Allgemein » : Adam Wainwright (9-7, 4.71) allowed four home runs

Little is going right for Sonny Gray this season.Wins have been absent for over two months, there was a disabled-list stint, pitches have gone wild, and hitters are having few problems with Grays offerings.The Oakland right-hander will look to correct some if not all of those problems Wednesday afternoon when the Athletics conclude their three-game series with the Minnesota Twins at Target Field.Gray (3-7, 5.42 ERA) entered this season as the team ace, and it was hard to argue based on his 33-20 record and 2.88 ERA in his first three seasons with Oakland.He has hardly been ace-like in 2016, going 3-7 with a 5.42 ERA while leading the majors with 13 wild pitches. He began the year with a 3-1 record and a 2.73 ERA, but starting with a two-inning outing April 27 in Detroit, it has been a massive struggle.Gray is 0-6 with a 6.63 ERA in 11 starts since April 21 and 0-2 with a 4.42 ERA in six outings since returning from the disabled list June 5. He was out 15 days due to a strained right trapezius. During his losing streak, Gray has allowed a .297 opponents batting average.The losing streak is the longest of Grays career and equals the longest by an Oakland pitcher in the last four seasons. His streak of 11 straight winless starts is the third longest by an As starter this century.This hasnt been his best year, Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. Hell figure it out and get better as the year goes along. Theres always going to be a year that is not as good as other years.Last Friday, Gray allowed seven runs and seven hits over six innings during a 7-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Five of those runs occurred during the fifth and sixth, and three were allowed with two outs in the sixth.That was obviously not a very good start, Gray said. There were times, like in the sixth, where I got two quick outs. I have to be able to shut that inning down and get back out there for the seventh and not hit a guy and walk another. It just escalated from there.Gray was on the DL when Oakland swept Minnesota from May 30-June 1. Although he is 2-1 in three career starts against the Twins, he has a 6.19 ERA in those outings.Oakland hopes Gray can correct his struggles but also help the pitching staff rebound from an 11-4 loss that ended at 1 a.m. CDT on Wednesday due to a nearly three-hour rain delay. The Athletics allowed nine runs with two outs Tuesday night, and they have a 6.63 ERA over their past eight games.Minnesota will be looking to win a third straight home series and to earn its seventh win in 10 home games since June 18. The Twins have scored 60 runs during their past six home wins, and all three of their double-digit scoring games have come in the past two-plus weeks.Miguel Sano, Kennys Vargas and Max Kepler homered Tuesday.A lot of guys had good nights, Minnesota manager Paul Molitor said.The Twins Wednesday starter, Ervin Santana, will hope to benefit from similar run support while also continuing his recent run of improved performances.Santana (2-7, 4.50 ERA) is 1-0 with a 2.41 ERA in his past three starts, including Friday, when he allowed two runs and three hits in 6 1/3 innings during a no-decision against the Texas Rangers. Before this stretch, he was 0-5 with a 7.71 ERA in five starts from May 24-June 14.Santana has extensive experience facing Oakland from his eight seasons (2005-2012) with the Los Angeles Angels. He is 15-7 with a 2.10 ERA in 28 career starts against the Athletics.Since leaving the Angels, Santana is 1-2 with a 2.51 ERA in four starts against the As. He took the loss May 30 in Oakland when he allowed three runs and seven hits in seven innings.Santana has allowed a .304 average (38-for-125) with runners on base. During his last three outings, opposing hitters are 5-for-24 (.208) against the right-hander with men on, including 1-for-8 by Texas when Molitor let him throw a season-high 117 pitches.I dont even think about that, Santana said of the pitch count. Molitor gave me the opportunity to stay in the game and gave me more enthusiasm to pitch. I was fighting. I was excited for that.Air Max 90 Cheap Wholesale . Meanwhile, there were huge victories for Sunderland and West Ham over fellow relegation rivals, leaving the battle to avoid the drop up for grabs with the bottom 11 teams separated by just six points. Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres scored second-half goals to seal a fourth straight victory for Chelsea, which climbed above Arsenal and Manchester City in the standings ahead of their games on Monday and Sunday respectively. Air Max 90 Cheap Clearance . Its an influence in football and a big part of the game. http://www.airmax90cheap.us/ . Now tied for second in the league in shootout goals, the 24-year-old likes to see what the opposing goaltender has in store before he ultimately lands on a move. Air Max 90 Cheap . Louis Blues absence from top spot in the TSN. Cheap Authentic Air Max 90 . LOUIS -- Lance Lynn was one of the more enthusiastic participants as the St.ST. LOUIS -- The New York Mets came out of Wednesday night wondering what might be wrong with right-hander Jacob deGrom and hoping nothing serious is amiss with right fielder Jay Bruce.DeGrom allowed homers to Randal Grichuk, Matt Carpenter and Stephen Piscotty, and the Mets lost to the St. Louis Cardinals 8-1.Roughed up for the second straight start, deGrom (7-7) allowed five runs and 12 hits in 4 2/3 innings. He was tagged for a career-worst eight runs and 13 hits in his previous outing against San Francisco.Obviously when you get hit like hes been hit its lack of command, Mets manager Terry Collins said. Thats where hes done a tremendous job since he arrived in the majors leagues, with his command. Its never been an issue. Hes always been down in the zone. Hes always had movement.Collins said video of deGroms recent starts shows pitches staying in the hitting area, allowing hitters to take good swings on hittable pitches.Thats where the issue lies, Collins said. It is due to whatever? Obviously we need to take a look and see how hes doing. In this particular stage of the season, the first thing you look at is fatigue. So well start there.DeGrom said he felt fine Wednesday.When I seem to miss it seems to go right down the middle and it seems to get out of the park or off the wall, deGrom said. These last two have been frustrating, but Ive got another one in five days so I have to get ready for that one.Bruce led off the second with a double but had to leave because of a cramp in his right calf. Pinch-runner Alejandro De Aza scored on a double by Asdrubal Cabrera.His calf knotted up when he was actually jogging out to right field in the first inning, Collins said. When he came in he told me right away, he said, `Im going to try to hit and see if it loosens up. When he went into second base I looked out and he didnt give me the OK, so I went out and checked and he said its really tight. I couldnt afford to have him blow it out so I took him out.Bruce said hes hoping to play on Thursday and doesnt consider it serious.In San Francisco I fouled a ball off my shin, which Ive done too many times in my careeer, he said.dddddddddddd I think it has to do with the way the swelling is dispersing through my muscle or whatever.The Cardinals won for the seventh time in nine games and posted a season high-tying 19 hits.Eight Cardinals had two or more hits, including right-hander Carlos Martinez. Piscotty and Yadier Molina each had three.Its fun to watch them put up crooked numbers in any inning, even against a quality pitcher like deGrom, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. When you throw up 19 hits and get (RBI) from six different guys, thats a great overall effort. We had a bunch of hits but not a lot of runs early, but Stephen helped with that home run.Martinez (12-7) gave up one run and four hits over eight innings for his second straight victory.I love how starting pitching set the tone, Matheny said. It was almost a continuation of his last outing. Hes understanding its about location and movement. He can throw anything at any time.Martinez allowed one run on three hits in seven innings against Houston his last time out.These last two outings I feel have been one of my best, Martinez said through a translator. Ive been really listening to Yadi and his advice has been really great and I feel really good about myself right now.ROSTER MOVEThe Mets made a roster move after the game, optioning right-hander Erik Goeddel to Triple-A Las Vegas and recalling left-hander Sean Gilmartin.NOTABLEMets reliever Robert Gsellman is the first pitcher in the modern era to earn a victory in his major league debut as a reliever since John Montefusco on Sept. 3, 1974 with the Giants.TRAINERS ROOMMets: Jon Niese (left knee) may undergo surgery after lasting just one-third of an inning on Tuesday.UP NEXTMets: Seth Lugo (0-2, 3.04) makes his second start in place of injury Steven Matz (left shoulder tightness), who could return late this month.Cardinals: Adam Wainwright (9-7, 4.71) allowed four home runs in 6 2/3 innings July 27 and got a no decision in his lone appearance against the Mets this season. ' ' '