Minnesota at Oakland
08/30/2008 - *Athletics rally to startle Twins*
================================== OAKLAND 3, MINNESOTA 2
---------------------- By Al Barba
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- Joe Nathan threw Ryan Sweeney's
bunt past third base, allowing two runs to score in the ninth
inning as the Oakland Athletics stunned the Minnesota Twins,
3-2, on Saturday. With runners on first and second and none out in the inning,
Sweeney dropped a bunt to the third base side of the mound that
Nathan fielded and threw wildly, allowing Bobby Crosby and Emil
Brown to score. "I thought it was going to be close. I was trying to get (to
third) as soon as I could," said Crosby, who was on second
before the bunt. "If I was going to be out, I was going to try
to take out the third baseman so he couldn't throw to first. I
looked up and knew the third baseman wasn't going to get to (the
ball), and when I crossed home, I looked up and was hoping
(Brown) was coming." "If the third base coach doesn't stop you, you keep going," said
Brown, who scored from first on the play. "It wasn't a bad
bunt, and Bobby can run a little bit. It would have taken a
perfect throw in the perfect spot to get him. I was kind of
shocked by it." The loss prevented Minnesota (76-60) from taking over first
place in the American League Central. The Chicago White Sox
(76-59) remain one-half game ahead of the Twins despite falling
to the Boston Red Sox. Crosby started the winning rally with a single to left field.
Brown was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second. "(Nathan) threw me a couple good pitches, but he spiked me a
slider," Crosby said. "He's normally pretty tough. I couldn't
really say he didn't have his stuff." Huston Street (5-5) pitched two scoreless innings to record the
win, while Nathan (0-1) suffered the loss. It marked the fifth
blown save of the season for Nathan, who suffered a defeat for
the first time since July 19, 2007 against Detroit. Francisco Liriano and Dallas Braden were locked in a pitchers'
duel, with the only runs each starter allowed coming on home
runs. The Twins took a 2-0 lead on a two-run blast by Denard Span in
the fifth, and the Athletics got back a run in the bottom half
on a leadoff blast by Jack Cust, his 25th. Liriano matched a season high for innings pitched, going seven
innings while allowing a run and five hits with six strikeouts.
The lefthander allowed only two runners to reach second base. "I was throwing my first pitch for a strike and they were
swinging," Liriano said. "I felt pretty good. The key is
throwing first-pitch strikes and make them swing. I wasn't
looking to strike them out." Braden exited after throwing 100 pitches. He yielded two runs
and seven hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
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