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Friday, Jul. 7 10:05pm ET
Christenson's homer wins it for A's | |||||
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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Ryan Christenson made up for his baserunning mistake in the ninth by winning the game two innings later. Christenson homered in the bottom of the 11th, giving the Oakland Athletics a 5-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. With one out, Christenson hit a 1-0 pitch from Omar Daal (2-10) just inside the foul pole in left field to snap Oakland's three-game losing streak and Arizona's three-game winning string. "I've had some great opportunities to get some key at-bats," said Christenson, who entered the game as a defensive replacement in the eighth. "This is the big leagues. This is what we do." Jeff Tam (3-2) pitched a scoreless inning to pick up the victory. Jeremy Giambi's two-run homer in the eighth off Dan Plesac tied the game at 4. "A 4-1 lead isn't a big one, but the way we've been pitching, it should have been enough," said Arizona's Greg Swindell, who allowed his first run in 19 innings. "We should have held the it, but we didn't. It's going to happen." Matt Stairs, who had nine hits in his previous 69 at-bats against left-handers, opened the eighth with a double off the left-field wall. Giambi then hit a 1-1 pitch into the right-field seats for his sixth homer. In the ninth, Christenson was on third with one out. Ben Grieve lined out to Jay Bell at second, who caught Christenson too far off the bag. "I was a little too aggressive," said Christenson. "I should have picked up it was a line drive, but I didn't. To still come back and get the game-winner makes it that much nicer." As a result of Giambi's late-inning heroics, A's starter Tim Hudson's nine-game winning streak, longest in the majors this season, remained intact. "To come out with a no-decision after what I did means we did a great job out there," said Hudson. "The guys picked me up." Diamondbacks starter Armando Reynoso allowed one run on three hits and four walks, striking out six in five innings. He left after throwing 92 pitches, and hasn't won on the road since May 4 in Milwaukee, a span of five starts. "Armando pitched well and the bullpen worked out. It was just one of those things," said Arizona manager Buck Showalter. "There's not much margin for error with the way that team has been pitching." Hudson, who hasn't lost since April 20 at Cleveland, is attempting to become the first Oakland pitcher to record 10 consecutive victories since Bob Welch in 1990. He allowed four runs on six hits and four walks, and struck out five in 6 1/3 innings. The Diamondbacks opened the scoring with a run in the third. Kelly Stinnett was hit by a pitch leading off and Tony Womack beat out a bunt for a hit. Both runners advanced when Hudson threw the ball away at first. One out later, Luis Gonzalez was walked intentionally, and Travis Lee's groundout scored Stinnett. The Diamondbacks added a run in the fourth after Danny Bautista singled, stole second and third, and scored when Danny Klassen put down a suicide squeeze on a full count. "It was the best chance at that moment to get a run," said Showalter. Eric Chavez hit his 13th home run of the season leading off the fifth to give the A's a 2-1 lead. Jason Conti's groundout in the sixth scored Lee to make it 3-1. Craig Counsell added an RBI single in the seventh. Randy Velarde cut it to 4-2 with an RBI double in the seventh. Game notesArizona OF Steve Finley was scratched because of an injury Thursday night when he crashed into the left-field wall at Houston's Enron Field. ... Oakland RHP Omar Olivares, on the disabled list with a strained right shoulder, shut down after throwing 19 pitches from the bullpen before the game, when he reported pain in his shoulder. ... The Diamondbacks purchased the contract of OF Rob Ryan from Triple-A Tucson of the PCL after Thursday night's game. RHP Geraldo Guzman was optioned to Double-A El Paso of the Texas League after winning his major league debut Thursday. ... The three-game series with the Diamondbacks constitutes the shortest homestand of the year for Oakland. ... Conti, called up June 29, stole his first major league base in the second. ... Chavez snapped an 0-for-20 streak with his home run. ... Klassen left in the seventh with a strained flexor tendon in his right big toe. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Arizona Clubhouse Oakland Clubhouse RECAPS Chi. White Sox 4 Chicago Cubs 2
Oakland 5
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