Tyler Soderstrom hit a three-run homer early and concluded the contest with a walk-off single with one out in the 11th inning to give the Athletics a 5-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Thursday in West Sacramento, Calif.
Soderstrom’s three-hit, four-RBI performance enabled the Athletics to take two of three games in the series.
Nick Kurtz also homered for the Athletics and Brent Rooker had two hits and scored twice.
Ozzie Albies and Jurickson Profar hit homers for the Braves, who have lost six of their past seven games.
Rooker began the 11th as the runner at second base, and Atlanta’s Aaron Bummer (1-2) struck out Kurtz before intentionally walking Miguel Andujar. Soderstrom then hit a first-pitch curveball into right-center; Rooker easily scored the winning run.
Justin Sterner (2-3) pitched two perfect innings for the A’s.
Spencer Strider struck out 11 in 6 2/3 innings for the Braves. He allowed three runs, five hits and three walks.
All-Star shortstop Jacob Wilson (left hand contusion) of the Athletics missed his second straight game. He was hit by a pitch Tuesday in the Athletics’ victory over the Braves.
On Thursday, Albies struck with two outs in the seventh; he sent an 0-1 slider from Sean Newcomb over the wall in right-center to give the Braves a 4-3 lead.
Kurtz tied the score in the bottom of the eighth with an opposite-field homer to left field, off Dylan Lee. Kurtz leads all major league rookies with 15 homers.
In the bottom of the 10th, the A’s were foiled when Rooker lined out to shortstop Luke Williams, who flipped the ball underhanded to Albies to retire Shea Langeliers at second and end the inning.
In the top of the 11th, Williams was at third with two outs for the Braves before Sterner retired Austin Riley on a grounder.
Athletics starter JP Sears allowed three runs and four hits over five innings. He struck out six and walked none.
The Athletics jumped ahead 3-0 in the first. Rooker doubled with one out and Kurtz walked. Soderstrom then hit a two-out slider 445 feet over the wall in right-center.
Sears retired the first 11 batters before Atlanta got to him in the fourth inning. Riley and Sean Murphy hit back-to-back two-out doubles for one run and Profar followed with a tying two-run homer to left.
–Field Level Media
