Johnson lifts A's over Royals in extra innings
Posted: Wed May 16 2:53 AM
Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - Dan Johnson's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 11th inning lifted the Oakland Athletics to a 5-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals in the second installment of a four-game series at McAfee Coliseum.
Nick Swisher finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored for the Athletics, who evened the series and won for the fourth time in their last six games overall. Bobby Crosby drove in two runs in the win.
John Buck homered and Tony Pena hit a key two-run triple for the Royals, who saw their brief two-game winning streak halted.
Despite the win, earlier Tuesday Oakland lost its star young closer for at least two weeks when it placed Huston Street on the 15-day disabled list with irritation in his right ulnar nerve. The move is retroactive to May 13.
With the scored tied 4-4 in the bottom of the 11th, Joakim Soria (1-2) started the frame on the hill for the Royals and allowed a one-out single to Shannon Stewart, who then raced to third base on a base hit by Swisher. Following an intentional walk to Eric Chavez that loaded the bases, Johnson lifted a fly ball to center field. The throw to the plate was on the mark, but Stewart, tagging from third, was called safe despite replays that showed otherwise.
"Initially when he was in there I thought he slid under the tag," Chavez said. "And then watching it again it looked like he still slid under the tag. It's a tough call depending on who you ask, but either way, one team was going to be really upset."
Lenny DiNardo (1-1) earned the win after he tossed a 1-2-3 top of the 11th.
With the closer's role up in the air for the time being due to Street's injury, manager Bob Geren sent Alan Embree to the mound in the top of the ninth with a 4-1 lead. Embree, though, did anything but close the game.
Mark Teahen led off with a ground-rule double and eventually scored on a base hit by Emil Brown. Jay Witasick then entered from the Oakland bullpen and he issued a walk to Buck. Alex Gordon flied out and Pena came to the plate. Pena sent a fastball into shallow center field, but Swisher misplayed it and the ball bounced over his head allowing two runs to score for a 4-4 tie. A's reliever Jay Marshall got the final out of the inning.
"We played until the end, that's important, but we got to get better at executing when we have a guy at third base with less than two outs," Kansas City manager Buddy Bell said.
After Crosby's two-run single in the fourth, the bats for both teams remained silent until the top of the eighth, when Buck led off with his seventh home run of the season to cut the KC deficit to 2-1.
Oakland scored twice in the home eighth for a three-run edge. With Jimmy Gobble on the mound, Swisher walked and scored when Chavez followed with a double to right-center field. Chavez later scored on a base hit by Mark Ellis off of David Riske.
Game Notes
Oakland filled Street's roster spot with right-handed pitcher Connor Robertson from Triple-A Sacramento...Joe Kennedy started for Oakland and tossed 7 2/3 strong innings. He allowed one run on six hits with four strikeouts...Brian Bannister took the mound for KC and surrendered two runs on five hits in six innings with three strikeouts...Royals second baseman Mark Grudzielanek saw his 14-game hitting streak end...Despite the loss, the Royals have won five of their last seven games at Oakland.
