The Oakland Athletics entered Monday afternoon's game with only 13 home runs, next-to-last in the American League.
Rangers Vs. A’s: Godzilla Smashes Texas With Walkoff Blast
The Texas Rangers entered Monday afternoon's game with two hard-throwing geriatric relief pitchers, tops in the majors.
But the A’s found their power, especially against the Rangers’ elderly relievers, capped by Hideki Matsui’s long home run in the bottom of the 10th as Oakland beat Texas 5-4.
The A's took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when David DeJesus scampered home on Cliff Pennington's bunt single.
In the top of the third, though, A's starter Brandon McCarthy made an error on a bunt, and eventually two unearned runs scored on Michael Young's double to deep center.
The A's tied the contest in the fourth when Kurt Suzuki led off with a home run against Texas starter Derek Holland.
In the fifth, the Rangers scored two more unearned runs, and again the key play was an error by McCarthy, which was followed by two sacrifice flies.
Oakland scored an unearned run of their own in the bottom of the fifth. Daric Barton led off with a grounder to shortstop, reaching first safely on Elvis Andrus's error. After a strikeout and Josh Willingham's double, Barton scored on Matsui's grounder to third.
Holland went seven innings, but Arthur Rhodes took over in the eighth, and Willingham greeted Rhodes with a game-tying home run.
In the bottom of the ninth, the A's mounted a threat with one out, but Conor Jackson lined out to center and Willingham struck out.
In the top of the 10th, the Rangers loaded the bases on three Grant Balfour walks, but Balfour escaped by striking out pinch-hitter Yorvit Torrealba.
Which set up Matsui’s game-winning blow in the bottom of the inning. Darren Oliver’s first pitch was an 88-m.p.h. fastball on the inner half of the plate, and Matsui yanked it well over the fence in right field.
For more on the Rangers and A’s, please visit team blogs Lone Star Ball and Athletics Nation.
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