MINNEAPOLIS - On a day the A’s already had lost one of their bullpen regulars, their most reliable starter faltered, magnifying the lousy turn this season has taken.
Kendall Graveman, his location uncharacteristically off, ran up his pitch count early and gave up a season-high five runs in Oakland’s 7-4 loss at Target Field. The A’s have lost three in a row and eight of their past nine games; before Wednesday’s game, they placed left-handed reliever Sean Doolittle on the DL with a shoulder strain, the 11th time they’ve used the DL this season.
Graveman threw 38 pitches in the first inning, walking three batters - a season high for him.