Pomeranz gives A's a much-needed gem

OAKLAND -- A seven-inning performance from lefty Drew Pomeranz was perhaps unexpected, but very much needed for a reeling A's club on Tuesday night against the Red Sox.

Pomeranz entered the day having completed more than six innings just six times in 46 career starts. And the southpaw responded with seven innings of two-run ball to help the A's snap a six-game losing streak with a 9-2 win over Boston.

"We needed him to go seven innings tonight," said A's manager Bob Melvin, whose bullpen has been overworked of late.

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"Sometimes his confidence goes the other way and he starts taking a little more time, it kind of snowballs on him," Melvin said. "But today, he was trying to pick up the pace, he was trying to throw the ball over the middle of the plate and let his stuff work, and as the game went along you could see the confidence grow and grow."

Pomeranz allowed just four hits and didn't walk a batter, after issuing five free passes in his previous start, and struck out three in the win -- his first since April 10, when he tossed seven shutout innings in his season debut.

In the five starts that followed, the southpaw went 0-3 with a 6.57 ERA.

"You can't let freebies on like that and score, it's pretty frustrating when you do that," said Pomeranz. "My goal was to go out and throw strikes, not put those guys on."