Manaea, A's Hand D-Backs 19th Straight Road Loss, 4-0
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Sean Manaea pitched six innings of two-hit ball, and the Oakland Athletics handed Arizona its 19th straight road loss with a 4-0 victory over the Diamondbacks on Wednesday.
Mark Canha had two hits and two RBIs for Oakland, and Jed Lowrie finished with three hits. The AL West leaders won for the sixth time in seven games.
The Diamondbacks dropped their seventh straight game overall. Their road slide is the longest such streak in major league baseball since 1985.
Manaea (5-2) extended his scoreless streak to 15 innings. He struck out three and walked two in his second straight win.
"He pitched great," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "They made him throw a few pitches, the first couple of innings especially, but I was really impressed with how he kept his velo up all the way through the end of the game. In the last inning, I think he threw his hardest pitch."
Added Manaea: "I'd say my changeup was pretty good today. I threw a couple of good sliders, not as many as I would like as far as strikeout pitches, but I think backdoor sliders were pretty good today."
Oakland jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning. Canha hit a two-run triple and scored on Lowrie's single.
Arizona center fielder Ketel Marte nearly made a spectacular catch on Canha's hit, but the ball bounced out of his glove following a collision with the wall. The ruling was upheld by a replay review.
"I had the ball for about three or four seconds, also three or four steps," Marte said through a translator. "That's why I think it should have been called an out."
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo disagreed, giving the umpires credit for the proper call.
"I could see that the ball was never secured in his glove and it was kind of sliding out at a very early point in that contact with the wall," Lovullo said. "So the umpires got it right."
Arizona right-hander Matt Peacock left with two out in the second after taking a comebacker off his pitching hand, resulting in a contusion. X-rays were negative.
Peacock (2-3) was charged with three runs and three hits.
The A's added an insurance run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Matt Olson, who leads the team with 41 RBIs.
After Manaea departed, Yusmeiro Petit, Lou Trivino and Jake Diekman each worked a hitless inning for Oakland.
A DECADE AT THE HELM
Wednesday marked the 10-year anniversary of Melvin becoming the A's manager. Melvin is 804-714 with Oakland, leading the franchise in managerial victories. He is currently the longest-tenured manager in the majors.
ROSTER MOVE
The Athletics reinstated left-hander Reymin Guduan (strained right groin) from the 10-day injured list and designated him for assignment. Guduan, 29, had a 6.28 ERA in 11 appearances out of the Oakland bullpen.
"He had a great spring for us," Melvin said. "He throws 95 mph and he's got a really sharp breaking ball. It's being consistent at the big league level that's going to kind of tell the tale where his big league career goes. But he has all the ability in the world."
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks: After a day off Thursday, RHP Merrill Kelly (2-6, 5.12 ERA) opens a three-game series against the Angels on Friday night in Arizona. Kelly has lost his last four decisions.
Athletics: RHP Frankie Montas (6-5, 4.52 ERA) takes the mound Thursday night as Oakland welcomes Kansas City for a four-game series. Montas is 2-0 with a 1.62 ERA in three career outings against the Royals.
