Kazmir pitches Athletics past Indians

Akron Beacon Journal

Oakland, calif.

When left-hander Scott Kazmir became a free agent last winter, the Cleveland Indians never offered him more than a one-year contract because of health concerns.

There might have been some pangs of remorse in the Indians’ front office on Wednesday.

Facing his old team in the second game of the season, Kazmir was in total control, allowing three hits in 71/3 scoreless innings as the Oakland Athletics rolled past the Indians, 6-1, in the first half of a day-night doubleheader at O.co Coliseum.

The nightcap, which began at 9:05 p.m., was not complete at press time.

Only three runners advanced to second base against Kazmir and the first two came on wild pitches. Shortstop Mike Aviles’ double to the left-field corner ended Kazmir’s day with one out in the eighth.

Pitching in the Independent League in 2012, Kazmir signed a $1 million minor-league contract with the Indians last season and revived his career. He went 10-9 with a 4.04 ERA, earning a two-year, $22 million free-agent deal with the A’s.

Asked if he was surprised the Indians didn’t try harder to re-sign him, Kazmir said, “No, it wasn’t like I was surprised or not. We had talks, it was just one of those things that didn’t work out.”

This spring, Kazmir held opponents to a .155 batting average and did not allow a run in three of his four starts. He carried that over against the Indians, showing no effects from Tuesday night’s rainout. He struck out five and didn’t walk a batter.

Indians first baseman Nick Swisher said he couldn’t help but smile at Kazmir his first time up and said Kazmir gave him a nod. But Swisher said Kazmir didn’t follow the scouting report, pounding the outside corner with his two-seam fastball instead of working low and inside like he did with the Indians. Later in the game he went to his change-up.

“He gave us a little taste of our own medicine, of what we were getting all last year,” Swisher said. “He knows what we can do. For him to go out there and make every pitch the way he did, I’m excited for him, but I’m not excited for him. He’s one of our good buddies, but we might have been a little too hyped up going in there against him today.”

Kazmir seemed to relish what he called “a cat-and-mouse game.”

“They know my tendencies, you kind of have to keep that in mind,” Kazmir said. “It’s like facing guys in your division over and over. You have to mix some stuff up.”

A’s catcher Derek Norris said before and during the game that Kazmir got constant razzing from Swisher and Aviles.

“I tried to keep a straight face,” Kazmir said of Swisher. “Him and Aviles can kind of rattle you a little bit. They did enough of it in the dugout in the first inning, talking trash. They’d look at the board to see how fast (the pitch) was, they’d tell me how much it was. Just messing with me. It was all in good fun. I was focused today.”

As efficient as Kazmir was, the performance of Indians’ starter Corey Kluber was the complete opposite. Kluber fell behind hitters from the start and lasted just 31/3 innings.

Kluber’s biggest mistake came on Alberto Callaspo’s two-run home run to right field in the third. Still seeking his first victory against the A’s, Kluber allowed five runs on eight hits. In three previous career games, Kluber had given up three earned runs against the A’s.