Sep 17, 2007, 0:24 GMT
Oakland, CA - Michael Young's grand slam in the eighth inning was the big blow in a wild 11-9 win for the Texas Rangers over the Oakland Athletics that started with a brawl in the first, and the ejections of Texas' Vicente Padilla, and Oakland's Nick Swisher.
Young finished 3-for-4 with a career-high seven RBI for the Rangers, who salvaged a win from the four-game set, and stopped a five-game skid. Padilla lasted only two batters before being tossed, and John Rheinecker (3-2) earned the win for 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief. Joaquin Benoit got the last four outs for his fifth save of the season.
Mark Ellis homered and Jack Hannahan finished 3-for-4 with two RBI for the Athletics, who had won five of six entering the game. Lenny DiNardo was knocked out after allowing five runs on two hits with four walks in only 1 2/3 innings. Andrew Brown (3-3) took the loss, giving up two hits and four runs in an inning of work.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia led off the eighth with an infield single, and Brown walked pinch-hitter Frank Catalanotto. Ian Kinsler bunted the runners into scoring position, but Brown walked Brad Wilkerson, loading the bases with one out. Young stepped in and belted a shot to center, his eighth homer of the season, and the slam gave the Rangers an 11-8 lead.
The A's rallied for a run in the eighth on Ellis' RBI single, but Dan Johnson popped out with runners at the corners and two outs.
The game got off to an interesting start, with Padilla beaning Swisher in the first inning, setting off a benches-clearing brawl.
Daric Barton led off the first with a single to left. Swisher then took a 3-2 fastball to the ribs and, apparently incensed after being plunked by Texas reliever Bill White in Saturday's game, charged the mound and tackled Padilla. Padilla swung his fist at Swisher, but whiffed on the punch as the benches emptied.
Padilla and Swisher were both ejected, but Hannahan, who dove headfirst into the pile, somehow escaped getting tossed. Padilla was replaced by Jamey Wright, while Kevin Thompson came in for Swisher.
Once the dust settled, the A's went on to plate two runs in the first. With the bases loaded and one out, Johnson reached first on a fielder's choice, scoring Barton, and Thompson came home on Young's throwing error.
The Rangers came right back, though, putting up a six-spot in the second. Nelson Cruz's sacrifice fly plated the first run, and DiNardo walked in a run with two outs, ending his day. Ruddy Lugo gave up consecutive two-run singles, to Young and Sammy Sosa, and the Rangers had a 6-2 lead.
Ellis got two runs back in the third with his two-run homer to left with no outs. Kurt Suzuki added an RBI double later in the inning, and Jeff DaVanon followed with an RBI single to center, which moved Suzuki over to third. Barton drove him in with a sac fly to left, putting the A's back on top, 7-6.
Young's RBI double to center with one out in the fourth knotted the game at 7-7.
Suzuki's RBI double to right-center in the fifth gave the A's an 8-7 lead.
Game Notes
Rangers catcher Gerald Laird was scratched from the original starting lineup due to a sore right knee...It was the third slam of Young's career... Ellis batted cleanup for first time in his career. He has now hit in every spot in the lineup in his career.
© 2007 The Sports Network
Game Notes.
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