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Dismal offense limits Duchscherer, Athletics

Aug 14, 2008 - 6:30 AM By Michael Duca PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- Justin Duchscherer pitched well, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Oakland Athletics' atrocious offense.

Duchscherer allowed three runs but suffered his third straight loss as the Athletics suffered a 3-2 setback to the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday.

The 30-year-old righthander, who ranks second in the American League with a 2.59 ERA, surrendered six hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out a career-high eight. However, Duchscherer (10-8) served up a pair of solo homers in the first two innings, which his offense failed to overcome as it scored four runs or fewer for the 15th straight game - totaling a franchise-worst 32 runs in that span.

"It's difficult to win when you're not getting enough runs," A's manager Bob Geren said. "But guys are working as hard as they can and pitchers are battling."

Former Athletic Carlos Pena started the scoring with one of the longest home runs hit to right field this season in Oakland, stroking his 22nd homer well into the upper tier of bleacher seats. Eric Hinske extended the lead to 2-0 in the second, blasting his 17th homer.

"We just wanted to get a win after losing last night," Hinske said. "Duchscherer was throwing a lot of cutters, moving the ball. He's tough. I hit a back-door cutter and it went out."

The A's tied the game in the fifth off Rays starter Andy Sonnanstine (12-6), who allowed two runs and six hits in six innings, walking one while striking out six.

"I thought Sonny had really good stuff tonight," Maddon said. "Velocity on the fastball, really good break with some depth on his breaking pitch. And I thought he pitched inside better."

Bobby Crosby started the frame with a double off the left field wall before taking third on Jack Hannahan's bloop single to center. Kurt Suzuki walked to load the bases and rookie Eric Patterson grounded the first pitch under Pena's glove at first and into right field, scoring Crosby and Hannahan.

The Rays took the lead for good in the seventh as Hinske led off with his third hit of the night and took second when Hannahan failed to field Gabe Gross' dribbler to third with one out. Rookie Jerry Blevins relieved Duchscherer and Ben Zobrist greeted him with a double inside the bag at third to score rookie Justin Ruggiano, who ran for Hinske.

"Sometimes you make pitches and they just beat you," Duchscherer said. "The one to Hinske wasn't that good. Two solo home runs -- I didn't feel like it was going to beat me. I battled through it, got into the seventh and had a little bit of an unfortunate bounce on the last hitter and that ended up costing us the game."

Zobrist was happy he came through in a clutch spot, particularly after the Rays put Carl Crawford and rookie Evan Longoria on the disabled over the last four days.

"Things aren't going the greatest for us with injuries right now," Zobrist said. "A lot of us who haven't been playing have to step up, and I was able to do that on that at-bat. It felt great."

Two relievers bridged the gap to Troy Percival, who worked around a pair of walks in the ninth to register his 27th save.