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A's dominate Giants again

Jul 9, 2014 - 6:08 AM Oakland, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Sonny Gray piled up eight strikeouts in a seven-inning performance, and the Oakland Athletics beat the San Francisco Giants, 6-1, in the second edition of the Bay Bridge Series.

The A's, who won 5-0 on Monday and have the best record (57-33) in baseball, tied a season-best with their sixth straight victory. They have also won 11 of their last 12 at home.

Gray (9-3) allowed six hits, including a seventh-inning homer to Tyler Colvin, but won his third consecutive decision. His effort put the stamp on another great pitching performance from the rotation. A's starters have allowed one run or less and tossed at least six innings in each of the last six games, the longest streak in Oakland history.

Oakland's first four runs came in the third inning off Madison Bumgarner. Nick Punto stroked an RBI double, while Coco Crisp, Yoenis Cespedes and Derek Norris had run-scoring base hits.

Bumgarner (9-7), a 2014 All-Star, was charged with 10 hits and six runs over seven-plus frames and lost his third straight start. The lefty also had a five-game road winning streak broken, as Bumgarner suffered his first such defeat since April 22 at Colorado.

"Overall I thought he threw well. Just the one inning got him. They got some key hits and we couldn't," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.

The Giants, losers in nine of their last 12 overall, have dropped 11 of their last 13 at the Coliseum. They have also lost 13 of their last 15 road games against American League teams.

This series shifts to San Francisco for games Wednesday and Thursday. Jason Hammel, who was acquired from the Cubs over the weekend, makes his A's debut Wednesday while Matt Cain (1-7), winless since May 15, counters for the Giants. The Giants have had a big advantage over the years at home against the A's, winning 12 of the last 14 in San Francisco.

"It's always been a rivalry. You can't help to feel a little extra something going on," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "I do think the players feel it too. We have two good teams in the area."

Gray, who had five strikeouts over the first two innings, escaped a jam with runners at the corners in the second by fanning Joe Panik and Brandon Crawford.

The A's put together five hits in the third. Jed Lowrie singled on a ball that landed between Panik and right fielder Hunter Pence. One out later, Punto delivered his double down the left-field line. Crisp lined a single to center for a 2-0 lead and then stole third before scoring on a Cespedes bloop that fell between three Giants in center. Josh Donaldson walked prior to Norris hitting a bouncer into left field to account for a 4-0 margin.

Gray got out of a 1st-and-2nd jam in the fifth, but Colvin belted a leadoff homer two innings later.

Luke Gregerson gave up a walk and a single in the eighth, but got out of the inning unscathed thanks to retiring Pablo Sandoval and Michael Morse.

Oakland tacked on two runs in the bottom portion. Nate Freiman doubled in a run, went to third on a Jean Machi balk before scoring on Alberto Callaspo's single to right-center. Machi was ejected by home plate umpire Angel Hernandez at the conclusion of the inning.

Game Notes

Before the game, it was announced Cespedes will defend his Home Run Derby crown. He was one of three players picked Tuesday by American League derby captain Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays with the others being Orioles outfielder Adam Jones and Twins second baseman Brian Dozier ... The A's, who swept a six-game homestand, improved to 9-1 in interleague play this year ... Oakland also won six straight May 7-13 ... The Giants went 0-for-9 with men in scoring position and stranded eight runners ... Pablo Sandoval returned to the San Francisco lineup after leaving Saturday's game in San Diego with a left elbow contusion ... The 57 wins are the most ever for the A's before the All- Star Break ... Oakland's Craig Gentry was caught stealing in the fifth inning. That snapped a streak of 28 consecutive steals without a caught stealing. He also snapped a 40-game streak without an extra base hit, the longest such stretch by an Oakland player since Matt Alexander (55 games, 1975-1977).