A's Blast 4 Home Runs, Beat Nationals 10-4
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — After already having one home run, Ryon Healy mentioned to Trevor Plouffe that he'd never hot two in a game at any level of pro ball.
"Plouffe goes, 'well today's a pretty good day to do so.'" Healy recalled his teammate saying before the slugger went deep again.
Healy had two doubles and two homers, Jed Lowrie doubled twice and homered, and the Oakland Athletics beat the Washington Nationals 10-4 on Saturday.
A day after being outscored by 10 runs, the A's got off to a fast start as Healy and Lowrie each hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning off starter Joe Ross (2-2). Healy then hit a long solo shot off reliever Jacob Turner in a three-run seventh inning in which the A's broke open a 7-4 game.
Healy's 11th home run of the year landed in a luxury box about 40 feet above the 400-foot sign in center field. His four extra-base hits tied a franchise record accomplished by 16 others since 1913.
"Boy, can he really hit," A's manager Bob Melvin said.
Yonder Alonso hit a two-run home run — his 16th — off Turner earlier in the seventh.
Oakland's 10 runs were a season high and the four homers tied a season best.
Daniel Murphy was 3 for 4 with a double for the Nationals, improving to 7 for 9 in the series and 13 for 22 over his last five games since missing three games last weekend with an illness. Adam Lind hit a three-run home run off A's starter Daniel Mengden in the third.
Liam Hendriks (2-0) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings after replacing Mengden with two outs in the fifth. Daniel Coulombe, Ryan Madsen and John Axford finished up.
Ross, who is from the San Francisco Bay Area and played high school ball in Oakland, allowed seven runs and seven hits in three innings.
"I tried to treat like it was just another game," Ross said. "I didn't capitalize on some at bats when I was in the driver's seat so to speak."
ALL-STAR ENDORSEMENT
Asked to assess Alonso's All-Star candidacy, Melvin was all in on the slugging first baseman who's having a career year in his eighth season.
"You look at the numbers and that's usually a tough position to crack the All-Star game, with as many good hitters at that position but he's a plus defender on top of it and he continues to hit homers and big homers," Melvin said. "I'm probably a little biased but I would say that's the guy."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Athletics: LHP Sean Doolittle, on the disabled list with a strained left shoulder, will pitch on Sunday or Monday in a rehab assignment with Class-A Stockton, Melvin said. ... RHP Jesse Hahn (right triceps strain) threw a bullpen session on Saturday. . LHP Felix Doubront, who last year underwent Tommy John surgery, gave up two runs and five hits in two innings with Triple-A Nashville on Friday.
UP NEXT
Nationals: RHP Tanner Roark (5-2, 3.86 ERA) has allowed one run in 14 innings over his last two starts.
Athletics: RHP Sonny Gray (2-2, 4.72) gave up seven runs in 4 2/3 innings in his last start against Cleveland on Tuesday. His three previous outings were quality starts.
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