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Tuesday, Apr. 25 10:05pm ET
Back in command, Hudson stops Jays | |||||
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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
OAKLAND, Calif. AP) -- The change in Tim Hudson was immediately recognizable to his teammates and quickly became evident to the Toronto Blue Jays as well. Rebounding from a couple of poor outings, Hudson allowed two hits in seven innings, and Ben Grieve homered and had four RBIs as the Oakland Athletics broke out of a slump with an 11-2 victory over Toronto on Tuesday night. "All the guys told me, 'Welcome back,"' said Hudson, greeted by high-fives and encouraging words from his teammates after his latest outing. "It was good to finally go out there and have my pitches working. I had my changeup going. I had confidence I could throw it for strikes for the first time this season. I had a good finish on it. I found my release point again." Hudson (2-2) had struggled in his last two outings, allowing 11 runs over four innings and getting knocked out in the third inning of his last start in Cleveland by a line drive from Roberto Alomar that struck him in the chest. But against the Blue Jays, he showed the same kind of dominance that he flashed in winning his first start April 4, when he took a no-hitter into the seventh inning against Detroit. "He threw a good ballgame," said Jose Cruz Jr., who had one of the two hits off Hudson. "He had a good change or a forkball, whatever he threw, it was a good one tonight. We couldn't make the adjustment to recognize it. Therefore, he had a great game." Terrence Long, recalled Monday from Triple-A Sacramento, had three hits, including his first major league home run, and Matt Stairs added a two-run double for the A's, who won for just the second time in their last eight home games. "It's always easier to pitch with a lead," Hudson said. "Six runs in the first two innings, that'll help you relax. They (the Blue Jays) came up ready to hit, ready to swing. I like those type of hitters." Hudson fanned eight, striking out the side in the first inning after giving up a leadoff single to Cruz. He didn't give up another hit until there were two outs in the seventh, when Brad Fullmer connected for his fifth homer of the season. "That's the TIm Hudson we were used to seeing last year," Oakland manager Art Howe said, referring to Hudson's 11-2 rookie campaign. "He just went out there and pitched his game, that's all. Now, we just have to keep him on a roll." It was a different story for Roy Halladay (2-3). He allowed nine runs and eight hits in four-plus innings. Halladay has now given up 27 runs in 18 innings over his last four starts for an ERA of 13.50 in that span. "He struggled with his command and his stuff and they knocked him around a bit," Toronto manager Jim Fregosi said. "He pitched good last year and he struggled early, so he'll come around. He's still a relatively young pitcher and when he struggles he presses a little. He has to relax a little and let his stuff take over. Oakland took command from the outset, scoring four runs in the first inning on Stairs' bases-loaded double, Grieve's RBI single and a wild pitch allowing Stairs to score from third. Frank Menechino walked ahead of Long's homer. The rookie connected on an 0-2 pitch, driving it over the right field wall. It got worse for Halladay in the fifth, when he gave up successive singles to Jason Giambi and Olmedo Saenz and walked Stairs. John Bale relieved and issued a bases-loaded walk to Grieve. Ramon Hernandez had a sacrifice fly and Long was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make it 9-0. After Giambi singled to lead off the sixth and with two outs, Grieve hit his third homer of the season. Game notesLong is 4-for-8 since his recall Monday. ... Fullmer extended his hitting streak to 10 games during which he is batting .486. ... Halladay fell to 0-3 in four career starts against Oakland. ... Toronto hit its AL-leading 42nd home run in April, tying a club record for the month. The Blue Jays also had 42 homers in April 1996. ... X-rays on Marty Cordova's sore left ankle were negative but he wasn't in Toronto's starting lineup for a second day in a row. ... Oakland right-hander Kevin Appier, who left Monday night's game against Toronto in the eighth inning because of a right forearm strain, probably will have his next start pushed back by a day or two to give the swelling in his arm a chance to go down. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Toronto Clubhouse Oakland Clubhouse RECAPS Minnesota 6 NY Yankees 1
Oakland 11
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