OAKLAND - Coco Crisp hit a tiebreaking three-run triple in the fourth inning to help Scott Kazmir earn his career-best 14th win, and the Oakland Athletics beat the New York Mets 6-2 on Tuesday night to snap a five-game losing streak.
Coming off a miserable road trip when he went 2-for-23, Crisp grounded out and singled before lining an 0-1 pitch from Mets starter Dillon Gee down the right field line with the bases loaded. It was Crisp’s third triple this season.
The A’s, who avoided losing six consecutive games for the first time since 2012, remained a half-game behind the Los Angeles Angels in the AL West.
Kazmir (14-5) allowed one run and four hits in six innings. He retired nine of his final 10 batters after giving up a solo home run to Travis d’Arnaud leading off the fourth.
New York lost its third straight.
Oakland had been mired in a team-wide hitting slump before coming up with its most productive game in a week.
Crisp, the A’s leadoff hitter who has been in and out of the lineup with lingering neck pain, provided the biggest boost with his first multi-hit game since July 8.
Josh Reddick added a two-run homer, and Alberto Callaspo drove in a run with a sacrifice fly two batters before Crisp’s bases-clearing hit.
The Mets avoided making history but couldn’t snap their skid.
New York had been held to four hits or fewer in its previous five games. According to stats provided to the team by Elias Sports Bureau, no club had ever done that in six straight.
The Mets managed seven hits this time but it wasn’t enough to prevent their second loss in three games against the A’s this season.
Gee (4-6) gave up four runs and eight hits in 5 2-3 innings. The New York right-hander fell to 0-5 in his past seven starts and is winless since July 9.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: As expected, New York placed RHP Bartolo Colon on the bereavement list following the death of his mother. RHP Gonzalez Germen was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas to take Colon’s roster spot. ... RHP Jacob deGrom pitched to hitters and is on schedule to come off the DL on Friday. ... 2B Daniel Murphy was given the night off. Murphy went into the day leading the NL with 152 hits.
Athletics: INF Nick Punto (hamstring) will begin to do more baseball activities in the coming days. ... OF Craig Gentry (hand) was slated to play seven innings for Triple-A Sacramento. Kyle Blanks (calf strain) was penciled in at DH.
UP NEXT
Mets: RHP Zach Wheeler (8-8) makes his second career start against Oakland. Wheeler allowed six runs and lasted just two innings in his only other outing against the A’s on June 25, the shortest start of his career.
Athletics: RHP Jeff Samardzija (3-2) pitches the second half of this two-game series. He is unbeaten in five starts at the Coliseum.
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