A’s lose Gelof, drop opener 3-1 to Giants

The Athletics have spent the past week chasing balance. One night, the pitching bends. The next, the bats go quiet.

Tuesday brought the second version. The A’s managed three hits in a 3-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park, dropping the series opener and extending their losing streak to three games. They have also lost five of their last seven.

The streak stops

The night turned early for Zack Gelof.

Gelof flew out to right to open the game, then left in the second inning after injuring his right hand on a slide into second base. The injury was confirmed as a right hand laceration and contusion.

As a result, Gelof’s hitting streak ended at 24 games. It was a hard stop for one of the steadiest stretches of the A’s season.

Jeff McNeil replaced him at second base and went 0-for-3.

Ray keeps A’s quiet

Robbie Ray controlled the game after the injury delay.

Ray allowed one unearned run on two hits over eight innings. He walked four, struck out six and kept the Athletics from building sustained pressure.

The A’s only run came in the third. Colby Thomas reached on a fielding error by Jung Hoo Lee and scored on Max Muncy’s single to left.

However, the inning ended quickly after Muncy was picked off and caught stealing.

Giants do enough

San Francisco gave Ray an early lead in the second against Aaron Civale.

Lee hit a solo homer to right-center, his fifth of the season. Then Willy Adames doubled, and Matt Chapman singled him home.

Civale limited the damage from there. He escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fourth by striking out Daniel Susac, keeping the A’s within one run.

Still, Civale took the loss after allowing two runs on six hits over four innings. He struck out five and walked none.