SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Shea Langeliers hit his second career grand slam and Colby Thomas added a solo homer — all in a five-run seventh inning — as the Athletics rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-3 on Monday night.
Langeliers was 0 for 8 with the bases loaded this season before his 450-foot shot over the left-field wall. It was the first grand slam allowed in Detroit ace Tarik Skubal’s career.
Skubal was in full control through six innings before running into trouble in the seventh. Thomas opened the inning with a homer and the Athletics had two straight hits and then an error, loading the bases. Skubal got back-to-back strikeouts before Langeliers’ blast gave the A’s a 6-3 lead.
Rookie Nick Kurtz added his 27th home run of the season in the eighth — the first of his career as a pinch hitter.
The Athletics have won six straight games against left-handed starters.
Skubal (11-4) allowed six runs, one earned, in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out 12 in his 10th game this season with double-digit strikeouts, moving within one of tying the club’s single-season record held by Mickey Lolich (11) since 1971.
Detroit, coming off a 5-1 homestand, lost for just the fifth time in 17 games dating to Aug. 8.
The Tigers opened the scoring with three runs in the sixth. Gleyber Torres hit a solo home run and Wenceel Perez found the gap in right-center field to drive home two for a 3-0 lead.
Key moment
Athletics reliever Michael Kelly (4-2) got Perez to pop out with the bases loaded to end the top of the seventh. Then Thomas led off the bottom half with a solo home run to get the A’s within 3-2.
Key stat
Detroit entered 55-15 when scoring first.
Up next
Osvaldo Bido (2-4, 5.37 ERA), who earned his first big league save Thursday, is scheduled to start for the Athletics against RHP Charlie Morton (9-10, 5.09) on Tuesday.
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