BALTIMORE (AP) — Willie MacIver hit a two-run, ninth-inning double off Keegan Akin to rally the Athletics to a 3-2 series-clinching victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday.
MacIver’s liner down the left-field line against Akin (3-2) scored Darell Hernaiz and Lawrence Butler, the latter of whom pinch ran for Gio Urshela and ran through third base coach Eric Martins’ stop sign.
The relay throw came in ahead of Butler, but was in the dirt and slightly off line. Catcher Alex Jackson couldn’t scoop it in time to make the tag.
Elvis Alvarado (1-0) recorded the final five outs against Baltimore. Brent Rooker singled in the other A’s run in the sixth before departing in the bottom of the eighth with an apparent cramp or injury. Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said Rooker’s departure was preventative.
Jordan Westburg hit his 14th home run for Baltimore in the fifth inning of a bullpen game for the Athletics, and Coby Mayo put the Orioles ahead again in the seventh with a pinch-hit double.
Key moment
Baltimore failed to score in the bottom of the fourth after Jeremiah Jackson led off with a triple. With one out, Greg Allen tried a squeeze bunt, but the catcher MacIver reached the ball quickly up the third-base line and made a lunging tag of Jackson.
Key stat
Athletics rookie Luis Morales threw only 25 of 57 pitches for strikes and walked five, but still pitched 2 2/3 hitless innings in his first major league start.
Up next
Athletics: Begin a six-game homestand on Monday with the first of three against Tampa Bay. Left-hander Jeffrey Springs (10-7, 3.89 ERA) looks to add to his team-leading wins total.
Orioles: Continue their six-game homestand with the first of three against Seattle on Tuesday. Right-hander Dean Kremer (8-8, 4.35) will try to halt a stretch of three outings without a quality start.
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