Pruitt struck out a batter while working three perfect innings as Oakland's opening pitcher in Wednesday's 12-3 win over the Tigers.
Though he faced the minimum nine batters while departing with a 4-0 lead that the Athletics never relinquished, Pruitt didn't qualify for the win because he didn't pitch at least five innings. Instead, the win fell to Ken Waldichuk, who worked 4.1 innings in a bulk-relief role. The three innings were a season-high total for Pruitt, but it's unclear if the Athletics are interested in having him build up his pitch count in preparation for a more traditional starting role. The strong outing should at least make Pruitt one of the team's preferred options the next time manager Mark Kotsay chooses to deploy an opener.