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Suzuki gives A's win over Angels in finale

Sep 30, 2007 - 11:25 PM OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- Rookie Kurt Suzuki hit a walk-off single in the ninth inning as the Oakland Athletics posted a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in their season finale Sunday.

Despite the victory, the Athletics (76-86) finished the season 10 games under .500, marking their first losing campaign since 1998 - when they posted a 74-88 mark.

However, the A's were able to give their fans one last reason to cheer in this one.

With the game tied at 2-2, Mike Piazza led off the ninth with a single off Chris Bootcheck (3-3). Pinch-runner Shannon Stewart was sacrificed to second and moved to third on single before Suzuki blooped a hit to right field to win the game.

"I was just looking to get something past them," said Suzuki of the Angels' drawn in infield. "I broke my bat, but got it out there far enough."

The victory enabled Oakland to avoid a last place finish in the American League West Division.

"It was a real nice to finish to the season," A's manager Bob Geren said. "It was nice to end on a good note. The only teams that matter now are the ones who are going in, but it is a little bit of an emotional lift going into next season."

Los Angeles, which opens the American League Division Series in Boston on Wednesday, tied the game in the ninth as Kendry Morales hit a one-out, solo homer to right field off Oakland closer Houston Street (5-2).

"We got some guys rested and everybody got there work in this series," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "We'll be ready for next week."

Morales' blast spoiled a solid effort from Chad Gaudin in his final start of the season. Gaudin allowed just one run and three hits in eight innings with a career-high 11 strikeouts.

"It felt great today," Gaudin said. "It's not how you start, but how you finish. It was really nice to end the season with an outing like this."

Oakland, which won the season series over Anaheim for the first time since 2003, took an early lead in the third as rookie Daric Barton pounced on a first-pitch offering from Anaheim starter Jared Weaver and deposited it over the right-center field wall for a 1-0 edge.

"It's just one on the list of things he's accomplished this year," Geren said.

The Angels answered in the seventh when Mike Napoli belted a solo shot over the right field wall to even the score at 1-1.

Nick Swisher snapped the tie with sacrifice fly to right in the eight that scored Mark Ellis, who led off the frame with a double off Ervin Santana.