Paul Blackburn allowed only four hits in 6 2/3 innings, Tony Kemp hit his first home run of the season, and the visiting Oakland Athletics snapped a nine-game losing streak by blanking the slumping Detroit Tigers, 2-0, on Monday.
Blackburn (4-0) walked none and struck out three. His season ERA dropped to 1.74 ERA with another stellar performance.
Dany Jimenez struck out three in the ninth while recording his fifth save. Jimenez has not allowed an earned run in 12 appearances.
Zach Jackson bridged the gap by recording four outs, including a pair of strikeouts.
Chad Pinder knocked in the other run for Oakland.
Detroit starter Michael Pineda gave up two runs on six hits and struck out four in 6 2/3 innings. The Tigers were shut out for the second consecutive game while losing their sixth straight. Rony Garcia didn’t allow a baserunner while pitching the last two innings for the Tigers.
Austin Meadows was the only Tigers player to notch an extra-base hit. Detroit is 1-for-33 with runners in scoring position over the last five games.
Javier Baez and manager A.J. Hinch were ejected for arguing balls and strikes in the ninth inning.
Kevin Smith hit a two-out triple in the second but Pineda left him stranded by inducing Elvin Andrus to pop out.
Kemp gave Oakland the lead in the next inning with his one-out homer to right.
The A’s made it 2-0 in the fourth. Sean Murphy led off with a double to left, advanced to third on a long fly out and scored on Pinder’s single up the middle.
Meadows hit a two-out double in the bottom of the inning but third baseman Smith snared Jonathan Schoop’s liner to keep the Tigers off the board.
Oakland left two baserunners stranded in the fifth when Pineda struck out Ramon Laureano.
In the ninth, Jimenez issued walks to Robbie Grossman and Meadows, sandwiching a pair of strikeouts. Schoop then struck out, ending the game.
The teams will play a doubleheader on Tuesday as part of a rare five-game series.
–Field Level Media