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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Ryan Christenson made up for his
baserunning mistake in the ninth by winning the game two innings
later.
Christenson homered in the bottom of the 11th, giving the
Oakland Athletics a 5-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on
Friday night.
With one out, Christenson hit a 1-0 pitch from Omar Daal (2-10)
just inside the foul pole in left field to snap Oakland's
three-game losing streak and Arizona's three-game winning string.
"I've had some great opportunities to get some key at-bats,"
said Christenson, who entered the game as a defensive replacement
in the eighth. "This is the big leagues. This is what we do."
Jeff Tam (3-2) pitched a scoreless inning to pick up the
victory.
Jeremy Giambi's two-run homer in the eighth off Dan Plesac tied
the game at 4.
"A 4-1 lead isn't a big one, but the way we've been pitching,
it should have been enough," said Arizona's Greg Swindell, who
allowed his first run in 19 innings. "We should have held the it,
but we didn't. It's going to happen."
Matt Stairs, who had nine hits in his previous 69 at-bats
against left-handers, opened the eighth with a double off the
left-field wall. Giambi then hit a 1-1 pitch into the right-field
seats for his sixth homer.
In the ninth, Christenson was on third with one out. Ben Grieve
lined out to Jay Bell at second, who caught Christenson too far off
the bag.
"I was a little too aggressive," said Christenson. "I should
have picked up it was a line drive, but I didn't. To still come
back and get the game-winner makes it that much nicer."
As a result of Giambi's late-inning heroics, A's starter Tim
Hudson's nine-game winning streak, longest in the majors this
season, remained intact.
"To come out with a no-decision after what I did means we did a
great job out there," said Hudson. "The guys picked me up."
Diamondbacks starter Armando Reynoso allowed one run on three
hits and four walks, striking out six in five innings. He left
after throwing 92 pitches, and hasn't won on the road since May 4
in Milwaukee, a span of five starts.
"Armando pitched well and the bullpen worked out. It was just
one of those things," said Arizona manager Buck Showalter.
"There's not much margin for error with the way that team has been
pitching."
Hudson, who hasn't lost since April 20 at Cleveland, is
attempting to become the first Oakland pitcher to record 10
consecutive victories since Bob Welch in 1990. He allowed four runs
on six hits and four walks, and struck out five in 6 1/3 innings.
The Diamondbacks opened the scoring with a run in the third.
Kelly Stinnett was hit by a pitch leading off and Tony Womack beat
out a bunt for a hit. Both runners advanced when Hudson threw the
ball away at first. One out later, Luis Gonzalez was walked
intentionally, and Travis Lee's groundout scored Stinnett.
The Diamondbacks added a run in the fourth after Danny Bautista
singled, stole second and third, and scored when Danny Klassen put
down a suicide squeeze on a full count.
"It was the best chance at that moment to get a run," said
Showalter.
Eric Chavez hit his 13th home run of the season leading off the
fifth to give the A's a 2-1 lead.
Jason Conti's groundout in the sixth scored Lee to make it 3-1.
Craig Counsell added an RBI single in the seventh.
Randy Velarde cut it to 4-2 with an RBI double in the seventh.
Game notes
Arizona OF Steve Finley was scratched because of an injury
Thursday night when he crashed into the left-field wall at
Houston's Enron Field. ... Oakland RHP Omar Olivares, on the
disabled list with a strained right shoulder, shut down after
throwing 19 pitches from the bullpen before the game, when he
reported pain in his shoulder. ... The Diamondbacks purchased the
contract of OF Rob Ryan from Triple-A Tucson of the PCL after
Thursday night's game. RHP Geraldo Guzman was optioned to Double-A
El Paso of the Texas League after winning his major league debut
Thursday. ... The three-game series with the Diamondbacks
constitutes the shortest homestand of the year for Oakland. ...
Conti, called up June 29, stole his first major league base in the
second. ... Chavez snapped an 0-for-20 streak with his home run.
... Klassen left in the seventh with a strained flexor tendon in
his right big toe.
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