DiNardo pitched seven shutout innings to help the A’s end their longest losing streak in nine years with a 6-0 win over Texas on Wednesday that prevented the Rangers from sweeping the three-game series.
It was DiNardo’s most dominating performance of the season and came in his second start since he replaced Rich Harden in the rotation after Harden was placed on the disabled list July 12 with a strained throwing shoulder. Harden is doing rehab work in his native Canada.
“I’m not trying to fill Rich’s shoes by any means,” DiNardo (4-6) said. “When he’s on, he’s one of the best pitchers in the major leagues. I can strive for that but that’s not I’m thinking about.”
Bobby Crosby homered and drove in two runs for Oakland, which had lost its previous nine games. The skid was the A’s longest since 1998 and had dropped them 12 games out of first place in the American League West.
Oakland won despite getting just six hits off Texas starter Kevin Millwood and Willie Eyre. Three of the hits came off Millwood during a four-run second inning, the A’s most productive inning since July 1.
“It was a needed win for the team,” A’s manager Bob Geren said.
Left-hander DiNardo gave up three hits, struck out three batters and walked none. He allowed two doubles and a bunt single but was otherwise untouchable. The timing was perfect, too. Oakland was 5-18 in its previous 23 games.
Fans booed throughout the series with Texas and chanted “sub-.500” during Tuesday’s loss, a reference to the A’s spiraling record. But the ill-feelings turned around a day later after DiNardo and Santiago Casilla combined on a six-hitter.
Millwood (6-8), coming off his best outing of the season when he allowed one run in seven innings against the Angels on July 13, never recovered. He didn’t allow another hit but received no support from the offense and lost for just the second time in his last seven starts. He left after six innings and finished with four strikeouts and three walks.
The loss prevented Texas from matching its longest winning streak of the season. The Rangers, who had won three straight, also failed in their bid to sweep a series for the second time this year.
“I felt like I threw the ball well, I felt like I had good stuff but the one inning killed me,” Millwood said. “I made some good pitches. I either didn’t get a call or they hit them and there’s not a whole lot you can do. I definitely don’t feel like this is a step backward.”
The A’s, who had gone 11 straight games without scoring more than three runs before Tuesday night’s 11-4 loss to the Rangers, broke out of their scoring slump early against Millwood when they sent 10 batters to the plate in the second.
Marco Scutaro and Shannon Stewart each had RBI singles, Crosby added a bases-loaded walk and Travis Buck hit a sacrifice fly. Three of the runs were unearned after Millwood’s throwing error on Mark Kotsay’s comebacker.
Crosby, the 2004 American League Rookie of the Year, was batting .177 entering the game. He also hit a solo drive off Eyre in the seventh for his eighth homer.
