Baseball Guru
04-03-2002, 09:36 AM
By ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Sports Writer
April 3, 2002, 6:13 AM EST
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Rookie Carlos Pena homered to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting the Oakland Athletics over the Texas Rangers 3-2 Tuesday night.
Pena sent a 1-1 pitch from Dan Miceli (0-1) over the American flag on the right-center fence at the 388-foot marker.
Miceli had pitched a perfect eighth for the Rangers before facing Pena.
A's closer Billy Koch (1-0) got credit for the win despite giving up Gabe Kapler's tying single with two outs in the ninth.
The Athletics are 2-0 after once again shutting down Texas' power-packed lineup.
Koch, who came to Oakland in a trade with Toronto in the offseason, blew his first save opportunity with the A's.
With a 2-1 lead, Koch walked Rafael Palmeiro, then gave up a single to Ivan Rodriguez. Herbert Perry bunted into a forceout at third and rookie Hank Blalock struck out before Kapler singled.
Oakland's Tim Hudson allowed one run and four hits over 6 1-3 innings.
Hudson, who went 18-9 with a a 3.37 ERA last season, got a standing ovation when he was pulled in the seventh after giving up a run-scoring single to Rodriguez. The 26-year-old right-hander struck out six and walked one.
With no decision, Texas starter Kenny Rogers preserved his streak at the Coliseum. The former Athletics pitcher has not lost in Oakland since Aug. 7, 1994, going 17-0 in 31 games (30 starts).
Rogers allowed two runs on three hits over five innings. He struck out four and walked five.
Rogers went 5-7 with a 6.19 ERA for the Rangers last season before having surgery to fix a circulatory problem in his left shoulder.
He nailed A's leadoff batter Jeremy Giambi in the right forearm with a pitch in the first inning. Frank Menechino walked, and an out later David Justice tripled to give the A's a 2-0 lead.
Mike Colangelo pinch hit for Giambi in the second inning, and then replaced him in left field. The A's said Giambi had a contusion on his arm.
It was the second time in as many days that a Rangers' starter had hit an Oakland batter with a pitch. In Monday's opener, Chan Ho Park hit second baseman Randy Velarde on the left hand.
Velarde was replaced at second by Menechino. X-rays were negative, but Velarde's hand remained swollen Tuesday and he was unable to grip a bat.
Ahead 2-0, the A's got into trouble in the seventh.
Palmeiro doubled with one out and scored on Rodriguez's single. An out later, Blalock walked and both he and Rodriguez advanced on Jim Mecir's wild pitch to Kapler.
Kapler walked to load the bases for Frank Catalonotto. When Mecir's pitch grazed Catalonotto's leg, he started for first -- and it looked like the Rangers had tied it. But home plate umpire Tim Tschida ruled that Catalonotto had swung. A grounder ended the threat.
Notes:@ Rangers 3B Blalock is the youngest player on any opening day roster. At 21 years, four months, he beats Kansas City Royals pitcher Miguel Asencio by two months. ... Vice President Dick Cheney will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Rangers' home opener on Friday. ... Park reported some tenderness in his hamstring after Monday's game and will be reevaluated on Wednesday. "I don't want to take a chance on anybody this early in the season," said Rangers manager Jerry Narron. "I'm a long term guy." ... OF Jermaine Dye, on the disabled list recovering from a fractured left leg, went to Sacramento on Tuesday to play in an intrasquad game.
AP Sports Writer
April 3, 2002, 6:13 AM EST
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Rookie Carlos Pena homered to lead off the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting the Oakland Athletics over the Texas Rangers 3-2 Tuesday night.
Pena sent a 1-1 pitch from Dan Miceli (0-1) over the American flag on the right-center fence at the 388-foot marker.
Miceli had pitched a perfect eighth for the Rangers before facing Pena.
A's closer Billy Koch (1-0) got credit for the win despite giving up Gabe Kapler's tying single with two outs in the ninth.
The Athletics are 2-0 after once again shutting down Texas' power-packed lineup.
Koch, who came to Oakland in a trade with Toronto in the offseason, blew his first save opportunity with the A's.
With a 2-1 lead, Koch walked Rafael Palmeiro, then gave up a single to Ivan Rodriguez. Herbert Perry bunted into a forceout at third and rookie Hank Blalock struck out before Kapler singled.
Oakland's Tim Hudson allowed one run and four hits over 6 1-3 innings.
Hudson, who went 18-9 with a a 3.37 ERA last season, got a standing ovation when he was pulled in the seventh after giving up a run-scoring single to Rodriguez. The 26-year-old right-hander struck out six and walked one.
With no decision, Texas starter Kenny Rogers preserved his streak at the Coliseum. The former Athletics pitcher has not lost in Oakland since Aug. 7, 1994, going 17-0 in 31 games (30 starts).
Rogers allowed two runs on three hits over five innings. He struck out four and walked five.
Rogers went 5-7 with a 6.19 ERA for the Rangers last season before having surgery to fix a circulatory problem in his left shoulder.
He nailed A's leadoff batter Jeremy Giambi in the right forearm with a pitch in the first inning. Frank Menechino walked, and an out later David Justice tripled to give the A's a 2-0 lead.
Mike Colangelo pinch hit for Giambi in the second inning, and then replaced him in left field. The A's said Giambi had a contusion on his arm.
It was the second time in as many days that a Rangers' starter had hit an Oakland batter with a pitch. In Monday's opener, Chan Ho Park hit second baseman Randy Velarde on the left hand.
Velarde was replaced at second by Menechino. X-rays were negative, but Velarde's hand remained swollen Tuesday and he was unable to grip a bat.
Ahead 2-0, the A's got into trouble in the seventh.
Palmeiro doubled with one out and scored on Rodriguez's single. An out later, Blalock walked and both he and Rodriguez advanced on Jim Mecir's wild pitch to Kapler.
Kapler walked to load the bases for Frank Catalonotto. When Mecir's pitch grazed Catalonotto's leg, he started for first -- and it looked like the Rangers had tied it. But home plate umpire Tim Tschida ruled that Catalonotto had swung. A grounder ended the threat.
Notes:@ Rangers 3B Blalock is the youngest player on any opening day roster. At 21 years, four months, he beats Kansas City Royals pitcher Miguel Asencio by two months. ... Vice President Dick Cheney will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Rangers' home opener on Friday. ... Park reported some tenderness in his hamstring after Monday's game and will be reevaluated on Wednesday. "I don't want to take a chance on anybody this early in the season," said Rangers manager Jerry Narron. "I'm a long term guy." ... OF Jermaine Dye, on the disabled list recovering from a fractured left leg, went to Sacramento on Tuesday to play in an intrasquad game.