CLEVELAND — The Oakland A’s didn’t have much success slowing down the Cleveland Guardians’ offense late last month when the two teams met for a four-game season-opening series at Coliseum.
That proved to be the case again Friday, as the A’s gave up five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and never recovered in a 10-2 loss to the Guardians to open a 10-game road trip matches.
Starter Joe Boyle allowed a two-run homer to Tyler Freeman in the second inning and Steven Kwan and Andrés Giménez both drove in two runs in the fifth as the A’s fell to 1-4 in games against the Guardians this season. In those games, Oakland was outscored 39-13.
Cleveland starter Triston McKenzie (2-2) slowed the A’s by allowing one run in five innings and striking out a season-high six. The right-hander had just five strikeouts in his first three starts after missing much of last season with a sprained elbow.
Josh Naylor added a solo homer and Estevan Florial had a career-best three hits for the Guardians, who have won five of their last six and have the best record in the AL Central at 14-6. It’s Cleveland’s best start since 1999.
A’s third baseman Abraham Toro hit his first career home run and Brent Rooker added a homer in the ninth off Scott Barlow. Oakland is 7-5 after starting the year with seven losses in eight games.
Boyle (1-3) made his fourth start, allowing seven runs in six innings. The Cleveland resident walked four and allowed five hits.
In the fifth, Boyle walked twice as the Guardians loaded the bases. Kwan doubled for two before Giménez’s single scored two more.
“Other than the fifth, I thought I was pretty solid and efficient,” Boyle said. “Without those walks in the fifth, it’s a different outing.”
Freeman’s wind-aided homer hooked inside the right foul pole, scoring Will Brennan to give Cleveland a 2-1 lead in the second. Josh Naylor hit a solo shot against Kyle Muller in the eighth.
The Guardians opened the game with five runs in the fifth, highlighted by Kwan’s two-run double. Giménez followed with a two-run single and came home on a hit by José Ramírez.
“There was some weak contact, but again it was the walks and free bases that really killed Joe tonight and led to that fifth inning and us being behind,” said A’s manager Mark Kotsay. “I sent him back for the sixth. That’s part of that development, always wanting to get him back on the field and see how he bounces back after that tough inning.
“He bounced back in sixth grade but that’s part of that maturation process. When you have a few guys on base, you just try to slow the game down, and it just keeps growing.
Oakland began a 10-game road trip that included series with the Yankees and Orioles. The A’s will play another 10-game road streak from May 10-19.
TRAINERS ROOM
Athletics: OF Brent Rooker (rib cage cartilage) was activated from the injured list after missing nine games, entering as a pinch hitter in the sixth. Manager Mark Kotsay said he would start on Saturday.
Guardians: RHP Gavin Williams (right elbow inflammation), who has been on the IL since March 25, is expected to pitch three innings in a simulated game Saturday in Goodyear, Arizona.
FOLLOWING
A’s LHP Alex Wood (0-1, 8.10 ERA) has the third-highest ERA in the majors among pitchers with at least 15 innings. He also allows the third-highest OPS at 1.042. He’ll face Guardians LHP Logan Allen (2-0, 5.06 ERA), who beat Oakland and Seattle in his first two starts but has allowed nine runs in 9 2/3 innings in his last two outings.
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