Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - Kevin Kouzmanoff's RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning lifted theOakland Athletics to a 5-4 win over the Boston Red Sox in the middle installment of a three-game series.
Kouzmanoff and Jack Cust both drove in two runs for Oakland, which evened this three-game series after losing Monday's opener and has now won six of its last seven games overall. Daric Barton posted two hits and two runs scored, including crossing home plate with the game-winning run.
Marco Scutaro finished with two hits, two runs scored and an RBI for the Red Sox, who fell to 2-4 since the All-Star break.
In the bottom of the 10th inning, Barton singled with one out and advanced to second when Ramon Ramirez (0-3) balked. Kurt Suzuki was then intentionally walked before Dustin Richardson struck out Adam Rosales.
That brought Boston's Michael Bowden in from the bullpen to face Kouzmanoff, who laced a soft single into shallow right field and the throw from J.D. Drew was off the mark as Barton crossed the plate and ended the game.
Andrew Bailey (1-3), who pitched two scoreless relief frames, earned the win.
An RBI double by Kevin Youkilis in the top of the first opened the scoring and the visitors tacked on three more runs in the second inning.
With one out in the second, Mike Cameron doubled and raced around to score when Bill Hall followed with a single to right field. Kevin Cash fanned for the second out, but Scutaro's two-base hit brought home Hall, andDarnell McDonald followed suit with yet another RBI two-base hit.
Oakland tied it up with four runs in the home third. Coco Crisp doubled with one out and Barton walked before a double-steal put runners on second and third. Suzuki was then hit by a pitch to load the bases for Cust, whose one- run double cut the A's deficit in half.
A passed ball charged to catcher Cash saw Suzuki hurry home for the third run of the inning. On the play, Cust advanced to third, which proved important. The next batter was Kouzmanoff, who hit a fly ball that was deep enough to center field to allow Cust to successfully tag-up and create a 4-4 score.
Neither starting pitcher factored in the decision. Boston knuckleballer Tim Wakefield allowed four runs -- three earned -- on three hits with five strikeouts in six innings of work. Wakefield's counterpart, Dallas Braden, yielded four runs -- only one of which was earned -- on 10 hits with six strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings...Crisp was ejected in the 10th inning for arguing balls and strikes, as was Boston pitching coach John Farrell for the same reason in the same inning by home plate umpire Bob Davidson...The Red Sox outhit the A's, 12-6...Boston stranded 12 baserunners...Attendance was 20,271.