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Sports

Parker sharp as Crisp, Athletics sweep Indians

Associated Press
Published | Updated

OAKLAND, Calif. – Indians manager Manny Acta wants his team to relax despite the mounting losses.

Shin-Soo Choo and Casey Kotchman each got two hits for Cleveland, but that wasn't nearly enough in a 7-0 loss to Oakland. Jarrod Parker pitched eight sharp innings while Coco Crisp homered and drove in five runs as the Athletics completed a three-game sweep.

"You have to stay positive," Acta said. "The guys are better than that. They are trying very hard. They need to relax. Its been going on for a while."

The Indians have lost five straight and 18 of their last 22.

"The guys have to relax and let the game come to them and then things will start to happen," Acta said.

Choo, who singled twice, said he didn't see anything special about Parker (8-7).

"Our hitters tried too much today," he said. "A lot of ground balls, swinging early in the count. I think he's was pretty good, but I think we were too aggressive."

Oakland scored in four consecutive innings against starter Justin Masterson (9-11).

Crisp and the hitters provided the biggest spark but Parker's outing was equally important. The right-hander hadn't won since going eight innings to beat the Yankees on July 21.

Parker didn't allow a run despite pitching with runners in scoring position most of the afternoon. The Indians put two runners on in the second, third and sixth but Parker worked out of trouble each time.

Cleveland was shut out for the sixth time this season. It was so bad for the Indians that Kotchman got thrown out rounding first base after his high popup fell between a pair of Oakland infielders for a single.

Masterson, who had a 1.38 ERA over his previous two starts, allowed nine hits and struck out five while losing to the A's for the second time this season.

Brandon Moss also homered and Cliff Pennington scored three times. The A's won their fourth in a row and moved 10 games over .500, matching their high mark of the season.

"It was two pitches," Masterson said. "Brandon Moss, I was trying to keep it down and it came up into his swing, and Coco Crisp, we were trying to keep it down and away and it floats up."

The Indians haven't had a winning road trip since taking two of three from the White Sox in early May. They fell to 1-5 on their current trip heading into a three-game series in Seattle beginning Monday.

NOTES: RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (9-12) will take a second try at earning his 10th victory for Cleveland in Monday's series opener against Seattle. Jimenez has won at least 10 games in each of the previous four years.