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Riding a 10-game losing streak coming into Saturday night's game in Sacramento, the Athletics needed a starter to go past five innings, and they needed the offense to wake up. J.T. Ginn struck out the side in the top of the first and Jacob Wilson smacked the first pitch he saw over the wall in left to begin the bottom of the first.
The A's would score five runs in the first, one in the second, and two more in the sixth to hold a 8-0 lead going into the final three frames. Ginn was at 77 pitches entering the seventh, and gave up his first hit of the game just five pitches later. He was pulled in his first start of the second half after 82 pitches.
Kotsay said that the decision to take him out came because of a somewhat accelerated pitch count and a desire to protect Ginn. The A's last three wins have now come in games that Ginn has started.
"We talk a lot about getting into games. Getting starters through five, six innings so that the bullpen can come in and not carry the load," Kotsay said after the game. "J.T.'s start tonight really helped that."
This is the second time this season that Ginn has taken a no-hitter into the seventh inning or later, making him the first A's starter since Mark Mulder in 2001 to achieve that feat, according to Sarah Langs of MLB.com.
This no-hit bid was different than the one down in Anaheim in May, however, because it was his changeup that was doing damage against a tough Nationals lineup that hung 23 runs on the A's pitching staff on Friday.
On Saturday, Ginn relied on his changeup 30% of the time, while it was his sinker and cutter that did damage against the Angels. His changeup has been an emerging weapon of late, and in this game he held a 50% whiff rate on 12 swings. He had 11 whiffs overall, and more than half came on this newer offering of his.
"The changeup is the weapon that we thought he could develop and be effective here. I think you've seen that this season," Kotsay said. "It's a real weapon. It's a swing-and-miss as well as a soft contact pitch.
"I think overall, you talk about young starters, you want to see the growth and development of pitches that can help them get deep into games."
Ginn finished with 6 ⅓ innings of work giving up one hit, no runs, walking three and striking out seven. Luis Medina gave up a run in the top of the ninth, the lone blemish on an otherwise scoreless bullpen outing, but the A's won this one comfortably.
The A's ended up adding on another seven runs after Ginn was lifted, finishing with a final tally of 15-1. Tyler Soderstrom hit his 16th homer of the season and his second in as many days, while Carlos Cortes notched his fifth homer of the season as part of a 2-for-4 evening.
Despite the A's making a change at pitching coach during the All-Star break, both Friday's starter Gage Jump and Ginn have said that the preparation process has been steady, even with a new voice in Dan Hubbs.
"Me and Hubbs have a great relationship," Ginn said after the game. "He's been here as long as I've been here. Nothing really changed. Kinda just sticking to the same things that were working for me throughout the whole year."
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The A's would score five runs in the first, one in the second, and two more in the sixth to hold a 8-0 lead going into the final three frames. Ginn was at 77 pitches entering the seventh, and gave up his first hit of the game just five pitches later. He was pulled in his first start of the second half after 82 pitches.
Kotsay said that the decision to take him out came because of a somewhat accelerated pitch count and a desire to protect Ginn. The A's last three wins have now come in games that Ginn has started.
"We talk a lot about getting into games. Getting starters through five, six innings so that the bullpen can come in and not carry the load," Kotsay said after the game. "J.T.'s start tonight really helped that."
This is the second time this season that Ginn has taken a no-hitter into the seventh inning or later, making him the first A's starter since Mark Mulder in 2001 to achieve that feat, according to Sarah Langs of MLB.com.
This no-hit bid was different than the one down in Anaheim in May, however, because it was his changeup that was doing damage against a tough Nationals lineup that hung 23 runs on the A's pitching staff on Friday.
On Saturday, Ginn relied on his changeup 30% of the time, while it was his sinker and cutter that did damage against the Angels. His changeup has been an emerging weapon of late, and in this game he held a 50% whiff rate on 12 swings. He had 11 whiffs overall, and more than half came on this newer offering of his.
"The changeup is the weapon that we thought he could develop and be effective here. I think you've seen that this season," Kotsay said. "It's a real weapon. It's a swing-and-miss as well as a soft contact pitch.
"I think overall, you talk about young starters, you want to see the growth and development of pitches that can help them get deep into games."
Ginn finished with 6 ⅓ innings of work giving up one hit, no runs, walking three and striking out seven. Luis Medina gave up a run in the top of the ninth, the lone blemish on an otherwise scoreless bullpen outing, but the A's won this one comfortably.
The A's ended up adding on another seven runs after Ginn was lifted, finishing with a final tally of 15-1. Tyler Soderstrom hit his 16th homer of the season and his second in as many days, while Carlos Cortes notched his fifth homer of the season as part of a 2-for-4 evening.
Despite the A's making a change at pitching coach during the All-Star break, both Friday's starter Gage Jump and Ginn have said that the preparation process has been steady, even with a new voice in Dan Hubbs.
"Me and Hubbs have a great relationship," Ginn said after the game. "He's been here as long as I've been here. Nothing really changed. Kinda just sticking to the same things that were working for me throughout the whole year."
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