BALTIMORE -- A's right-hander Paul Blackburn was forced out of what was shaping up to be an excellent start against the Orioles on Tuesday night after getting drilled by a Trey Mancini comebacker in the fifth inning.
Blackburn at least received good news while his teammates finished off a 6-4 victory, with X-rays coming back negative on his bruised pitching hand and arm.
"Hopefully, we dodged a bullet," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "No fracture, so we'll see how he is the next couple of days."
Blackburn is hopeful of making his next start, and he could be helped along by the extra rest afforded by the A's decision to call up right-hander Daniel Gossett for Wednesday's start in Baltimore. Oakland's other starters have been pushed back a day, in addition to a built-in off-day Thursday.
Blackburn had yielded just two other hits by the time Mancini stepped to the plate to lead off the fifth, holding Baltimore scoreless in that span. He was immediately tended to by a trainer, who accompanied him off the field.
"When I was out there, I couldn't move it, I couldn't squeeze, nothing," Blackburn said. "It did not feel good at all. I'm just glad it's not broken."
Right-hander Simon Castro was summoned from the bullpen to pitch in place of Blackburn, tossing two innings to pick up his first big league win since 2015. Castro allowed two hits, including a two-run homer to Manny Machado in the sixth.
Worth noting
• A's shortstop Marcus Semien was held out of Tuesday's lineup after exiting Monday's series opener with scar tissue irritation in his surgically repaired right wrist. Semien could potentially return for Wednesday's finale, or be rested through Thursday's off-day.