Three’s company
For months, the Oakland Athletics were among baseball’s best offensive teams.
Their baffling, extended hitting slump could cost them a playoff berth if the bats don’t turn around in a hurry.
Jerome Williams beat the A’s for the third time this season with his third different team, and Oakland missed an opportunity to extend its lead in the A.L. wild card race with a 3-0 loss to Philadelphia in Oakland, California on Saturday.
Freddy Galvis hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning against Dan Otero (8-2), and Marlon Byrd added an RBI single in the eighth.
The A’s remained a half-game ahead of Kansas City for the top wild card spot. The Royals lost 3-2 to Detroit earlier Saturday.
“Right now, we know every pitch matters,” Otero said.
Williams (4-2) is the first player since at least 1900 to have at least one win against the same opponent with three different teams in the same season, according to STATS.
He allowed four hits, struck out three and walked one in seven innings. The right-hander was 0-2 with a 4.08 ERA in his previous three starts.
Williams was aided by double plays in the second and fifth innings. He also won against the A’s this year with Houston and Texas.
Tigers 3, Royals 2
Max Scherzer and Detroit won its appeal on a wild play, and Joe Nathan escaped a ninth-inning jam to hold off Kansas City in Kansas City, Missouri, and boost their A.L. Central lead.
The Tigers increased their edge to 2 1/2 games over the Royals. Kansas City sits half a game ahead of Seattle, who lost to Houston.
Scherzer (17-5) outpitched James Shields (14-8). The Royals put two runners on against Nathan, but he retired Nori Aoki and pinch-hitter Raul Ibanez on grounders for his 33th save in 40 tries.
It was 1-all in the sixth when a line drive and a wild throw led to an appeal toss and a pair of umpire discussions that wound up ruling a Royals runner had left third base too soon.
National League
Padres 5, Giants 0
Andrew Cashner pitched brilliantly into the ninth inning and San Diego beat visiting San Francisco to keep the Giants from gaining ground on the N.L. West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Giants remain 3 1/2 games behind the Dodgers, who lost 8-7 at the Chicago Cubs. San Francisco remains one game ahead of Pittsburgh in the race for the top wild-card spot.
Brewers 1, Pirates 0
Elian Herrera sprinted home on Logan Schafer’s sacrifice fly in the ninth inning and Milwaukee edged host Pittsburgh to tighten the race for the second National League wild-card spot.
The Brewers pulled within 3 1/2 games of the Pirates after winning for just the second time in their last 13 road games.
Zach Duke (5-1) picked up the victory after getting the final out of the eighth inning.