Associated Press Associated Press ADVERTISING ARLINGTON, Texas — Brandon McCarthy thought he had a double play. Instead, the Texas Rangers had a successful squeeze bunt and the lead, and the Oakland A’s had a mess on their hands. The A’s
Associated Press
ARLINGTON, Texas — Brandon McCarthy thought he had a double play. Instead, the Texas Rangers had a successful squeeze bunt and the lead, and the Oakland A’s had a mess on their hands.
The A’s bounced back from the disputed sequence that ended with manager Bob Melvin ejected and McCarthy in the dugout, and Kila Ka’aihue had a tiebreaking single in the 10th inning to give Oakland a 5-4 victory against Texas on Thursday.
Ka‘aihue is from Honolulu and an Iolani graduate.
After Mitch Moreland’s second home run off McCarthy tied the score in the sixth inning, the Rangers took the lead when speedster Craig Gentry broke from third as Elvis Andrus popped up a bunt between the mound and home plate. McCarthy thought he caught the ball on the fly and threw to third for what he figured would be a double play, but home plate umpire Laz Diaz ruled he trapped it. Gentry was ruled safe for a 4-3 Texas lead, and Oakland didn’t get anybody out.
Melvin ran from the dugout to argue, gesturing repeatedly at Diaz before he was finally thrown out. Replays were inconclusive.
“I threw the ball to third. Then he said I trapped it. I said, ‘What?’ and sort of flew off the handle,” McCarthy said. “I was pretty furious once the disbelief set in.”
Reliever Grant Balfour replaced McCarthy after the disputed bunt and didn’t give up a run even though the Rangers had men at second and third with one out. Oakland then tied the score again in the seventh on Josh Reddick’s 10th home run. The shot into the Rangers bullpen in right-center field ended Texas reliever Alexi Ogando’s scoreless streak at 15 1-3 innings.
“That was a huge momentum swing,” Melvin said. “They have the lead, with guys who have had a lot of success in the bullpen. It was a huge pick-me-up for us.”
The Rangers had runners at first and third with one out in the ninth but couldn’t score off Ryan Cook (1-0), who picked up his first major league win and has 19 2-3 scoreless innings this season, most among AL relievers.
Michael Young reached on a two-base error by Josh Donaldson and went to third on a groundout. Nelson Cruz struck out between intentional walks to David Murphy and Mike Napoli, then Brandon Snyder grounded out with the bases loaded. Texas ended up stranding 14 runners.
“That situation with a man on second and nobody out in the bottom of the ninth, you just have to figure out a way to let nobody score,” Cook said.
Ka’aihue’s winning hit off Mike Adams (0-2) drove in Jonny Gomes, who had three hits.
Moreland pulled Texas to 3-2 with a two-run homer just over the left field fence in fourth and tied it with a deeper shot to right in the sixth. He has six homers.
Josh Hamilton watched both of those from the dugout and was supposed to have the day off. He came on as a pinch-hitter and stayed in the game in center field. He made the first out in the eighth and 10th innings, ending his AL-best 16-game hitting streak.
Moreland never got a chance for a third home run. Manager Ron Washington decided to replace him in the seventh with Snyder when Oakland went to left-handed reliever Jordan Norberto. Snyder flied out to right with the go-ahead run at second and ended up missing on two chances to give to the Rangers the lead.
“I always want to play,” Moreland said. “He’s the manager. He makes the decision.”
McCarthy gave up eight hits and four runs in 5 1-3 innings, with three walks and four strikeouts.
Matt Harrison allowed the first five batters to reach base in a three-run Oakland first inning before pitching four shutout frames. He allowed at least one hit in all five innings, then was replaced by Mark Lowe after striking out Ka’aihue to start the sixth.
Harrison allowed eight hits and three runs in 5 1-3 innings. He walked three and struck out three.
Maui’s Kurt Suzuki had a two-run double in the first for Oakland after Gomes drove in the first run with a double.
RED SOX 5, RAYS 3
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Cody Ross homered and drove in four runs, Felix Doubront won his third consecutive start and Boston snapped Tampa Bay’s four-game winning streak.
BLUE JAYS 4, YANKEES 1
TORONTO — Jose Bautista and J.P. Arencibia each hit a two-run homer, Drew Hutchison won consecutive starts for the first time and Toronto swept a two-game series from the Yankees.
TWINS 4, TIGERS 3
DETROIT — Justin Morneau hit a two-run homer in his second game back from a wrist injury, and the Twins swept the two-game series at Comerica Park.
ORIOLES 5, ROYALS 3
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Adam Jones hit a two-run homer, J.J. Hardy also drove in a pair of runs and the Orioles beat the Royals for their seventh straight road win.
INDIANS 6, MARINERS 5 (11)
CLEVELAND — Carlos Santana hit a game-ending single with one out and the bases loaded in the 11th inning, capping a two-run rally and lifting the Indians.
WHITE SOX 6, ANGELS 1
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Chris Sale pitched effectively into the sixth inning, giving Chicago’s rotation a much-needed solid outing, and the White Sox capitalized on some shoddy defense by the Angels. Wright lifts Mets
NEW YORK — David Wright lined his second double of the game, a tiebreaking drive in the eighth inning that raised his major league-leading average to .411 and sent the New York Mets past the Cincinnati Reds 9-4.
PHILLIES 8, CUBS 7
CHICAGO — Roy Halladay threw eight innings for his first victory in a month and Philadelphia held off Chicago for its season-best fifth straight victory.
BRAVES 7, MARLINS 0
ATLANTA — Brandon Beachy pitched a five-hitter for his first career complete game.
PIRATES 5, NATIONALS 3
WASHINGTON — Andrew McCutchen homered twice and James McDonald struck out a career-high 11 while taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning to lead Pittsburgh past Washington.
DODGERS 8, PADRES 1
SAN DIEGO — Aaron Harang held his former team to four hits in seven shutout innings and had one of Los Angeles’ 12 hits as the Dodgers beat San Diego to split a two-game series.
GIANTS 7, CARDINALS 5
SAN FRANCISCO — Brandon Crawford hit a two-run single for his first RBIs since April and San Francisco capitalized on shoddy fielding by St. Louis to give Matt Cain support on a rare shaky day.
D-BACKS 9, ROCKIES 7
DENVER — Justin Upton hit a two-out, two-run homer off closer Rafael Betancourt in the ninth inning to help the Diamondbacks beat the Rockies in a game that was briefly delayed by a swarm of bees.
ASTROS 4, BREWERS 0
HOUSTON — Jed Lowrie hit a two-run homer and J.A. Happ pitched out of trouble for six innings before three relievers completed Houston’s shutout against Milwaukee.
