Seth Brown blasted a tiebreaking, two-run home run in the eighth inning and the visiting Oakland Athletics finished off a five-game series with a 5-3 victory over the slumping Detroit Tigers on Thursday.
Brown’s shot off Michael Fulmer gave the A’s their fourth victory in the elongated series. A.J. Puk (1-0) tossed two innings of scoreless relief to collect the victory and Dany Jimenez got the last three outs for his sixth save.
Christian Bethancourt drove in two runs while Jed Lowrie scored two runs and drove in another for Oakland.
Oakland starter James Kaprielian gave up two runs on three hits in five innings. Detroit starter Beau Brieske allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits in six innings.
Tucker Barnhart had two hits and an RBI, while Willi Castro contributed two hits and a run scored for the Tigers. Spencer Torkelson walked twice and scored a run for the Tigers, who have lost nine of their last 10 games.
Brieske got into trouble right away, as the first three A’s batters reached base. Tony Kemp led off with a single and stole second. Sheldon Neuse drew a walk and Lowrie singled to right, knocking in Kemp.
After retiring the next batter, Brieske committed an error that allowed Ramon Laureano to reach. Bethancourt then smacked a bases-loaded single to left, bringing home Neuse and Lowrie.
The Tigers rallied for two runs in the fifth. Castro had a one-out single and Torkelson drew a walk. Barnhart then ripped a double into the right-center field gap to bring in Castro. Torkelson scored on Robbie Grossman’s groundout.
With Domingo Acevedo on the mound, the Tigers tied it at 3 in the sixth. Jeimer Candelario led off the inning with a triple and Miguel Cabrera brought him in with a double to right.
Fulmer (1-2) retired the first two batters he faced. He walked Lowrie before Brown smashed a 3-2 pitch into the right-field stands for his third home run.
–Field Level Media
