Rays reliever McGee to miss 6-8 weeks after knee surgery

“A great comeback”, manager Kevin Cash said. “We have a lot of confidence in the guys coming out of the bullpen”. We always talk about that’s the way our club’s built. Can we really blame hypothetical future Gray? Oakland has won five of six at home against Tampa Bay.

Loney said he disagreed with the call and the ejection, claiming, “If I’m not saying anything to you, don’t throw me out.’ ” And, among other things about Nauert, “You could tell his personality is not the best, and he’s just kind of there”. These one-run games that we’ve lost typically come a little bit later on in the game.

The Rays managed just five hits off Gray before rallying in the ninth.

Venditte, the 30-year-old change pitcher, acquired the decision each as a result of he is pitched successfully and since Melvin needed a right-hander to get the Rays’ first two batters of the ninth inning, Evan Longoria and Daniel Nava, to bat right-handed. Asdrubal Cabera, a switch-hitter batting right, laced the left-hander’s first pitch down the right-field line for a double that brought home the tying and go-ahead runs.

Gray wasn’t at the top of his game Saturday night; he allowed three home runs (solo shots by Forsythe, John Jaso and Cabrera) in a game for the first time in his career.

Graveman had gone 0-5 with a 6.89 ERA over his previous seven starts, but he threw his second straight strong game this season against Tampa Bay. Mark Canha and Josh Phegley each hit home runs and Brett Lawrie had three hits as the A’s scored four runs on eight hits.

“Tonight was aggravating in general because nothing I was throwing was going where I wanted it to go”, said Bassitt, who struck out three and walked two.

Said Melvin: “His command wasn’t as good as we’ve seen it at times. It’s frustrating”.

The A’s sent 12 batters to the plate and had eight hits in the inning, including Canha’s bases-loaded triple and a two-run single by second baseman Eric Sogard.

In a short span – exactly four pitches – the A’s turned a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 lead in the sixth. He said his goal is to be “on the shortlist to be the closer next year” with the A’s in last place and trying simply to not finish with the worst record in the American League.

Odorizzi left with his team up a run after walking the leadoff batter.

“It had to happen sooner or later I guess”, Logan Forsythe said.

Doolittle was making just his second appearance of the season and first since going on the disabled list in late May after being sidelined with a strained left shoulder.

Barry Zito isn’t a candidate since he’s on the minor league disabled list with Triple-A Nashville, but Aaron Brooks and Brad Mills have made starts in Oakland in the last month.

Athletics: 1B Ike Davis will undergo season-ending surgery to fix a torn hip labrum.

Rays: RHP Jake Odorizzi (6-6) has been up and down this season but has fared very well against the AL West. He’s allowed only three earned runs in 29 2/3 innings for a 0.91 ERA.