Strong outing by Edwin Jackson bucks A’s bullpen plan

ANAHEIM — On Saturday afternoon, manager Bob Melvin reiterated that the A’s have constructed a lights-out bullpen in order to shorten games, and starters will have to understand that’s why they’re coming out after five innings, as Brett Anderson did the night before having thrown only 63 pitches.

Edwin Jackson then went out and was so marvelous against the Angels that Melvin left him out there into the eighth inning; Jackson exited with two on and two outs after throwing 110 pitches. Jackson’s 7 1/3 scoreless innings lowered his ERA to 2.48, and over his past three starts, he’s 3-0 — and he hasn’t allowed a run in 19 1/3 innings.

“He’s been such a horse for us,” Melvin said.