Jemile Weeks Leads A’s Over Padres In Cactus League

PHOENIX (CBS / AP) — Dan Straily made his major league debut before making his Cactus League debut. In Oakland’s case, that’s not unusual.

Jemile Weeks hit a leadoff home run in the first inning, Seth Smith later homered and the Athletics beat a split squad of San Diego Padres 11-6 on Wednesday.
Weeks, Smith and Jed Lowrie each had two hits and drove in two runs. Smith homered in the second as Oakland took a 7-2 lead.

Straily, who had never pitched higher than Single-A until last year, allowed two runs on two hits in 1 1-3 innings. He walked one and struck out one in his first big league spring appearance.

“There are quite a few guys like that,” Straily said. “I talked to a few guys about that. There’s no timidness here. We’re part of the team and we came ready to work.”

Straily ended last season in the Athletics” starting rotation, helping them win the AL West along with fellow rookies A.J. Griffin, Tommy Milone and Jarrod Parker.

Straily did not pitch during the AL division series but both Griffin and Milone made starts. Neither of them started a big league spring game until now.
“I feel like I’ve been before although I haven’t,” Straily said. “I’m getting ready for a long season. I’m getting ready to pitch.”

Straily said he focused on his fastball, though he mixed in a handful of breaking pitches.

“I had to knock the rust off out,” he said. “It’s been a long two weeks waiting to get out there. I threw a lot of good pitches. I wasn’t trying to get ahead of myself.”
Cody Ransom homered and drove in two runs for San Diego. Travis Buck, who previously played for the A’s, had two hits and drove in two runs. Padres starter Eric Stults gave up four runs on four hits and two walks in one inning.

Padres manager Bud Black wasn’t overly concerned about Stults’ outing. The left-hander produced career numbers last year after being claimed off waivers from the Chicago White Sox in May.

“I’m not going to look at one inning in February,” Black said. “He’s still in a strength building phase and throwing a lot of fastballs. His change did not come into play. His fastball had some life to it and he showed good arm and hand speed. He felt good and that’s the important thing.”

Weeks, coming off a down season, has hit safely in all three of his games and upped his spring average to .625.


(cbslocal.com)