Guardians 4 - 3 Athletics
Final/12
  for this game

Indians take down A's in extras

May 6, 2011 - 5:18 AM

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Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - Jack Hannahan drove in a run and scored the eventual game-winner in the top of the 12th inning, as the Cleveland Indians held on for a 4-3 win over the Oakland Athletics in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Lou Marson went 3-for-5 with an RBI while Asdrubal Cabrera had a pair of hits and knocked in two runs for the Indians, who have won eight of their last nine games.

"We had quality at-bats throughout the whole game," Marson said. "We've been playing well and we just try to have quality at-bats and stick to our strengths."

Chad Durbin (2-1) got the win for the Indians, pitching two shutout extra innings, while Chris Perez got his ninth save of the season despite giving up a run in the 12th.

Ryan Sweeney finished 5-for-6 with two RBI for Oakland, which ended a seven- game homestand with a 4-3 record. Craig Breslow (0-2) was charged with the loss, allowing two runs on three hits in the final inning.

Orlando Cabrera had a one-out single in the top of the 12th and moved to second on Austin Kearns' walk. That set up Breslow's battle with Hannahan, who ended up winning with a bloop fly ball into shallow left field. Orlando Cabrera was running on contact, rounded third and scored to put the Indians in front, 3-2.

Hannahan then touched home for the all-important insurance run on Marson's single to left.

Perez's performance for the save was little dicey in the bottom half where he faced the potential winning run with one out. He got Josh Willingham to pop out before Sweeney lined a shot up the middle to bring home Daric Barton for a 4-3 game. However, he forced pinch hitter Hideki Matsui to pop out to end the game.

Pitching controlled the first 4 1/2 innings, with A's starter Brett Anderson retiring the first 13 batters he saw. Travis Hafner broke up the perfect game with a single in the fifth.

Mark Ellis led off the bottom of the fifth with a single. He then moved to second on Andy LaRoche's grounder and stole third before scampering home on Barton's single through the right side to make it 1-0.

The Indians responded with a two-run top of the sixth. Marson and Michael Brantley both singled up the middle and Asdrubal Cabrera ripped a base hit for a 2-1 lead.

Marson looked to have started another rally in the eighth with a leadoff triple, but Anderson buckled down to retire Brantley, Asdrubal Cabrera and Shin-Soo Choo in order to keep it a one-run game.

Ryan Sweeney's soft line drive to left brought home Conor Jackson in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at 2-2. Anderson left after the ninth to get a nine-inning no decision. The lefty allowed two runs on seven hits and fanned five.

"It's a tough one to lose," A's manager Bob Geren said. "It was well pitched. Anderson did an incredible job. We came back and battled until the end."

Game Notes

Indians starter Jeanmar Gomez left in the sixth, allowing one run on six hits in 5 1/3 innings...Oakland is still 12-7 against Cleveland since the start of the 2009 season...It's the first series win in Oakland for the Indians since the 2002 season.






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