WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Colby Thomas, Zack Gelof and Tyler Soderstrom homered to back a strong start by Aaron Civale and the Athletics beat the Cleveland Guardian 7-1 on Sunday to avoid a series sweep.
Thomas hit his first home run of the season, leading off the second against rookie Parker Messick (3-1) for a 1-0 lead.
Rookie Chase DeLauter hit his sixth home run — and first since April 3 — going the opposite way to left field to tie it 1-all
in the fifth and extend his hitting streak to eight games. DeLauter went 8 for 11 in the series.
Messick retired nine in a row following Thomas' shot until Gelof and Soderstrom hit back-to-back homers leading off the Athletics fifth. It was the second homer for Gelof and the fourth for Soderstrom, who went 3 for 4. Singles by Darell Hernaiz, Jeff McNeil and Brent Rooker produced another run for a 4-1 lead before Messick struck out Nick Kurtz to end the inning.
McNeil had his third straight multiple-hit game when he drove in three with a two-out double off Peyton Pallette, who needed 36 pitches to retire the side in the seventh.
Civale (3-1) yielded a run on seven hits and two walks in six innings. He retired Daniel Schneemann to end the first and third innings with runners at the corners.
Justin Sterner, Mark Leiter Jr. and Joel Kuhnel all pitched a scoreless inning for the A's.
Messick allowed four runs on six hits in five innings. The left-hander had allowed one homer and 22 hits through his first 36 innings this season.
Kurtz went 1 for 4 to extend the longest current on-base streak at 28.
Guardians RHP Tanner Bibee (0-4, 4.08) squares off against Royals RHP Michael Wacha (2-2, 3.13) on Monday as the road trip continues.
Athletics RHP Luis Severino (2-2, 4.46) starts Tuesday when the A's travel to play the Phillies, who haven't announced a starter.
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