEVELAND (CBS/AP) -- All it took was one bad play and one bad inning to derail the Oakland A's.
After leading through six innings, Oakland allowed four runs in the seventh in a 5-3 loss to the Cleveland Indians on Friday night.
Kendall Graveman (7-7) allowed just one run on four hits through the first six innings. He retired the first batter in the seventh before an error by shortstop Marcus Semien on Rajai Davis' routine grounder started Cleveland's rally.
"He's a fast runner, maybe I thought about that and didn't focus on the catch," Semien said. "It's frustrating that that led to a big inning."
Oakland manager Bob Melvin came to his shortstop's defense, saying that even if Semien fielded the grounder cleanly, it would've been a close play at first.
`The guy's running down the line pretty hard and he's got to field it cleanly and get rid of it quickly," Melvin said. "You know you have to be perfect with it."
Following the costly error, Tyler Naquin and Abraham Almonte hit back-to-back singles to cut Oakland's lead to just 3-2, as Graveman exited the game.
Former Indians pitcher Marc Rzepczynski came in to relieve Graveman and walked Carlos Santana before Jason Kipnis tied the game with a broken-bat blooper to left.
Ryan Dull replaced Rzepczynski and gave Cleveland the lead on a wild pitch that allowed Almonte to score from third. Francisco Lindor added the Indians' final run with a sacrifice fly.
Despite Semien's error, Graveman picked up his seventh loss of the season, allowing four runs -- three earned -- on six hits over 6 1/3 innings.
Melvin acknowledged that Semien's error hurt Graveman, but felt that the starter pitched well up until the final few batters he faced.
"(He was) good, really looked like he was going to pitch really deep into the game," Melvin said. "Just seemed like the last two batters, maybe a couple of balls were up."
Oakland's offense was completely stalled by Cleveland's bullpen after Josh Reddick and Khris Davis hit back-to-back solo homers off Trevor Bauer in the sixth.
Reddick nearly put the Athletics ahead in the ninth, when his fly ball to deep center off closer Cody Allen with two on was caught by Naquin on the warning track to end the game.
Billy Butler gave Oakland a 1-0 lead with a two-out RBI single in the fourth.
ROTATION SWITCH
Oakland left-hander Rich Hill, also the subject of trade rumors, was scratched from Sunday's start because he's still bothered by a blister on the middle finger of his left hand. Right-hander Sonny Gray will start Sunday on his regular turn.
TRAINER'S ROOM
A's: Hill hasn't pitched since July 17, a start in which he threw only five pitches. He could be headed for the 15-day disabled list.
Indians: RHP Jeff Manship (wrist tendinitis) was placed on the15-day DL. RHP Zach McAllister was activated from the DL. He'd been sidelined with a sore right hip.
UP NEXT
A's: LHP Dillon Overton will be recalled from Triple-A Nashville to start Saturday against the Indians. He's 1-1 with an 8.40 ERA in three starts.
Indians: RHP Josh Tomlin (10-3, 3.48 ERA) makes his third career start against Oakland on Saturday. He lost his last start against Baltimore, allowing four runs in six innings.
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