OAKLAND — With an expedited return to a ravaged rotation, the Athletics weren’t sure exactly what they’d get out of starting pitcher Paul Blackburn Thursday night.
Blackburn surpassed all expectations in his 2018 season debut with six scoreless innings in a 4-1 win over the Kansas City Royals at the Coliseum before a crowd of 7,963.
The Brentwood product gave up three hits with no walks and three strikeouts before A’s manager Bob Melvin brought in Lou Trivino in the seventh inning. Blackburn threw 67 pitches, 52 of them strikes. Constantly ahead in the count, Blackburn got his infielders a steady diet of ground balls.