Sonny shines with shutout of Dodgers
LOS ANGELES -- Sonny Gray tossed a shutout and Josh Reddick added a solo home run to give the A's a 2-0 win over the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night.
For Gray (11-4) it was his second shutout in his last four starts. He surrendered only three hits and he struck out nine. Gray lowered his AL-leading ERA to 2.17 and kept the Dodgers off-balance with his combination of fastball, curveball and slider.
"I feel like throwing strikes was the key tonight," Gray said. "That was the gameplan going in, and then just being able to execute the fastball to both sides. My slider was better than it has been, too, but just getting ahead was huge."
Brett Anderson earned a quality start but was awarded with the tough-luck loss. He threw seven innings, allowing five hits and two runs with two strikeouts. Anderson, who was a member of the A's from 2009-13, allowed the home run to Reddick on an inside fastball in the seventh.
"It was actually the best fastball I threw all game to him," Anderson said. "I had thrown a bunch of crappy offspeed stuff before that and finally executed one in. It was probably a better pitch than I wanted it and it sunk right into his barrel."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Sonny sizzles: Needing a boost after watching three key players (Scott Kazmir, Tyler Clippard and Ben Zobrist) depart via trade in a week's time, the A's got just that from their ace. Gray stifled the Dodgers, holding them to three hits with nine strikeouts in his fourth career shutout. He also collected his first big league hit, singling to lead off the eighth. More >
Video: OAK@LAD: Gray singles for first big league hit
Tested early: Anderson was removed from his last start with an Achilles injury and he said his Achilles was still a little sore during the start. In the first inning, he couldn't get over to first base to complete a 3-6-1 double play. The next hitter, Billy Butler, drove in a run with an RBI groundout to give the A's an early lead. More >
"He's always a little ginger getting to first," manager Don Mattingly said. "He was really good moving around. He didn't have too many issues."
Video: OAK@LAD: Anderson holds A's to two runs over seven
Ending the rallies: The Dodgers had a runner in scoring position in two situations during the game, only for Gray to respond with a strikeout to get out of the frame. After a two-out double from Adrian Gonzalez, Gray struck out Yasmani Grandal to end the fourth inning. In the seventh, with Howie Kendrick on second base, Gray got Grandal to line out to shortstop, then he induced a strikeout from Yasiel Puig.
Video: OAK@LAD: Ethier shows frustration after lining out
Reddick delivers: Getting a rare start against a left-hander, not to mention one that doubles as his former teammate, Reddick responded with a three-hit night, falling a triple short of the cycle with his 13th home run of the season. It marked his sixth game of the season with at least three hits.
"It was special for me," Reddick said. "I haven't really had that opportunity. I just saw Brett up and, with the home run, I was sitting two-seamer in and he tried to go in and left it in the middle."
Video: OAK@LAD: Reddick goes deep to extend A's lead
UNDER FURTHER REVIEW
In the top of the sixth inning, the Dodgers challenged the call on the field of a successful stolen base by Marcus Semien. As Semien was sliding into third base, his front leg was elevated off the ground and didn't touch the base. After the review, the call was overturned and Semien was ruled out to end the inning.
Video: OAK@LAD: After review, Grandal nabs Semien at third
WHAT'S NEXT
A's: Right-hander Jesse Chavez, who has a 5.04 ERA over his last nine starts after posting a 2.38 ERA in his first eight, will be on the mound at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday when the A's close out a two-game Interleague Series against the Dodgers. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. PT.
Dodgers: The Dodgers finish this two-game series with Clayton Kershaw on the mound. While his teammate Zack Greinke had his scoreless streak snapped at 45 2/3 innings, Kershaw is at 29 straight innings without allowing a run. He's thrown shutouts in two of his last three starts.
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