A's 5-game win streak halted; Colon injured
The Oakland A's had their five-game winning streak halted in a 2-1 loss to the Padres in Oakland on Sunday, and the A's also may have lost pitcher Bartolo Colon, who left the game in the top of the third inning with a strained right oblique.
Colon came off the mound to field Alexi Amarista's sacrifice bunt in the third inning. He threw wildly to first base, and the error allowed runners to advance to second and third.
Colon (6-7) said via interpreter Ariel Prieto that he was injured while going to get the ball, and he knew right away he would have to come out because "it feels bad." He said he had a similar oblique injury on the opposite side in 1999, and that injury caused him to miss 28 games.
The results of an MRI on Monday will determine whether Colon has to miss any time as a result of this injury, but Colon seems likely to be placed on the disabled list.
A's manager Bob Melvin said Saturday's starter Tyson Ross could be a candidate to re-join the team if Colon is out for an extended period.
Pedro Figueroa, who was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento before the game, relieved Colon Sunday and allowed a fielder's choice grounder to Will Venable that scored a run and gave San Diego a 1-0 lead in the third inning.
Padres starter Clayton Richard (4-7) pitched 7 2/3 innings of shutout ball, yielding just five hits and two walks while striking out six. Richard is 3-2 with a 2.66 ERA over his last seven starts. Last Tuesday, he limited the Mariners to one run on eight hits over seven innings.
"He threw a great game," Padres manager Bud Black told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "It's all about setting the tone early . . . all about throwing fastballs in good spots. He set the tone from the first inning on. Fastballs down. Fastballs up in the right situations."
Richard gave a lot of credit to catcher Nick Hundley.
"Nick did the best job handling me today since we've been together," Richard told the Union -Tribune. "He took the pressure off. I threw it where Nick called it. Give him credit. Nick is incredibly important to what I do. I can't stress that enough, it's so important to have the catcher in tune with what you want to do."
After Oakland's Jonny Gomes got a two-out single in the eighth inning, Richard was replaced by Huston Street, who struck out Brandon Inge to end the inning.
The Padres added a run in the top of the ninth. Carlos Quentin doubled off A's reliever Jerry Blevins, and Logan Forsythe ran for Quentin. Forsythe got to third on a sacrifice bunt, then scored when Ryan Cook unleashed a wild pitch.
Street issued two walks in the bottom of the ninth, and Coco Crisp delivered a two-out, RBI single to cut the lead to 2-1, but with runners at first and third, Street struck out Jemile Weeks to end the game and record his eighth save.
"Fastball inside," Weeks told CSN Bay Area. "I don't usually swing through fastballs I can hit. Disappointing. As a player, I feel like I'm one of the best out there on the field. So to not come through or at least put the ball in play, it's frustrating."
NOTES: The A's optioned Ross back to Triple-A Sacramento on Sunday. Ross allowed just one hit -- a home run by Quentin -- over six innings and received a no-decision in Oakland's 6-4 win Saturday. Ross was starting in place of Brandon McCarthy, who had been sidelined with shoulder soreness but is expected to rejoin the rotation on Tuesday. . . . Figueroa was called up from Triple-A Sacramento, giving the A's a full complement of seven relievers again. Figueroa has a 1.96 ERA in 12 minor league outings, and he did not allow a homer in 18 1/3 innings. In an earlier stint with Oakland, Figueroa had a 2.00 ERA but walked nine men in nine innings. . . . RHP Evan Scribner, who earned his first career save on Friday, was demoted to Triple-A Sacramento on Saturday . . .Infielder Eric Sogard was recalled on Saturday to be the A's backup infielder. Sogard was batting .304 in 18 games at Triple-A Sacramento. In his first stint with Oakland, he hit .136 in 21 games. . . .Infielder Adam Rosales was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento on Saturday in order to get more at-bats. The backup infielder was batting .164 with no extra-base hits with Oakland. . . .1B Kila Ka'aihue, designated for assignment on June 6, cleared waivers and was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento on Saturday.
