The Oakland Athletics played the second game of their road series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday. Just one day after being clobbered by the Rays, the A's managed to keep the game close in an extra-innings affair. The Athletics bullpen was exceptional as Oakland managed the eventual 4-3 win in 12 innings.
Josh Reddick hit a two-out solo home run in the first inning. In the third inning, Kila Ka'aihue hit a sacrifice fly to take the A's to a 2-0 lead. The Rays got one of those runs back in the bottom of the third with a leadoff home run by Eliot Johnson.
The A's took a 3-1 lead in the top of the fourth when Josh Reddick singled home Daric Barton. Ben Zobrist would hit another homer in the bottom of the fourth to cut the lead to 3-2 and Carlos Pena hit yet another solo home run in the bottom of the fifth to tie things up.
Oakland starter Bartolo Colon lasted five innings and gave up all three Tampa Bay solo shots. In all, he allowed eight hits and two walks. The Oakland bullpen was able to keep the game scoreless through the end of the ninth inning and send the game to extras.
The A's had an unorthodox rally in the top of the 10th inning. Jonny Gomes walked to lead off, Ka'aihue popped out on a bunt attempts and Kurt Suzuki was hit by a pitch. Barton then walked on four pitches, loading the bases with one out as Tampa Bay pitcher Brandon Gomes was having difficulty finding the strike zone. Brandon Inge struck out singing, however. Jemile Weeks then grounded out to end the rally without bringing a run across.
The Rays would also come up empty on their next rally, stranding a leadoff double in the bottom of the 11th inning.
Jonny Gomes led off the top of the 12th inning with a solo shot to left field to put the A's back on top, 4-3. Grant Balfour came on to pitch the bottom of the 12th and picked up his seventh save of the season. The Oakland bullpen limited the Rays to just three hits and no walks in seven innings of work.
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