MESA, Ariz. – Brett Lawrie had a pair of home runs and four runs batted in, Drew Pomeranz pitched six scoreless innings and the Oakland Athletics routed the Colorado Rockies 11-2 on Monday.
Lawrie hit a solo homer in the sixth off Ryan Arrowood for a 6-0 lead and capped a five-run sixth with a three-run homer against LaTroy Hawkins that made it 11-0.
Ben Zobrist had two hits and three runs batted in, and Billy Butler had two hits and two RBIs for the Athletics, who are 13-1 at home in their first spring training at HoHoKam Stadium.
Pomeranz gave up two hits, struck out six and walked one. He has 25 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings this spring training.
“It was a lot like last year the way we scored all those runs today,” Pomeranz said. “Lawrie is seeing the ball well. It’s good to have someone locked in like that.”
Colorado starter Eddie Butler left after the first inning with light shoulder fatigue. He allowed one run, two hits and two walks.
Oakland’s Brett Burns was 3-for-4 and leads spring training with 27 hits.
Nick Hundley came off the bench and drove in a run for the Rockies.
Hawkins retired one of six batters, raising his earned-run average to 13.50.
“He was elevating his breaking ball,” Rockies’ manager Walt Weiss said. “He left a lot of balls up and over the middle of the plate. They got hit hard.”
Rex Brothers pitched a scoreless eighth but gave up a hit and walked two.
“He’s got some work to do,” Weiss said. “We’re trying to get him right, and he’s trying to get right.”
Weiss said Butler was expected to go six innings or 90 pitches.
“I haven’t talked to him yet but it sounds like it’s better than it looked,” Weiss said. We’re hopeful he’ll be fine. He felt something weird in his shoulder.”
With pitcher Jorge De La Rosa sidelined by a groin injury, Butler’s hopes of opening in the starting rotation improved. However, that might change depending on the condition of his shoulder. Butler, who also endured a sore shoulder last year, was to be evaluated.
Tyler Matzek takes the mound for the Rockies when they play San Francisco at Scottsdale on Tuesday.
