Joe Boyle pitched into the fourth in his second appearance of the spring.
Joe Boyle turned in a solid effort in his second spring appearance, but the Oakland Athletics came up short Thursday in a 5-3 loss to the San Diego Padres.
Boyle retired the side in order in the first including a strikeout of Padres catcher Luis Campusano. Zack Gelof then staked the A’s to an early lead with a solo shot in the first inning.
Boyle allowed a leadoff single to Kyle Higashioka in the second, but induced an inning-ending double play to get out of the inning. He added another strikeout in a perfect third and then came back out for the fourth. Boyle retired Jackson Merrill on a ground out, but Tyler Wade reached on an error by Nick Allen. Campusano followed with a double to the gap that scored Wade that tied the game.
Gerson Moreno replaced Boyle and allowed a double to Higashioka that put the Padres in front 2-1. A wild pitch, ground out and walk followed. Graham Pauley then sent one into the gap in center for a two-run triple to push San Diego’s lead to 4-1.
Boyle was the story over the early part of the game. He allowed two hits and two runs, but just one was earned. He struck out two in 3 1⁄3 innings and didn’t walk a batter which is significant given the amount of control issues he had while advancing through the minors.
The A’s answered back in the home half of the fourth. Miguel Andujar singled with one out and then moved all the way to third on a double by Lawrence Butler. Andujar scored on a ground out by Abraham Toro to make it 4-2. Carlos Perez brought home another run with a double to make it 4-3.
Dany Jimenez added a strikeout in a perfect fifth. Joey Estes entered in the sixth and worked around a two out walk. He returned for the seventh and allowed a run-scoring single to Mason McCoy that extended the deficit to 5-3. Gerardo Reyes and Vinny Nittoli worked scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth.
The A’s will be back in action on Friday when they take on the Kansas City Royals. Alex Wood will get the start for the A’s with Kyle Muller and Mason Miller among the others also expected to pitch.