Oakland Athletics defeat San Francisco Giants 4-2 in second-straight night – MLB Update
The Oakland Athletics romped to a 4-2 win in the second-straight fixture against the defending World Series champions San Francisco Giants at the Coliseum, Oakland on Saturday, June 18 to take a 2-0 lead in the three-game series.
Both teams made their scores only in the fifth inning. The Giants opened the game with two runs in the top of the sixth inning. Their second baseman Emmanuel Burriss grounded into fielder’s choice to catcher, who threw it to pitcher Guillermo Moscoso but
he allowed Chris Stewart to score on a throwing error. After this run, Moscoso made one strike-out before allowing another run this time to Aubrey Huff on a sacrifice fly.
The Athletics were trailing 2-0 before the bottom of the fifth inning but Daric Barton drove in an RBI single to the deep right side of the field to take his team to 2-1. Then Cliff Pennington tied the game with an RBI single and Hideki Matsui took his team
to 4-2 lead with a line drive RBI double off the Giants’ starter Jonathan Sanchez.
Before this inning, Sanchez was enjoying his game with no-score and was hopeful to gain his fifth win of the season but it ruined his entire game. His manager Bruce Bochy replaced him with Ramon Ramirez, who tossed two and 1.3 innings and remained scoreless.
Closer Sergio Romo also tossed scoreless ninth inning.
Bochy told reporters when asked about what has happened with his batting line-up. "We're having a hard time driving in runs and that's what it comes down to," Bochy said. "Its how you win ballgames and when you don't get those big hits, it hurts you."
The Athletics’ starter Moscoso too was excellent before fifth inning and was enjoying scoreless game. However, after this inning he completed his four innings spell with two runs on three hits and three walks while striking-out one batter. Brad Ziegler competed
the fifth inning by tossing four strikes of six pitches to take Cody Ross to close down this inning.
"Nothing those guys do surprises me any more," Ziegler said. "We feed off each other. No matter whom it is, our bullpen is so deep we do not need to pace ourselves. We go out with that strikeout mentality."
Relievers’ Joey Devine, Brian Fuentes, Grant Balfour and closer Andrew Bailey each tossed scoreless one inning. Fuentes struck-out three batters and allowed one walk to hold his second game of the season. Bailey managed to earn his fourth win in last five
games.
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