OAKLAND — Chris Bassitt pitched eight sharp innings in his return to Oakland, and the New York Mets extended their lead in the NL East by beating the Athletics 9-2 on Friday night.
Bassitt (15-8), traded by Oakland to the Mets before the season, shut down his old team, allowing two runs and six hits. Bassitt’s 2.43 ERA in 41 starts at the Coliseum is third best to Hall of Famers Catfish Hunter and Vida Blue among players with at least 20 starts there.
“I really like this ballpark, just in the aspect that I feel like a lot of guys don’t around the league,” Bassitt said. “If you don’t like being in a spot, I feel it’s kind of a big advantage if I do like being there. I love this ballpark. There’s a lot of reasons. But I like it a lot.”
Bassitt, who went 12-4 for the A’s 2021, was traded at the start of spring training for minor league pitchers J.T. Ginn and Adam Oller. Oller has pitched in 18 games for the A’s, going 2-7 with a 6.01. Ginn is at Double-A where he has a 1-4 record and a 5.10 ERA in 10 starts.
Bassitt got all the support he needed in a three-run second thanks to an RBI single by Mark Vientos and a two-run single by Brandon Nimmo against Cole Irvin (9-12).
Eduardo Escobar put it away in the fifth when he sent the first pitch he saw into the left-field seats to clear the bases with his first career slam. After a stint on the injured list in August, Escobar is playing his best ball at the most important time of year for the Mets. He is hitting .329 with seven homers and 17 RBI this month.
“It’s nice to be able to have those results after working so hard each and every day,” he said “But the process hasn’t really changed. I’m just happy that we’re able to go out there and win games and that I’m helping the team win games.”
Irvin allowed eight runs and 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings.
The A’s (55-96) matched a franchise record with their 50th loss of the season at the Coliseum, equaling their total from the 1979 season, the only season they’ve lost 100 games. They have five home games remaining.
HONORING CHAVEZ
Mets hitting coach Eric Chavez was honored before the game by being inducted into the A’s Hall of Fame. Chavez spent 13 seasons in Oakland, winning six Gold Gloves at third base and hitting at least 20 homers seven straight seasons.
“It’s pretty cool,” Chavez said. “The history here in Oakland goes pretty deep and a lot of good players that have come through here.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
A’s: RHP Joel Payamps was placed on the 15-day IL with a strained lumbar muscle. …Oakland claimed INF Ernie Clement off waivers from Cleveland and recalled LHP Sam Selman from Triple-A Las Vegas… To clear a roster spot for Clemens, the A’s designated infelder Sheldon Neuse for assignment Saturday morning. Neuse batted .214 with four home runs, 26 RBI and a .561 OPS in 89 games over three stints with the A’s.
UP NEXT
Ken Waldichuk (0-2, 7.13) starts for the A’s today against.Jacob deGrom (5-2, 2.32). In his last start, DeGrom became the only pitcher to strike out at least 13 batters with no walks in five innings.
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