Blowers' Granny Lifts A's Past Sox

May 17, 1998 / 10:42 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Mike Blowers got the pitch he was looking for. Before anyone knew it, it was out of sight.

Blowers hit a game-tying grand slam and Scott Spiezio drove in the go-ahead run to key a six-run eighth inning and lift the Oakland Athletics to a 9-7 victory Sunday over the Chicago White Sox.

"That's a very difficult loss for any team," White Sox manager Jerry Manuel said. "We're a good offensive team, but we have to keep opponents within striking distance. With the amount of time we had, it was very demoralizing trying to catch up."

Leading 7-2 with one out in the eighth, White Sox starter Scott Eyre gave up a single to Rafael Bournigal and was relieved by Tom Fordham. Rickey Henderson followed with a single and Jack Voight a run-scoring double before Ben Grieve walked to load the bases.

That brought on Bill Simas, and Blowers hit his first pitch over the right field fence for his first homer of the season and seventh career grand slam.

"It was a first-pitch fastball," Simas said.

Blowers thought that's what he would get.

"I felt he had to throw a strike," said Blowers, who is trying to make the most of his playing time while injured third baseman Dave Magadan heals from a sprained right hand.

Blowers is 28-for-63 lifetime with the bases loaded.

"The main thing is I know how to relax in those situations," Blowers said. "I just go up there ready to hit. The pitcher has no room out there."

Simas (0-1) walked Jason Giambi and Mark Bellhorn, and Giambi scored on Spiezio's single to put Oakland ahead 8-7.

"We just fell apart in the bullpen," Manuel said. "You bring in a guy to put out the fire and the fire got bigger and bigger."

Blowers is on fire after struggling in April. A career .196 batter in the first month, he recorded his first three-hit game Saturday, starting at third for only the third time in 14 May games.

"I'm not going to ask him to show up next year until May," Oakland manager Art Howe said.

Buddy Groom (2-1) only needed to get one out in relief for the victory. Bill Taylor pitched the ninth for his eighth save.

Chicago's Magglio Ordonez and Frank Thomas hit consecutive homers in the fifth inning the sixth for each.

Ordonez went 3-for-5, hitting a double in the third, a homer in the fifth and a two-run single in the sixth.

Robin Ventura hit a two-out, two-run single in the Chicago first. The A's tied it 2-2 in the second on Spiezio's bases-loaded single.

Albert Belle's sacrifice fly in the Chicago third made it 3-2.

After Ordonez and Thomas opened a 5-2 lead in the fifth, the White Sox added two more runs in the sixth on a two-run single by Ordonez.

Blowers added a sacrifice fly in the ninth to scorHenderson, who had tripled.

Eyre gave up three runs on five hits and two walks over 7 1-3 innings. He struck out four.

Oakland starter Tom Candiotti gave up six runs on nine hits over five-plus innings and striking out four.

NOTES:

Blowers' last grand slam was Aug. 18, 1995, against Boston.

This was the fourth time this year that the White Sox have hit consecutive home runs.

Manuel decided to scratch Wil Cordero from the starting lineup at the last minute, saying he liked the matchup between first baseman Greg Norton and Candiotti better. Cordero, who is undergoing counseling for spousal abuse, will be making his first trip back to Boston Tuesday since the Red Sox released him.

Oakland DH Matt Stairs left the game after suffering a bruised right elbow when he was hit by a pitch in the second inning. X-rays were negative and his status was day to day.