Offense goes quiet for Athletics in 2-0 loss to Rockies

Oakland managed just five hits in the game.

Luis Medina pitched well again, but the Oakland Athletics were unable to generate any offense in a 2-0 loss to the Colorado Rockies.

Ezequiel Tovar reached on an error to start the game, but Medina got Ryan McMahon to ground into a double play and then struck out Randal Grichuk to end the inning.

C.J. Cron started the second with a double off Medina, but he was left at first as Medina struck out Michael Toglia and Harold Castro to leave him stranded.

The Rockies scratched across a run in the third. Medina hit Austin Wynns with one out in the third. He moved to second on a balk and McMahon made them pay with a single to left to make it 1-0.

While the A’s offense was unable to get anything going early, Medina kept them in the game. He allowed a one-out single to Nolan Jones in the fourth. Jones moved to second on a wild pitch, but Medina got Toglia to pop out and then struck out Castro again for the third out.

The Rockies extended the lead against Medina in the fifth as Tovar and McMahon hit back-to-back doubles to increase the lead to 2-0.

Rockies starter Ty Blach came into the game having now pitched more than three innings in any of his appearances this season. He held Oakland to just three hits and a walk over five innings to start the game.

Medina came back out to start the sixth and got Cron to ground out to start the inning. he then allowed a single to Jones and was quickly replaced by Sam Moll. Jones stole second, but Moll struck out Toglia and pinch-hitter Alan Trejo to strand yet another base runner in scoring position.

Medina was solid again although he didn’t get any run support. He allowed six hits and two runs over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out six and most impressively, didn’t walk a batter.

The A’s threatened in the seventh against Rockies’ reliever Brent Suter. Ramon Laureano singled with one out. After a strikeout by Shea Langeliers, Tyler Soderstrom singled to put runners at first and second. Aledmys Diaz then walked to load the bases. However, Nick Allen was called out on strikes by a pitch that appeared to be high and outside the zone to end the rally.

After Austin Pruitt worked a scoreless seventh, the A’s got the leadoff man on as Tony Kemp worked a walk against Daniel Bard. Bard came back and struck out Zack Gelof for the first out before Brent Rooker just missed a game-tying home run on a fly out to left center. Mark Kotsay sent Seth Brown to the plate to pinch-hit, but Kemp was thrown out trying to steal on the first pitch Brown saw for the final out of the inning.

Angel Felipe issued back-to-back walks to Grichuk and Cron in the eighth, but got Jones to fly out and Toglia to strike out again to keep the deficit at two. The A’s went down in order in the ninth to end the game.

Oakland managed just five hits on the afternoon and left seven men on base. They miss out on an opportunity to record their second sweep of the season and fall to 30-77. The A’s will enjoy an off day on Monday before continuing their road trip with a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.