Instant Replay: Fulmer outduels Triggs as A's fall to Tigers

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OAKLAND — The A’s installed a “Holy Toledo” sign beyond the center field wall at the Coliseum that’s meant to light up after a great play.

All they did Friday was save on the electric bill.

Highlights were few and far between in a 7-2 loss to the Detroit Tigers that opened a six-game homestand. Rather than build on a morale-boosting win in Minnesota the day before, the A’s reverted to old habits Friday.

Squandered scoring opportunities and defensive miscues marked their ninth loss in the past 11 games. Oakland went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position, failing to break through against 2016 American League Rookie of the Year Michael Fulmer (3-1). The Tigers right-hander went eight innings and struck out nine to get the win.

Jim Adduci’s three-run triple in the sixth was the most damaging blow, turning a 2-0 Detroit lead into 5-0. The A’s committed two errors, both leading to Tigers runs, and a crowd that hoped the A’s might build on the momentum of Thursday’s 8-5 win over the Twins wound up going home disappointed.

The A’s installed the “Holy Toledo” sign in tribute to former broadcaster Bill King, who will enter the Hall of Fame this summer. But the sign, which debuted Friday, was never activated as a game-turning play from the home team never materialized.

Starting pitching report:
Andrew Triggs (4-2) was shown the exit in the sixth after giving up Adduci’s three-run triple down the right-field line that put Detroit up 5-0. Until then, the right-hander couldn’t be faulted for much. He pitched his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the first by coaxing Justin Upton into a 6-4-3 double play. The Tigers’ two-run rally in the third started with Adam Rosales’ fielding error, then the most damaging hit of the inning wound up being Victor Martinez’s grounder that found a hole for a two-run single.

But trouble hit in the sixth, when Martinez got things going with a one-out double. Upton hit a comebacker that ricocheted off Triggs for a hit that put runners on the corners. Triggs fanned the flames by walking Tyler Collins to load the bases, and Adduci followed with his triple that landed just inside the right field line, clearing the bases and turning a 2-0 game into 5-0.

Bullpen report:
Rookie relievers Josh Smith and Bobby Wahl got some work after the A’s fell behind. Smith, in his A’s debut, gave up two runs (one earned) in two innings. Wahl struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

At the plate:
The A’s loaded the bases with one out in the third, but Matt Joyce struck out and Jed Lowrie grounded out. Joyce came up again with a runner in scoring position and struck out on an indecisive wave at the third strike. Yonder Alonso had both RBI for the A’s, and Rajai Davis collected career hit No. 1,000 in the ninth.

In the field:
The A’s committed two more errors Friday, giving them nine in their past nine games. Rosales mishandled Jose Iglesias’ slow bouncer in the third, kickstarting Detroit’s first rally. Then third baseman Trevor Plouffe had Andrew Romine’s grounder deflect off him in the eighth, which aided another rally. Ugliness ….

Attendance:
A crowd of 17,529 was on hand.

Up next:
Jesse Hahn (1-2, 2.53) should bring some good vibes into Saturday night’s start. He’s 3-0 with a 1.64 ERA in three career appearances against Detroit, including a shutout which came on Memorial Day 2015 at the Coliseum. Hahn will be opposed by Jordan Zimmerman (3-1, 6.18) in the 6:05 p.m. game.

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