Adjustments paying off for Kaprielian since return

HOUSTON -- James Kaprielian threw his second straight solid start in the A's 2-0 loss to the Astros on Sunday, continuing a recent trend for Oakland starters.

The righty surrendered one run on three hits with five strikeouts and four walks, lowering his season ERA from 10.17 to 8.68 in the process.

“I thought Kap did a great job,” Oakland manager Mark Kotsay said. “He gave us five innings. Overall, I think the stuff was good. The slider had some depth today. He got some punchouts. A few walks mixed in, but he hadn’t pitched in eight days.”

Kaprielian yielded three runs with seven strikeouts over seven innings in his last outing May 13 against Texas.

His last two starts have shown a marked improvement from his April totals, which saw Kaprielian tagged for 23 runs over 16 innings in six appearances, including 18 runs over 13 1/3 innings in three starts.

“I think kind of getting back, mechanically, closer to what I was in the past,” Kaprielian said of the changes he's made this month. “Some of the changes made maybe weren’t necessarily for the better, so I think we’re just getting back to what I do.”

Kaprielian’s velocity was still slightly down following offseason shoulder surgery, as his four-seam fastball averaged 92.1 mph on the afternoon.

“I’m not really concerned about [velo],” Kaprielian said. “I think it’s par for the course coming back from shoulder surgery, maybe. Just continuing to trust myself. That’s the biggest thing. Regardless of who's lost trust in me, I haven’t lost trust in myself. I know what I’m capable of. I still have that belief, and continuing to ride that belief is going to be important for me.”

Kotsay added that in Kaprielian’s past two Major League starts, his arm strength has looked better and he has attacked the zone more efficiently.

In his two Minor League starts with Triple-A Las Vegas in early May, the righty was 1-0 with a 1.08 ERA.

Kaprielian gave credit to Las Vegas manager Fran Riordan and pitching coach Bryan Corey for his turnaround.

“Really, it was just going down there and working with those guys, not worrying about my leg time, trying to be athletic and trying to get back to what I do and finding those things,” Kaprielian said. “I think we’re doing a good job of being able to find that and have the ability to do that in a game as well.”

The righty added that going to Las Vegas helped him have fun again.

“It’s difficult,” Kaprielian said. “This is a grueling game and winning is fun, and obviously we’re not winning as much as we all want to, but being able to have fun in the game and show up to the ballpark and just enjoy and be fortunate in where we’re at, I’m trying to bring that back up here, too.”

In addition to the improved pitching, Oakland continued to get improved defense in the weekend series.

Ramón Laureano robbed Jeremy Peña of a home run in the second inning, making a leaping catch against the right-field wall. Kaprielian pumped his fist after Laureano came down with the ball for his latest outstanding defensive play.

Nick Allen snared an Alex Bregman line drive to end the fifth, and Jordan Diaz made a leaping grab on a Peña line drive in the sixth.

Esteury Ruiz, meanwhile, extended his hitting streak to six games with a double in the sixth and added his MLB-leading 24th stolen base, which are the most through 48 games in Oakland history since Rickey Henderson stole 45 bases through 48 games in 1982.

Ruiz is hitting 10-for-26 in his hitting streak after going 5-for-12 with four stolen bases against Houston.

Though the A's weren't able to push across a win this weekend in Houston, the improvement by the pitching staff was hard to ignore.

Oakland entered Sunday with the seventh-fewest innings pitched from their starters with 230 2/3 innings. The A’s starting staff went at least five innings in each of the three games in Houston, extending their streak of going at least five innings to four games. The A’s have twice this season had starters go at least five innings in five straight games.

“I think we can build on this series,” Kotsay said. “I know the wins weren’t there. From a standpoint of getting better and keeping us in games, they did that this weekend, and if we can continue to do that, it will lead to more success.”