Oakland, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Jesse Chavez tied a career-high with nine strikeouts over six innings and the Oakland Athletics blanked the San Francisco Giants, 5-0, in the opener of four straight contests of the Bay Bridge Series.
Chavez (7-5), who came into Monday having surrendered nine runs in his last 10 innings, allowed four hits and two walks before being removed after throwing 101 pitches. Fernando Abad, Dan Otero and Ryan Cook combined to allow one hit the rest of the way.
"He was a lot sharper, probably mixed in his breaking ball a bit more," A's manager Bob Melvin said of Chavez.
Alberto Callaspo stroked a two-run double and John Jaso's RBI groundout accounted for the first run in the fifth inning, as the AL West leaders posted their fifth straight victory.
The Giants, who had a two-game winning streak, have been shut out in four of their last eight games.
Ryan Vogelsong (5-6) gave up five hits and three runs across 5 1/3 innings to lose his third consecutive start.
"He was throwing the ball well. We just couldn't get some runs there for him," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.
Conversely, Oakland's pitching has been spectacular over the last five contests. The A's have compiled a 0.75 ERA (4 earned runs, 38 innings) in that span after yielding 53 runs over the previous nine contests (5.62 ERA).
Chavez could be fighting for a spot to stay in the rotation after the A's acquired Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel from the Chicago Cubs over the weekend.
"It's a confidence booster in your own right. It's something for us to build off of," Chavez said after Monday's game.
Craig Gentry was hit by a pitch on his hand to start the home fifth. Bochy unsuccessfully challenged Gentry wasn't nicked and that the ball only hit off the bat for a foul.
Gentry stole second, went to third on Coco Crisp's bunt single toward first, and then scored on Jaso's groundout after a diving stop by second baseman Joe Panik.
A's All-Star third baseman Josh Donaldson was hit on the left hand leading off the sixth. Bochy argued Donaldson swung at the pitch. Donaldson remained in the game and went to third on Jed Lowrie's grounder into center field. Callaspo hit the first pitch from reliever Juan Gutierrez to the gap in right- center to increase the lead to 3-0.
Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford committed a pair of throwing errors in the seventh inning, one when Jaso led off the frame with an infield hit, and another after making a diving stop on a ball hit by Yoenis Cespedes. Brandon Moss then lifted a sacrifice fly to center and Donaldson followed with an RBI single to left.
Game Notes
Vogelsong entered the game having pitched 14 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings in interleague play going back to last season ... The A's have won five of the last six meetings ... The A's, who got their ninth shutout of the year, are 8-1 in interleague play in 2014 ... Oakland has won 10 of its last 11 home games ... The A's went 3-for-19 with men in scoring position and stranded nine runners.
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