OAKLAND — The Athletics scored six runs in the sixth inning Sunday to overcome a five-run deficit and beat the Washington Nationals 7-6 at the Coliseum.
It was the third straight series win for the A’s (7-9), who took two of three from both Detroit and Texas on their last road trip. Washington fell to 6-9 with the loss.
Oakland’s victory came before a crowd of 8,637 on a Little League day, the A’s second-best attendance figure of the season behind 13,522 on Opening Night.
Relief pitcher Mitch Spence (1-1) picked up the win for the A’s, with Mason Miller striking out the side in the ninth on 12 pitches for his third save. Reliever Derek Law (0-1) was the losing pitcher.
The Little Leaguers had plenty to keep them entertained in the sixth-run sixth.
The Nationals removed starter Trevor Williams after J.J. Bleday hit a one-out double to right, sending Abraham Toro to third. Law then struck out Seth Brown before things got interesting.
Third baseman Tyler Nevin singled to drive in a run, and Lawrence Butler singled to right to drive in another and make it 6-3. Nevin scored on a wild pitch by Law, Shea Langeliers walked and so did Ryan Noda. Jordan Weems replaced Law and Darell Hernaiz walked to force in a run.
Toro, who opened the inning with a walk, then hit a single in front of a diving Jesse Winker in left to bring in two more runs and put the A’s up 7-6.
Lane Thomas homered for Washington, his second, in the fifth inning. It was a no-doubter that carried 429 feet and left the bat at 106.1 miles per hour.
Starter Alex Wood was done three batters into the fifth, giving up the towering homer to left center to Thomas and a hard-hit single by Ildemaro Vargas that prompted manager Mark Kotsay to bring in right-hander Mitch Spence.
Wood gave up four earned runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings, with his earned run average climbing to 8.10 in three starts.
The Nationals scored once in the fourth on an RBI double by Jacob Young, and twice in the third when Young, who was hit by a pitch, scored on a fielder’s choice, with Thomas plating another run with a run-scoring single.
The Athletics broke through against Williams in the fifth, with Butler hitting a double off the top of the fence in right and scoring on a single up up the middle by Langeliers.
Washington reached Spence for two runs in the sixth in a soft RBI single to center by Meneses and a line single to left from Thomas to bring home another run. It was Thomas’ third hit of the game.
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Erceg’s eighth
Set-up reliever Lucas Erceg worked a scoreless eighth, getting a double play ground ball and then retiring Jesse Winker on an unconventional comebacker. Winker hit the ball solidly at Erceg, with the ball rolling toward first base. Erceg chased it down, then used his glove to push the ball. It rolled to first baseman Ryan Noda for the third out.
Davis leaves with groin strain
Nevin replaced third baseman J.D. Davis in the sixth inning, with the A’s announcing Davis was removed with a right groin strain.