STARTERS SHINE, CLOSERS FLOP AS A'S WIN 6TH STRAIGHT
3-Run Bottom of 9th Secures 'W'
OAKLAND, Cal., May 20 (AP) - The Oakland Athletics overcame a two-run deficit,
scoring three times in the bottom of the ninth inning at Network Associates
Coliseum to secure their sixth consecutive victory, beating the Minnesota Twins,
4-3. After the starting pitchers--Tim Hudson for the A's, Rick Reed for
the Twins--engaged in an exceptionally tight eight-inning duel, both closers
(Keith Foulke for Oakland, Eddie Guardado for Minnesota) proceeded to blow a
save opportunity in the ninth.
The game was scoreless into the bottom of the eighth inning. The best
scoring opportunity for either club came in the top of the fifth. With one
out, Todd Sears singled and Dustan Mohr drew a base on balls, putting runners on
first and second. A.J. Pierzynski followed with a single to center field,
but Eric Byrnes gunned down Sears at the plate trying to score.
In the bottom of the eighth, Mark Ellis led off with a double to right-center
and advanced to third when Chris Singleton dropped down a successful sacrifice
bunt. The Twins brought the infield in but Scott Hatteberg brought Ellis
home with a solid single to left-center field to finally break the scoreless
deadlock.
Hudson remained on the mound to start the top of the ninth but yielded a
lead-off single to Corey Koskie and then walked Bobby Kielty, putting runners on
first and second with none out. At that point, A's manager Art Howe called
on Foulke. Torii Hunter grounded out to Ellis at second, with both runners
advancing 90 feet, for the first out of the inning. Foulke then walked
Sears to fill the bases. The A's nearly ended the game, but just barely
failed to turn a double play on Mohr's grounder. The force was made at
second but Mohr beat the relay throw, allowing Koskie to score the tying
run. Pierzynski then put the Twins on top by lacing a triple down the
right field line, scoring both Kielty and Mohr to give the Twins their first
lead of the game, 3-1. Ramon Rivas flied to center to finally end the
inning.
Guardado replaced Reed on the mound in the bottom of the ninth and immediately
ran into trouble. Miguel Tejada drew a lead-off walk and advanced to third
when Erubiel Duraazo drilled a double off the base of the right field
wall. Frank Menechino came on to run for Durazo and represented the tying
run. Ramon Hernandez came through by doubling past first baseman Sears,
scoring both runners to tie the game at three. Adam Piatt came on as a
pinch runner for the slow-footed Hernandez and scored the game-winner when
Terrence Long singled up the middle. Guardado absorbed the defeat,
retiring none of the four batters he faced. Despite a very shaky outing,
Foulke was credited with the win.
Minnesota remains 1/2 game behind the first place Chicago White Sox in the
American League Central division. Oakland pulls within 1/2 game of the
West-leading Mariners pending the outcome of Seattle's game with the Kansas City
Royals.
5/20/2003, Min03-Oak03, Network Associates Coliseum 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 2003 Twins 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 7 0 6 1 2003 Athletics 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 4 10 0 6 0 Twins AB R H BI AVG Athletics AB R H BI AVG Jones,Jac lf 4 0 1 0 .387 Byrnes lf 3 0 0 1 .282 Guzman,C ss 4 0 0 0 .253 Hatteberg 1b 4 0 2 0 .258 Koskie 3b 4 1 1 0 .283 Chavez,Er 3b 4 0 1 0 .266 Kielty dh 3 1 0 0 .245 Tejada ss 3 1 1 0 .357 Hunter,T cf 4 0 0 0 .189 Durazo dh 4 0 1 0 .292 Sears 1b 3 0 1 0 .256 Menechino pr 0 1 0 0 .227 Mohr rf 3 1 1 1 .295 Hernandez,Ra c 4 0 1 2 .258 Pierzynski c 4 0 3 2 .336 Piatt pr 0 1 0 0 .269 Rivas 2b 4 0 0 0 .229 Long rf 4 0 2 1 .270 33 3 7 3 Ellis,M 2b 3 1 2 0 .267 Singleton cf 2 0 0 0 .243 31 4 10 4 Twins INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Reed,R 8.0 7 1 1 0 3 96 66 5.27 Guardado BS 1, L 0-1 0.0 3 3 3 1 0 19 9 4.32 8.0 10 4 4 1 3 115 75 Athletics INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Hudson,T 8.0 6 2 2 2 7 108 71 2.36 Foulke BS 5, W 1-1 1.0 1 1 1 1 0 15 9 5.06 9.0 7 3 3 3 7 123 80 Oak: Menechino ran for Durazo in the 9th Piatt ran for Hernandez,Ra in the 9th 2B-Chavez,Er(11), Durazo(14), Hernandez,Ra(8), Ellis,M 2(11). 3B-Pierzynski(1). RBI-Mohr(19), Pierzynski 2(29), Byrnes(14), Hernandez,Ra 2(16), Long(21). K-Jones,Jac, Koskie, Kielty, Hunter,T, Mohr, Rivas 2, Byrnes, Chavez,Er, Durazo. BB-Kielty, Sears, Mohr, Tejada. SH-Singleton. SF-Byrnes. GWRBI: Long Temperature: 71, Sky: partly cloudy, Wind: out to right at 16 MPH. Attendance: 23,211 Game Time: 2:36