Byrnes' hustle ignites A's
ZITO THROWS ZEROES AT RED SOX
By Laurence Miedema
Mercury News
BOSTON - One of the things Manager Art Howe likes best about Eric Byrnes is that the energetic A's outfielder plays every inning as if it might be his last.
If the St. Francis High alum keeps this up, he might have to find another way to motivate himself.
Byrnes had a career-high three hits and scored twice Thursday. But his most important contribution in a 5-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox was legging out an infield single to start the game and helping jolt the slumping A's to a three-run first inning and their third win in two weeks.
``When I'm in, I play hard,'' Byrnes said. ``That's probably my biggest attribute.''
Don't think Howe -- who chewed out his team for its lethargic play after an 8-2 loss to the Red Sox on Wednesday that was its 10th in 12 games -- didn't notice.
Byrnes, who was called up from Triple-A Sacramento on May 8, didn't find out he was playing until batting practice when Jeremy Giambi was scratched because of a bruised right foot. With Giambi's status uncertain, Howe said Byrnes will remain in left field and bat leadoff.
Although Byrnes was a surprise star in the A's snapping a three-game losing streak, Barry Zito (4-2) delivered right on cue.
The left-hander ended an A's losing streak in his third consecutive start and fourth time this season by allowing just five baserunners in eight innings.
``Barry really set the tone with the way he pitched,'' Howe said. ``You put zeroes on the board and it gives your offense a chance to get on track.
``It was his best outing so far, and it was at the right time for us.''
Billy Koch allowed two hits in the ninth inning but worked out of the jam to give Boston, which has the best record in baseball, its first shutout loss.
The A's had lost five in a row to the Red Sox.
``I didn't feel like there was more pressure for us to win today,'' Zito said. ``We weren't tight, which is something that can happen when someone airs out a team. . . . Guys were lively.''
That quickly became apparent.
Byrnes led off the game with a slow chopper to Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra. Byrnes hustled down the line to barely beat the strong throw.
Randy Velarde followed with a bloop single to right before Eric Chavez walked to load the bases.
Jermaine Dye, who was hitting .200 with two RBIs in his previous seven games and had struck out eight times in the previous four, hit a liner to left that Rickey Henderson misplayed. The ball went over the veteran's glove and rolled to the wall, and two runs scored on the double. Miguel Tejada's groundout to Garciaparra scored Chavez to make it 3-0.
``Breaks,'' Dye said. ``We finally got things going. Byrnsie did a great job . . . and when you score some runs early it takes a little pressure off the guys.''
It was the seventh time in the past 13 games the A's scored first. But this was only the third time they won when scoring first.
Zito was pitching each of those times.
The left-hander was on top of his game against the Red Sox, striking out six and walking none in eight innings. Rey Sanchez had a one-out triple in the third, but Zito didn't allow another runner past second base.
The A's provided Zito a bigger cushion in the seventh with Chavez's RBI double and Terrence Long's RBI single.
``We played tonight like we're capable of playing,'' Howe said. ``The effort we got tonight was exactly what I want every night.''
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