Athletics:  3  Tigers:  1

There was no offensive explosion in Oakland today, but the A’s didn’t need 11 runs to win (not that they did yesterday either) because Brandon McCarthy was on tonight.  The team has now at least guaranteed they split the 4-game series and will finish this home stand at least 1 game over .500.

Lines of the Day:

• Brandon McCarthy:  7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 10 SO. Apparently Brandon McCarthy was not kidding when he said he was feeling better because he had his best game of the season tonight.  After going 0-3 in his first 5 starts of the season he has now won 3 straight in his last 3 starts and has only allowed 3 earned runs in his last 20.2 innings pitched.
• Jemile Weeks:  2 AB, 2 H, 1 R.  There was really no offensive stand outs today, but Weeks was the only player to have a multi-hit day.  Weeks did have to be pulled from the game after he rolled his ankle running out of the batters box and right now not a lot is known about his injury.

I am skipping the “Ugly Lines of the Day” because the only thing ugly going on in Oakland right now is the injury bug.

• Yoenis Cespedes has been placed on the DL retroactive May, 7th.  Cespedes was expected to be back in the lineup today, but during batting practice he was still experiencing pain in his hand.  Josh Donaldson has been recalled from Triple-A Sacramento to replace him.
• Before tonight’s game Bob Melvin announced that Kurt Suzuki was dropped to the 9th spot because he also is dealing with a sore left hand and he would like for Kurt to see as little at bats as possible.  (Suzuki was eventually moved up because of the late scratch of Cespedes and Ka’aihue)
• Kila Ka’aihue was a last minute scratch from the lineup because of a hamstring injury that apparently happened last night while he was running the bases.  As of right now the injury is not thought to be serious.
• Although he was pulled from the game with an ankle injury in the 4th, Jemile Weeks tells Susan Slusser he believes he will be able to play tomorrow.  I personally don’t see this happening, nor would I really want it to, but at least it sounds like this is an injury that won’t land him on the DL.

A’s Extras:

• Ryan Cook pitched another clean inning tonight for Oakland, he allowed 1 walk and struck out 1.
• Brian Fuentes collected his 2nd save of the season tonight.  It wasn’t a clean save for him as he allowed a double, a wild pitch and a run, but after the game Bob Melvin announced him as the new closer.
• Brandon Inge did not hit a home run today nor did he have 4 RBI, but he did go 0-3 with a walk.

For more on the Detroit Tigers please visit Motown Lowdown.