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Super-sub Scutaro puts A's on brink
Oakland Tribune, Sep 23, 2006 by Josh Suchon, STAFF WRITER,
OAKLAND -- They've been so even over the last few years, with so many entertaining games and wild finishes, did you expect anything differently from the A's and Angels with the division on the line?
On a wild Friday night at the Coliseum, the A's were inches from victory in the ninth inning, only to see the final out squirt out of Jay Payton's glove, and the rivals traded body blows for 11 innings.
It was decided in the 12th inning when pinch hitter Bobby Kielty doubled to left, moved to third on a productive groundout, and five Angels infielders played in against super-sub Marco Scutaro.
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Scutaro added to his walkoff legacy with a game-winning single to score the winning run in a 5-4 victory over the Angels before a raucous sellout crowd of 35,077 at the Coliseum and put the A's on the brink of the American League West division.
"The A's have been on a terrific run," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "They've had a lot of bumps in the road. They held up there end of the bargain. We stubbed our toe early. We played good since we were 11 under (.500). But I think what the A's have done is remarkable."
Magic numbers are no longer needed. Win this afternoon andchampagne will flow.
"To be honest, I'd rather do it there in Anaheim," third baseman Eric Chavez said. "But whatever. You can't always get what you want. That would be better. They've done it to us twice (in Oakland). Let's just do it, regardless of where we're at."
Barry Zito, the longest-tenured pitcher in perhaps his final start as an Athletic at the Coliseum, pitched into the eighth inning.
Chavez, the longest-tenured A's player, tied the game with a homer in the seventh off Angels rookie phenom Jered Weaver.
Milton Bradley, one of the offseason's big additions, showed his best (a go-ahead homer in the eighth off Weaver) and his worst (a bat-throwing meltdown after getting called out on strikes and ejected in the 11th inning.
It was Scutaro's second game-winning hit this year, and eighth game-winning play in three seasons with the A's.
The A's knew the Angels would go down fighting and that was proved in the ninth off closer Huston Street, who was pitching in his fourth straight game.
Howie Kendrick started the strange inning with a single. Pinch hitter Erick Aybar hit a blooper that dropped, but Payton alertly threw to second for a force out. After a foul popup for the second out, Maicer Izturis hit a blooper down the left field line that Payton nearly caught with a slide.
The ball squirted from his glove as he rolled over and Manny Aybar scored from first with the tying run.
Bradley was ejected in the 11th inning, yelling an obscenity and heaving off his bat against the wall after getting called out on strikes.
Manager Ken Macha needed to lift up Bradley and forcibly carry him back to the dugout. Bradley continued his verbal assault on umpire Ron Kulpa as he walked toward the clubhouse.
Zito allowed three runs in 7 innings. He left to a thunderous standing ovation with two outs in the eighth.
Weaver showed again he's going to a tough assignment for the A's for a long time. The A's maximized their five hits off him in eight innings, scoring four runs on five hits -- three were solo homers.
Chavez absolutely crushed a high 3-1 fastball from Weaver to tie the score at three in the seventh. Weaver kicked the rubber in disgust, knowing it was gone as soon as Chavez started his swing.
That's a pitch Chavez had no chance hitting when his forearms were throbbing with tendinitis pain for three months. But he's feeling confident in the health of most parts of his body, and it showed with that swing.
Kiko Calero pitched a scoreless 10th and 11th. Brad Halsey put a runners at third with one out, and an intentional walk to Vladimir Guerrero paid off as Juan Rivera bounced into an inning-ending double play.
How they scored
Athletics fourth: Kendall walked and scored on Kotsay's double. Athletics 1, Angels 0.
Athletics fifth: With one out, Swisher homered. Athletics 2, Angels 0.
Angels sixth: Figgins singled and stole second. Izturis infield single. Cabrera sacrificed Figgins to third, Izturis to second. Guerrero was intentionally walked. Rivera singled home Figgins, Izturis to third, Guerrero to second. Quinlan popped out. Anderson singled home Izturis. Athletics 2, Angels 2.
Angels seventh: Kendrick homered. Angels 3, Athletics 2.
Athletics seventh: Chavez homered. Athletics 3, Angels 3.
Athletics eighth: With two outs, Bradley homered. Athletics 4, Angels 3.
Angels ninth: Kendrick singled. Aybar grounded into fielder's choice, Kendrick out. Figgins fouled out. Izturis doubled home Aybar. Athletics 4, Angels 4.
Athletics 12th: Kielty doubled. Payton grounded out, Kielty to third. Swisher was intentionally walked. Scutaro singled home Kielty. Athletics 5, Angels 4.
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