A's Blow Late Lead, Beat Angels In 10th Inning
ANAHEIM (CBS / AP) -- Cliff Pennington opened the 10th inning with a triple off the glove of left fielder Vernon Wells and the Oakland Athletics went on to beat the Los Angeles Angels 2-1 Wednesday, avoiding a three-game sweep.
Former Angels closer Brian Fuentes returned to Anaheim and gave up the tying run in the bottom of the ninth after an error by third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff.
In the 10th, the switch-hitting Pennington sliced a pitch from right-hander Jordan Walden (0-1) toward left-center. Wells tried a sliding catch and ball went off his glove as he nearly collided with center fielder Peter Bourjos.
Daric Barton was intentionally walked with one out, and Conor Jackson delivered the run with a groundout, hitting a high shopper to shortstop.
Oakland's Tyson Ross scattered four hits over seven innings in his second start for the injured Dallas Braden and handed a 1-0 lead to the bullpen after making 76 pitches. The right-hander, who turned 24 years old last Friday, walked one and did not allow a runner bast second base in his fourth major league start.
Grant Balfour pitched a perfect eighth and Fuentes (1-2) took over in the ninth. Pinch-hitter Maicer Izturis reached on Kouzmanoff's fielding error, Mark Trumbo went in to run for him and Bobby Abreu doubled home the tying run.
The blown save was Fuentes' second in eight attempts. The 35-year-old lefty is handling the closing chores in place of Andrew Bailey, who has yet to pitch this season because of a forearm strain that occurred during an exhibition game on March 14.
Fuentes, a four-time All-Star who posted four seasons with 30 or more saves after becoming a full-time closer with Colorado in mid-May 2005, led the majors with a career-best 48 in 2009 for the Angels—who traded him to Minnesota last August.
Brad Ziegler retired the side in order in the 10th for his first save of the season.
Dan Haren got a no-decision despite giving up an unearned run and three hits over seven innings with five strikeouts and two walks. The three-time All-Star, who won 44 games during his three seasons with the Athletics, remained 2-0 with a 2.67 ERA in five career starts against Oakland. He lowered his season ERA to 1.23, second in the AL behind teammate Jered Weaver's 0.99 mark.
Oakland scored its run in the third inning without the benefit of a hit. Landon Powell walked on a full count, Kouzmanoff reached on a fielding error by first baseman Howie Kendrick, David DeJesus got hit on the foot with an 0-2 pitch and Barton hit a sacrifice fly.
With center fielder Coco Crisp missing the game because of tightness in his left quad, DeJesus batted in the leadoff spot for the fourth time this season—despite the fact that he came in 1 for 16 lifetime against Haren.
De Jesus had one hit in two official at-bats against the Angels' starter. He bunted his way on in the fifth after a leadoff single by Kouzmanoff, and both advanced on Barton's groundout. But Jackson, starting in left field because of Josh Willingham's back stiffness, grounded out to end the threat.
NOTES: Weaver will make his next start on Sunday with an extra day's rest. He finished April 5-0 with a 1.48 ERA, after beating Kansas City on March 31 with 6 1-3 scoreless innings for the first of his six straight wins. ... DeJesus extended his errorless streak to 262 games, the longest among active outfielders. Angels RF Torii Hunter had an errorless streak of 265 games that ended on Sept. 18, 2009, when he was still playing center field. The nine-time Gold Glove winner has committed only three errors since that one.
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