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Duchscherer, six-run seventh help A's sweep Tigers

Jun 5, 2008 - 12:23 AM By Ryan Leong PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- Justin Duchscherer pitched 6 2/3 innings and rookie Carlos Gonzalez hit a three-run double as the Oakland Athletics completed a three-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers with a 10-2 victory on Wednesday.

Bobby Crosby added a two-run double and Travis Buck homered for Oakland, which pounded out 15 hits en route to its fourth straight win.

"It's great to win anytime, good stuff, bad stuff," Duchscherer said. "We came out and we swung the bats well and put up some runs, so anytime we put up some runs, it's great."

Carlos Guillen had an RBI single for Detroit, which has lost five of six.

Duchscherer (5-4) allowed two runs and three hits, walking five and striking out three.

The Tigers have been scuffling all season, and Wednesday was no exception. Nate Robertson (3-6) surrendered eight hits and five runs in 6 1/3 innings but deserved a better fate.

"He was OK today," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "He certainly wasn't bad."

Trailing, 4-2, in the seventh, Detroit blew a golden opportunity with runners on second and third and only one out. Duchscherer struck out Ryan Raburn before lefthanded reliever Alan Embree came on to get Curtis Granderson to fly out to right field.

"We've been getting enough out of our starters to give us a chance to win games, but our offense basically has stunk," Leyland said. "I'm sorry, but that's just the way it is. I'm befuddled by it, but I'm not upset about it. I've talked about it long enough.

"Our offense basically has stunk, and it hasn't really gotten into gear on any consistent basis the entire season. I can't hide those facts, and I'm not going to."

The Athletics took advantage by sending 10 batters to the plate during a six-run seventh inning.

Mark Ellis led off with a walk and stole second. With two outs, Emil Brown walked and Daric Barton singled to right to make it 5-2.

After an infield single by Buck loaded the bases, Gonzalez cleared them with a double to left, putting the game out of reach.

"That feels great, and it was my first hit in the series, too," Gonzalez said. "I was waiting for that pitch because they stayed away from me the whole series. I faced a lot of lefties and they were throwing me a lot of sliders, so I made good contact going the other way. I got the big hit at the end."

Rob Bowen hit a grounder up the middle, and shortstop Ramon Santiago made an awkward dive for the ball, suffering a left shoulder injury that forced him to leave the game. The A's kept pouring it on as Jack Hannahan hit a high fly ball that bounced off the wall in right field for an RBI double.

Detroit trailed, 3-0, before scoring twice in the sixth. Raburn and Granderson each walked to start the frame and Guillen followed with a single to center that deflected hard off Duchscherer's left wrist, allowing Raburn to score.

Duchscherer stayed in the game after being tended to by the Athletics' training staff. He then walked Marcus Thames to load the bases and hit Magglio Ordonez with a pitch, forcing in a run.

But Duchscherer regrouped and induced Jeff Larish to hit into a double play to end the inning.

"We had a three-run lead at the time, 3-0, and they scored a couple. I got bases loaded, one out," Duchscherer said. "That inning could have gotten ugly quick, and I threw a pretty good curveball and (Larish) grounded into a double play, got me out of it, so I was fortunate."

Oakland regained its two-run lead in the sixth, when Buck homered to center.

"I'm just really excited to be back up here and help contribute," said Buck, who recently was recalled from the minors. "Whereas in the beginning of the year, I was putting too much pressure on myself. I was almost no good up here because I wasn't doing anything productive, so what happened needed to happen. And now that my confidence is back, I'm putting together good (at-bats) and definitely helping out the team."