Lowrie amps up ASG case with 3 RBIs in win

OAKLAND -- Following a brief hiatus from the win column, the A's were back at it Tuesday, pouncing for five runs in the sixth inning to claim a 6-2 win over the Padres at the Coliseum.
All-Star candidate Jed Lowrie led the attack against lefty Clayton Richard with a go-ahead, bases-clearing double, giving him 59 RBIs -- tied for third-most in the American League. Khris Davis chipped in with an RBI single, and Mark Canha capped the game-changing frame with his 11th homer of the season, a solo shot to left.
Chad Pinder also homered in the Interleague affair, helping the A's secure their 47th victory to move eight games over .500. They've won 13 of their last 16 games, and won six straight before Sunday's loss to the Indians, positioning themselves in the AL Wild Card race; they're eight games back with 76 to play.

Lowrie has been front and center through it all, even when transitioning to third base in Matt Chapman's stead. On Tuesday, Chapman was back in the lineup, enabling Lowrie to return to second base. The product at the plate remained unchanged: Lowrie recorded his 17th go-ahead RBI of the season and 12th game-winning RBI, second-most in the AL.
"It's just really zoning in on your approach, and getting the pitch you can handle," Lowrie said. "In those situations, they try to get you to chase, entice you to try to do more. You have to fight really hard to find it within yourself."
"We keep talking about it, every game," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "Big at-bats, late in games. Right-handed, left-handed, extra-base hits, whatever you need. He's got such a great approach and knowledge of what every at-bats needs. It's been phenomenal."

Lowrie, who finished with two hits to up his average to .293, is making quite the case to join the AL All-Star squad as Jose Altuve's backup at second base. The nine-year veteran said such a privilege would be "icing on the cake."
"I feel like I've been close a couple times, haven't been there," Lowrie, 34, said. "That would be something I'd always be able to say."

The A's offense can hang with the best of 'em. This, they've continually proved. Their bullpen has been dominant. Questions surrounding the club's patchwork rotation, however, have loomed since season's start, and it's reasonable to believe that these A's will only go so far as their starters let them.
It was Chris Bassitt's turn on Tuesday, going 4 2/3 innings with two runs allowed. Bassitt weaved his way through traffic from the get-go, unscathed through four innings before the Padres broke through in the fifth. A run came in on a ground ball off the bat of Eric Hosmer, who inadvertently spiked Bassitt's left shin with his cleat while attempting to touch first.

Bassitt was around for only one more batter, offering up a run-scoring double to Wil Myers before departing. Righty Emilio Pagán, who relieved him with 1 1/3 shutout innings, was awarded the win.
SOUND SMART
The A's are the only team in the Majors to be undefeated when leading after seven innings (33-0).
HE SAID IT
"Jed right now is unbelievable. No ifs, ands or buts about it. He is the guy right now. What he's doing every single game is unbelievable. What he's doing at the plate this year, consistently, over and over, is All-Star worthy honestly." -- Bassitt
MITEL REPLAY OF THE DAY
Hosmer was ruled safe while clipping Bassitt at first base in the fifth. Bassitt -- who sustained a large gash on his shin -- picked up the baseball and tagged Hosmer. The A's challenged the play, however, and the call was overturned after replay showed that Hosmer made contact only with Bassitt's leg, not the bag.
"It's fine. I dodged a bullet to say the least," Bassitt said. "I mean, Hosmer is by no means a small human, and he got me good. It was stinging. I probably should have come out. I told BoMel I was fine. Physically I think I was fine, but mentally I was worried about my leg and kind of hung a pitch to Meyer that I wish I had back."

UP NEXT
The A's will have left-hander Sean Manaea (8-6, 3.38 ERA) on the mound Wednesday at 1:05 p.m. PT, when they wrap up this two-game Interleague series with the Padres. Right-hander Luis Perdomo will be recalled from Triple-A El Paso to start for San Diego.