Major League Baseball

Gray, Zito combine for 5 innings in A's win vs Arizona

Published Mar. 10, 2015 7:04 p.m. ET

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MESA, Ariz. (AP) Sonny Gray pitched into the third inning, Barry Zito went 2 2-3 innings and the Oakland Athletics defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-5 in an exhibition game Tuesday.

Jake Lamb hit a pair of home runs and Yasmany Tomas also homered for the Diamondbacks. Cody Ross added a pair of doubles and drove in a run.

Trevor Cahill gave up a run and four hits over two innings in his second start for Arizona. He walked one and struck out two.

Gray gave up two runs and five hits in 2 1-3 innings for the A's. He struck Mark Trumbo twice and didn't walk a batter in his first spring appearance. Zito gave up two runs and three hits with a walk and a strikeout in his comeback after taking a year off.

Ben Zobrist had a hit and drove in two runs for the A's. Sam Fuld was 3 for 4 with an RBI, Mark Canha hit his second homer of the spring and Ike Davis added two hits.

PRICE OF XBOX

It wasn't much of a negotiation. New A's player Billy Butler got his No. 16 and Josh Reddick received an XBOX game system.

''It was very quick,'' Reddick said. ''I had no attachment to the number, and I called him to tell him I'd just give it to him. I didn't care if I got anything. I don't wear watches, and I guess that's the usual thing you get.''

Butler gratefully accepted the exchange and did offer him a watch.

''I just wanted to give him something,'' Butler said.

Butler is hitting .091 on the spring after going 0 for 4 against the Diamondbacks. Reddick is sidelined with a strained oblique muscle.

STARTING TIME

Diamondbacks: Cahill was pleased with his ability to keep his offspeed pitches down in the strike zone, something he struggled with in his last outing. ''Today was a lot more comfortable,'' he said. ''I rushed things in the first inning but I slowed down after that. There were a couple of hard grounders, but they were still grounders. That's what I was focusing on.''

Cahill is in the unusual position of pitching his way into the starting rotation. The five-year veteran was 3-12 with a 5.61 ERA last season. He made 17 starts, appearing in 32 games. ''I know what I'm trying to do,'' Cahill said. ''It feels a lot different than I'm used to. It's tough, but I'm going to stick with it and hope it all clicks.''

Athletics: Gray said his 4-seam fastball is right where he wants it, but his sinker still needs some work. He pitched to Tomas with three sinkers, all missing down. He came back with a fastball that Tomas hit for a homer. ''Coming into the second, I wanted to get a feel for the sinker,'' Gray said. ''When these guys get in a fastball count, they're going to take advantage of it.''

Zito said he felt good after his second appearance and will work on consistency and minimizing mistakes. ''My fastball location felt pretty good,'' he said. ''I lost focus for a couple of hitters, but my body is ready for any kind of work load.''

TRAINERS ROOM

Diamondbacks: Catcher Oscar Hernandez left the game in the bottom of the fourth inning with left wrist soreness. It was a precautionary move and he will get re-evaluated.

Athletics: An MRI performed on outfielder Coco Crisp's right triceps shows no structural damage, but he's expected to miss a few games.

UP NEXT

Diamondbacks: Left-hander Robbie Ray will start when they host the Los Angeles Angels and Jered Weaver on Wednesday.

Athletics: Right-hander Kendall Graveman, part of the trade that sent Josh Donaldson to the Toronto Blue Jays, makes his second spring start Wednesday against the Cleveland Indians.

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