Wilson twirls gem for 'Papa Dan'
OAKLAND -- Tyler Wilson had planned on being in Pennsylvania on Sunday night, able to attend the viewing for his wife Chelsea's grandfather, who died last week.
Instead, the Orioles' No. 9 prospect -- who would have been in Lehigh Valley with Triple-A Norfolk -- was recalled by Baltimore and played a starring role in the Orioles' 9-2 win on Monday night. The rookie, went 7 2/3 innings and picked up his first win as a starter on an emotional night.
"The win definitely has a little more of a special meaning for me," Wilson said on the night of Dan O'Neill's funeral. "He was a diehard baseball fan, and I know he enjoyed watching the game somewhere, so it definitely was a little more special.
"I think Papa Dan would have rather had me out here pitching and watching down than being at his funeral."
Video: BAL@OAK: Wilson discusses superb start vs. Athletics
With Baltimore's starters failing to complete five innings in three of its previous four games, Wilson pitched into the eighth and held the A's to two runs on six hits. The 25-year-old worked impressively fast and was economical, needing just 84 pitches to get through the first seven innings.
"Guys like Tyler, who have a great mentality, he's like a bulldog on the mound, and he wants to get after it each and every day," catcher Caleb Joseph said. "It's never going to be for a lack of effort or heart. When he comes in with his good stuff, you are going to get outings like that."
Wilson who turned in a quality start both times the Orioles called his name this year, got into a jam in the fourth inning. After a leadoff single, Ike Davis had a two-out RBI hit and Wilson walked Brett Lawrie. But the righty kept the A's from putting together a big inning by getting Sam Fuld to ground out.
Oakland didn't score again until Stephen Vogt's eighth-inning RBI double, which ended Wilson's night.
"He knows how to win," manager Buck Showalter said of Wilson. "He's athletic. He knows he's not carrying around [plus stuff], but the package. He's got three pitches he can get over the plate. If he can get his feet on the ground early in the game he can make it so guys don't know what's coming and keep it in the ballpark."