Paul Blackburn was nearly perfect in his second-to-last start before the A’s open the regular season next Thursday night in Oakland.
The veteran right-hander was scintillating while no-hitting the Chicago Cubs for six innings and allowing just one runner Wednesday, helping the A’s snap a seven-game spring training winless streak.
Blackburn teamed with Sean Newcomb and rookies Stevie Emanuels and Grant Holman on a one-hitter in Oakland’s 3-1 win at Hohokam Park in Mesa, Ariz.
The lefty Newcomb, who has no remaining options but has virtually locked up a bullpen role, gave up Chicago’s lone hit — a two-out, seventh-inning home run by Cubs prospect Ezequiel Pagan. The former Cal star Holman closed out the A’s first victory since March 12 by striking out the side in the ninth.
The A’s had tied their previous three games after losing four straight in the desert.
The former All-Star Blackburn needed just 64 pitches to get through his longest stint of the spring as he walked one batter and struck out three while facing the minimum 18 batters. One pitch after walking Alexander Canario on a close 3-2 pitch in the third, Blackburn induced an inning ending double play from David Bote.
Blackburn, who’ll be Oakland’s No. 4 starter this season, lowered his spring ERA to 2.84.
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All of the A’s offense came via the home run in the third inning. Nick Allen hit his first homer of the spring off Cubs veteran Hector Neris, followed by hot-hitting Brent Rooker’s two-run blast off the former Astros reliever.
After a slow start in Arizona, Rooker is beginning to resemble the guy who hit 30 home runs and made the All-Star team last year – he’s 5 for 9 with two homers and a double, with five RBIs in his last three games.