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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, August 30, 2009

A's cut Angels' lead in West


Associated Press

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Oakland Athletics got another solid job out of rookie Vin Mazzaro and some splendid work from their bullpen. The most important throw of the game, however, was made by left fielder Scott Hairston.

After closer Andrew Bailey gave up a one-out infield single in the ninth inning to Chone Figgins, the Los Angeles Angels' all-time stolen base leader tried to advance on a flyball to left by Bobby Abreu. But Hairston anticipated Figgins' move and made a perfect one-hop peg to second baseman Mark Ellis, who slapped the tag on him to complete a game-ending double play that preserved a 4-3 victory for the A's last night.

"You have to anticipate he'll tag up in that situation," Hairston said. "Chone is very quick and very fast. So I just told myself, 'Number one, catch the ball; and number two, make a strong, accurate throw in case he was going to try.' And it happened to be on time. If I would have hesitated, he would have been safe."

Rajai Davis tied the score for Oakland with a two-run single in the seventh inning and pinch-runner Eric Patterson scored the go-ahead run on an infield out in the eighth.

Maicer Izturis hit a two-run homer for the Angels, whose seventh loss in 10 games reduced their AL West lead over Texas to four after the Rangers' 3-0 win at Minnesota.

Jose Arredondo inherited a 3-0 lead from Angels starter Jered Weaver after six innings, but the A's promptly loaded the bases with none out in the seventh and all three runners ended up scoring.

Brad Ziegler (2-4) pitched a perfect seventh inning for the win.

YANKEES 10, WHITE SOX 0:

New York's Sergio Mitre (3-1) allowed just one hit — a bad-hop double by Jim Thome past Gold Glove first baseman Mark Teixeira with one out in the fifth — before getting struck by a line drive in the seventh inning. Mitre combined with Chad Gaudin on a one-hitter as the host Yankees routed Chicago.

RAYS 3, TIGERS 1:

David Price (7-6) allowed a run and five hits over 7 1/3 innings, and host Tampa Bay scored twice in the third on Ben Zobrist's RBI groundout and Carlos Pena's two-out run-scoring single in a victory over Detroit.

RANGERS 3, TWINS 0:

Scott Feldman (14-4) walked four and gave up four hits in 5 2/3 innings, and Josh Hamilton and Ian Kinsler each drove in a run in a two-run first as visiting Texas kept pace in the wild-card chase by beating Minnesota.

RED SOX 3, BLUE JAYS 2:

Clay Buchholz (3-3) allowed a run and three singles in 8 1/3 innings, and Victor Martinez drew a bases-loaded walk to cap a two-run sixth as host Boston held off Toronto, which scored twice in the ninth.

INDIANS 5, ORIOLES 3:

Jhonny Peralta homered early and Andy Marte blasted a three-run shot following a long rain delay to erase a 2-1 deficit in the sixth inning as visiting Cleveland rallied to beat Baltimore.

MARINERS 8, ROYALS 4:

Mike Sweeney, who played 13 seasons for Kansas City, sparked a four-run top of the first inning with a two-run double and Seattle went on to beat the Royals.