DETROIT -- Journeyman Edwin Jackson was back in business Monday, making the first start of his 16th season with his Major League record-tying 13th team.
Toeing the slab in green and gold, Jackson gave the A's six solid innings, holding the Tigers to a lone run. And his new teammates -- the well-traveled pitcher has had more than 700 big league teammates -- responded with a late-inning push, erasing a three-run deficit for a 5-4 series-opening win at Comerica Park.

The 34-year-old Jackson struck out seven and didn't walk a batter. Six baserunners were stranded under his watch, underscoring the work of a savvy vet.
"I've seen Edwin Jackson a long time, been playing against him forever I feel like, so I was pretty familiar with his stuff, just from a hitting standpoint," catcher Jonathan Lucroy said. "This guy is an innings-eater, he throws strikes, fills the zone up, attacks guys, knows exactly what he's doing. He's very experienced out there on the mound, and did a great job today."

Franklin Barreto's game-tying double highlighted a three-run eighth, and Jed Lowrie put Oakland on top with a solo homer in the ninth, setting the stage for Blake Treinen's 18th save.

"That was a great team effort," Jackson said. "It's a lot of fun pitching in games like this, where I'm kind of the new guy and you want to set a good first impression."
Stephen Piscotty also homered to tie the game at one run apiece in the seventh, extending the A's streak of consecutive road games with a home run to an ongoing Major League record 26 games. Right-hander Lou Trivino served up a go-ahead, three-run homer in the home half of the inning to Nicholas Castellanos, before the A's rallied in the eighth.

"We've seen it. Our best at-bats come late in games," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "I've said it often. It's a little demoralizing when all of a sudden one of your best pitchers gives up a three-run homer and you're down by three, but they kept grinding out at-bats and fought through it."
Jackson began the season in Washington's organization but opted out of his Minor League contract on June 1 in favor of one with the A's, whose injury-depleted rotation has left them desperate for arms. Already, they've handed out starting assignments to 12 pitchers, most in the Majors among teams other than the Rays (13), who have adopted the unorthodox practice of starting relievers.

Jackson made three starts with Triple-A Nashville before being summoned by the A's for his 289th career start, allowing him to tie Octavio Dotel's record for most teams. The right-hander was equally efficient as he was effective, totaling 80 pitches.
"For most guys, it's tough to go to a new team in the middle of the season," Melvin said. "There's going to be some nerves and some uncomfortableness being with a new team, but this is probably the last guy you worry about that."

"It's always good to be wanted," Jackson said. "When I can't find a team that wants to bring me in, then I guess it'll be time to shut it down. But until then, I like to come out, I like to compete, I like to have fun, and I feel like I still have something left in me and that I can bring value to a team. I'm just planning on having fun right now."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Seeds of a rally: Khris Davis was hit by a pitch to open the eighth inning, and Piscotty belted a double for his third hit of the day to put runners on second and third, paving the way for Marcus Semien's sacrifice fly and back-to-back RBI knocks from Lucroy and Barreto to tie the game. Piscotty is hitting .329 with seven doubles, four homers and 16 RBIs over his last 22 games.

SOUND SMART
Monday marked the eighth anniversary of Jackson's no-hitter with the D-backs. It was a wild affair against the Rays: the right-hander walked eight batters and threw 149 pitches en route to history.
"I didn't know until this morning, when my wife told me," Jackson said. "She said, 'You know you threw your no-hitter today.' That's one of those great games that coincidentally I get to pitch on the day I threw a no-hitter eight years ago." More >

HE SAID IT
"I try to be young once a week." -- Jackson, who hit 97 mph
UP NEXT
The A's will send right-hander Frankie Montas (4-1, 2.41 ERA) to the mound for Tuesday's 4:10 p.m. PT matchup with the host Tigers, who will counter with lefty Blaine Hardy (3-1, 3.30) in the second of this four-game set. Montas has held opponents to two runs or fewer in four of his five starts since being promoted from Triple-A Nashville on May 27.