OAKLAND — For Joey Estes, it will be difficult to top a night like tonight.
In his 12th career start, Estes tossed his first career shutout — a Maddux – on just 92 pitches as the A’s defeated the Angels, 5-0, on Wednesday at the Coliseum. It is the first Maddux thrown by an A’s pitcher since Kendall Graveman on Aug. 19, 2016.
As evidenced by his minuscule pitch count, Estes had his share of efficient frames. On four occasions, Estes needed less than 10 pitches to complete an inning. Estes tossed eight pitches to complete the third; nine pitches to get through the fourth; and seven pitches to breeze through the seventh. The real magic, though, was in the eighth inning.
Austin Adams began warming up after Estes allowed leadoff single to begin the eighth inning, but on the very next pitch, Estes induced a double play following a replay review, the third double play that Oakland turned on the evening. One pitch after that, Estes ended the inning on a fly out, completing the frame on just four pitches. After that, Adams promptly returned to his seat.
Jo Adell began the ninth inning with a single, prompting Mason Miller to begin warming up. On this night, Miller’s services were not needed. Nolan Schanuel lined out. Luis Guillorme, entering down 0-2 after Luis Rengifo left mid at-bat with an injury, popped out. Taylor Ward, after slapping a foul ball that caused the crowd to hold its breath, struck out. Estes let out a cathartic roar, and the Maddux was complete.
Estes’ only real bit of trouble was in the fifth inning as the Angels put runners on first and second with one out, but the right-hander escaped the jam by inducing back-to-back pop outs.