Athletics' Ross Stripling: Takes third straight loss

Stripling (1-8) allowed four runs on nine hits and struck out two without walking a batter over five-plus innings, taking the loss Saturday versus the Royals.

Stripling has lost three straight starts, though he kept the ball in the yard and didn't walk a batter for the first time in that span. The veteran right-hander gave up two runs in the first inning and then ran into trouble again in the fifth and sixth. Stripling has a 5.19 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and 32:12 K:BB over 52 innings across 10 starts this season. The Athletics' rotation has been hammered with injuries, so he's at little risk of slipping out of a starting role any time soon. Stripling is projected to make his next start at home versus the Astros.