CLEVELAND – The A’s winless road trip against the Rays and Guardians ended with a two-hour, five-minute rain delay preceding a game in which the only run scored came on a disputed play that got manager Mark Kotsay tossed.
There’s that old joke, “Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?” But in this case, the A’s rough road swing really did have a significant silver lining in the form of right-hander Jack Perkins.
After turning in his best start of the season in Tampa Bay, Perkins was a tough-luck loser in Sunday’s 1-0 loss at Progressive Field. Yes, he did technically give up the only run. And yes, it was technically an earned run – the only one he allowed in 12 2/3 total innings in his two starts on the trip.
But let’s just say Kotsay had every reason to be upset with the call. And Perkins had every right to feel good about the progress he’s made of late.
“It's been a real year that's tested my maturity from that mental standpoint, and I feel like I've just done a great job of continuing to learn, grow, evolve and make the adjustments that need be made,” Perkins said. “I think we're kind of seeing that these last two starts.”
OK, let’s get the story of Sunday’s lone run out of the way.
It was the fourth inning. After Guardians star José Ramírez doubled and advanced to third on a flyout, Jo Adell sent a little bouncer to the right-hand side just in front of the plate. Perkins charged in on the ball as Ramírez charged home.
With no play at the plate, Perkins fired to first, but his throw struck Adell in the back.
“It’s unfortunate,” said Perkins, “because I felt like I made a great pitch, and it's unfortunate that the one run that scored was on a ball that went three feet in front of the plate.”
Here’s the problem: Adell ran inside the baseline, with his left foot touching the infield grass just before he reached the bag. Kotsay had a gripe that Adell should have been called for runner’s interference, in which case he would have been called out and Ramírez would have been returned to third.
Alas, the play, which is considered an umpire’s judgment, is not reviewable. Kotsay was ejected for arguing it.
“Tough, tough play,” Kotsay said. “Anytime there's a judgment call, you're gonna have a disagreement, and, unfortunately, we didn't end up on the right side of that call.”
There would be more frustration in the seventh, when Lawrence Butler swiped second to put the tying run in scoring position, only for his steal to be overturned by a replay review, ending the inning. And more in the eighth, when the A’s had runners at second and third with one out but couldn’t get them across. Oh, and Zack Gelof twice hit fly balls that, had the wind not been blowing in, might have altered the outcome.
In other words, when it rains, it pours. Even after the real rain clears.
But Perkins’ pitching was a pick-me-up on an otherwise upsetting trip. Combined across 12 2/3 innings in his two starts, he allowed one earned run, one unearned run, nine hits and one walk while striking out 12. The former top prospect, who pitched to a 6.53 ERA in his first 34 appearances this season, is starting to look more like a rotation keeper. In this outing, his six-pitch mix befuddled a Cleveland lineup that had been running hot. He had them chasing his changeup.
“There’s definitely a different demeanor about him,” Kotsay said. “He has the stuff, the capabilities to pitch here at the big league level and have success. I think he's opened up that mindset, the mentality now that he's gonna attack, throw strikes and his stuff's good enough.”
For Perkins, it comes down to not letting mistakes spiral.
“Giving up a hit or a double or whatever, like, you can still manage the situation,” he said. “You can give your team a chance to win.”
The A’s didn’t win on this trip. They haven’t won much this year. They have six games left on their season-ending homestand that begins Tuesday against the Angels, and they have to win at least two of them to avoid the dreaded 100-loss mark.
But on a team searching for positives, Perkins has perked up.