This story was originally published by Dead Spin
Seth Brown went 3-for-4 with a homer, and his sixth-inning RBI single on an overturned umpire’s call snapped a tie and lifted the Oakland A’s to a 5-4 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday in Anaheim, Calif.
The A’s entered the top of the sixth down 4-2, but Brent Rooker’s two-out, two-run homer tied the game. Later in the inning, Brown came to the plate with two on against Angels reliever Hans Crouse.
Brown hit a liner down the right field line, and the ball was ruled foul by first base umpire Brian Walsh. However, A’s manager Mark Kotsay challenged the call and was successful, Brown being credited with an RBI single to give Oakland a 5-4 lead.
After allowing a pair of two-run home runs by the Angels’ Taylor Ward and Nolan Schanuel in the first inning, the Oakland pitching staff shut out the Angels the rest of the way.
A’s starter Paul Blackburn (4-2) gave up four runs on five hits in five innings, striking out two and walking one. Three relievers combined to finish it off, with Lucas Erceg pitching around a single in the ninth for his third save.
Given the four first-inning runs, Angels starter Carson Fulmer surrendered half of the lead soon after. He served up a two-run, two-out homer to Brown in the second as Oakland cut the deficit to 4-2.
The Angels missed a chance to increase the advantage in the fifth inning. Jo Adell walked with one out, and Anthony Rendon followed with a drive to the warning track in right-center. A’s right fielder Lawrence Butler nearly made the catch, forcing Adell to hesitate as he reached second base.
The ball one-hopped the wall, Rendon reaching second with a double and Adell being waved home by third base coach Eric Young. Oakland second baseman Zack Gelof made a perfect relay throw to catcher Shea Langeliers, cutting down Adell at the plate.
Fulmer held the lead and got the first two outs in the sixth inning before he walked JJ Bleday, spelling the end of his night. Crouse (4-1) entered the game and surrendered a two-run homer to Rooker, his 25th of the season, tying the game at 4-4.
The A’s weren’t done yet, as Langeliers doubled and Abraham Toro walked, setting up Brown for his game-winner.
Butler went 0-for-5 to end his eight-game hitting streak, during which he was 18-for-33 (.546) with 12 extra-base hits.
Logan O’Hoppe had three hits for Los Angeles.
–Field Level Media
