A's 5, Reds 0
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Oakland A's right-hander A.J. Griffin put an emphatic end to his three-game losing streak Wednesday, tossing a two-hitter en route to the first shutout and first complete game of his career in a 5-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
Griffin struck out seven and walked two. He threw only 108 pitches, 73 of those strikes.
A's third baseman Josh Donaldson homered for the second straight game against the Reds, launching a three-run shot into the left field seats off Homer Bailey during a four-run rally in the fourth.
The A's swept the two-game series and improved to 7-2 this season in interleague play. They won for the 15th time in their past 16 games at the O.co Coliseum and own the American League's best home record at 24-12.
The Reds lost for the fifth time in the last six games and fell to 1-4 on their eight-game road trip.
Griffin didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning when Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco sent a sinking line drive to shallow center with one out that Chris Young got a glove on but couldn't catch. Griffin got the next hitter, Cesar Izturis, to hit into an inning-ending double play.
In the seventh, Griffin gave up a two-out double to Reds designated hitter Xavier Paul, who launched a shot off the right-field wall, just out of the reach of a leaping Josh Reddick. Griffin struck out Zack Cozart to end that threat.
Griffin's toughest inning was the first when he walked a pair of batters and faced Reds slugger Jay Bruce with just one out. Griffin struck out Bruce and Todd Frazier in order, escaping unscathed.
Bailey gave up four runs on four hits over six innings, as his record fell to 4-6. He struck out seven and walked two.
Bailey blanked the A's on two hits over the first three innings, but they scored four runs in the fourth, stringing four straight hits together, including Donaldson's two-run blast.
Jed Lowrie lined a leadoff single to left, moved to second on Yoenis Cespedes' single to left and scored on Brandon Moss' double off the right-field wall, giving the A's a 1-0 lead.
Waiting to see if Bruce would catch the fly ball, Lowrie got a late jump, and the Reds nearly nailed him at home plate. Lowrie slid head-first past the plate but never touched it with his outstretched hand. As Lowrie scrambled back, Mesoraco lunged to tag him but the ball popped loose.
Donaldson sent Bailey's next pitch, a slider, into the left-field seats for a three-run homer, putting Oakland ahead 4-0.
The A's added a run in the seventh when Eric Sogard doubled with one out and scored on pinch hitter Nate Freiman's double.
NOTES: A's center fielder Coco Crisp was out of the starting line because he had to deal with a "family issue" that kept him away from the Coliseum until after the game was underway, A's manager Bob Melvin said. According to Melvin, the issue was resolved and was not an emergency. Melvin said he knew Tuesday night that Crisp would miss the start of Wednesday's game. Crisp joined his teammates in the dugout early in the game and was available to play but didn't make an appearance. ... Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips missed his second straight game while on paternity leave. He's expected to rejoin the Reds for their next game on Friday at Texas. ... Young struck out four times, going 0-for-4. ... A's catcher Stephen Vogt went 0-for-3 and is now 0-for-31 for his career.
