Seth Brown hit a grand slam to help rally the Oakland Athletics in the seventh and snap a 10-game losing streak with a 10-5 victory over the host Cleveland Guardians on Saturday.
Frankie Montas pitched six innings to earn the win. Brown recorded his first career hit with the bases loaded after being 0-for-10.
Guardians starter Zach Plesac was cruising with a 5-2 lead in the top of the seventh. He allowed back-to-back singles to Stephen Vogt and Matt Davidson and was relieved by Eli Morgan.
Cristian Pache followed with a grounder to first baseman Josh Naylor, who threw the ball into left field, allowing Vogt to score. Hot-hitting Christian Bethancourt followed with an infield single to load the bases.
Morgan (2-2) thought he had struck out Brown on an inside pitch but didn’t get the call from home plate umpire Jeremie Rehak. Brown deposited Morgan’s next pitch 408 feet into the right-field stands for a grand slam, giving the A’s a 7-5 lead.
The A’s hit four home runs in the last three innings to turn the game into a rout. Vogt, Bethancourt and Sean Murphy went deep in the last two innings against the Guardians’ bullpen. Bethancourt finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs. Vogt went 3-for-3 with two runs scored.
Montas (3-6) pitched six innings and allowed eight hits, five runs and one walk. He struck out two.
Plesac also pitched six innings and allowed eight hits, four runs (three earned) and no walks in a no-decision.
Tony Kemp led off the game with a double and came home on Bethancourt’s RBI single for a 1-0 lead in the first.
The A’s extended their lead to 2-0 when Elvis Andrus doubled and scored on a single by Davidson.
The Guardians came alive in the fourth with a four-run rally.
Amed Rosario singled and moved to third on Jose Ramirez’s double. Rosario scored on a throwing error, which allowed Ramirez to advance to third. Naylor’s fielder’s choice drove in Ramirez on a close play at the plate.
Owen Miller’s sacrifice fly plated Naylor. He leads the AL with six sacrifice flies. Richie Palacios’ bunt single brought home Oscar Gonzalez for a 4-2 bulge.
Doubles by Gonzalez and Miller extended Cleveland’s lead to 5-2 in the sixth.
–Field Level Media
