Recap: A’s @ Diamondbacks Game 60

On December 9th, 2011 the A’s sent Trevor Cahill to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The primary prize? Jarrod Parker. Today the A’s and Diamondbacks saw their respective hauls face each other. While the A’s might end up winning this one in the long run, on Saturday they were not the winners as the Dbacks won 8-3. The loss helped dropped the A’s into the American League West cellar.

• Parker went five innings, allowing six earned runs, on eight hits, walking five and striking out four in stark contrast to his previous start against the Rangers. He also surrendered a home run – a grand slam – to Miguel Montero that turned a 2-1 Arizona lead into an insurmountable 6-1 lead. Parker’s command problems were very ever-present with him throwing 102 pitches with only 56 for strikes. His counterpart, the former Athletic Cahill on the other hand, went seven and a third innings, allowing two earned runs on seven hits with three walks and seven strikeouts.
• Kurt Suzuki and Cliff Pennington carried the water for the A’s in this one going 2-for-4 and 3-for-4 respectively with both had a double apiece. The team struggled again with runners in scoring position going 3-for-14 and also leaving a total of nine runners stranded on the bases.
• Defensively, Josh Donaldson saw his debut over at first base filling in for Brandon Moss following a double switch.