A's find power stroke to pound Rockies 7-1

OAKLAND - Josh Reddick and Ike Davis hit two-run homers in the first inning to back seven scoreless innings from Kendall Graveman, and the Oakland Athletics snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the Colorado Rockies 7-1 on Monday night.

Billy Butler also homered off David Hale (2-3) and scored three runs as power-starved Oakland matched its season high for homers. The power barrage helped the A’s bounce back after getting swept in a three-game series by Kansas City to open a 10-game homestand.

Graveman (5-4) was the beneficiary of the big night from the bats, shutting down Nolan Arenado and the Rockies for his latest strong start since returning from the minors.

Arenado had one single but was unable to go deep after hitting eight home runs in his past seven games, including four in a weekend series across the bay in San Francisco.

Charlie Blackmon hit a solo home run off Evan Scribner in the top of the eighth inning for Colorado’s only offense.

Graveman was sent down to the minors after a rough opening month when he went 1-2 with an 8.27 earned run average in his first four starts with Oakland.

But Graveman has been a completely different pitcher since being brought back to the majors last month, using his sinker to become an effective part of the rotation.

Graveman allowed five hits and three walks with three strikeouts to improve to 4-2 with a 2.01 ERA in eight starts since coming back from the minors.

Reddick got the A’s started when he hit a no-doubt, line-drive homer into the right-field seats with two outs in the first.

Carlos Gonzalez never flinched in right field as the ball sailed over his head.

Butler followed with a single before Davis launched a high drive into the right-field stands to make it 4-0 with his third homer of the season.

Butler hit a solo shot leading off the fourth.

Hale fell to 0-3 with a 7.54 ERA in his past four starts.

NOTES

A’s switch-pitcher Pat Venditte, out with a sore right shoulder, played catch with both arms before the game.

RHP Taylor Thompson (shoulder) threw a 35-pitch bullpen session and is close to facing hitters.

Rockies 1B Justin Morneau continued to rehab a neck injury, with no timetable for his return.

Sonny Gray (9-3), the American League ERA leader at 2.09, can tie Seattle’s Felix Hernandez with a league-leading 10th win in tonight’s second game of the series.

Jorge De La Rosa (4-3) returns to the mound tonight after leaving his most recent start early with a cut on his left middle finger. De La Rosa faces the A’s for the first time since 2009.