Athletics 7 - 6 Marlins
Final/14
  for this game

A's skirt disaster, edge Marlins in 14

Jun 29, 2014 - 3:09 AM Miami, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Josh Donaldson hit the go-ahead RBI single in the top of the 14th inning, while Jeff Francis worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the home half, as Oakland topped Miami by a 7-6 count in Saturday's marathon middle test of a three-game interleague series.

Brandon Moss hit a two-out double off Jacob Turner (2-6) and raced home when Donaldson followed with a solid hit to center to give the visitors a one-run edge once more.

Jim Johnson (4-2) allowed a leadoff single to Giancarlo Stanton, who was erased on a fielder's choice grounder from Casey McGehee. Garrett Jones followed with an infield hit, then both moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Pinch-hitter Jeff Mathis walked to load the bases, bringing on Francis.

He fanned Jarrod Saltalamacchia looking and ended the contest on a fly out from Donovan Solano to earn his first career save.

"I'm not used to finishing games," Francis said. "To slap hands with these guys after the game was a thrill. I always thought if I got a save, it would be the last three innings of a blowout."

A veteran of 235 games -- 217 starts -- Francis would have never been called upon, and the game wouldn't have seen extra innings, if the Marlins hadn't rallied against recently-unstoppable A's closer Sean Doolittle.

Stanton began the home ninth by lining a one-out double to left, and crossed the plate when McGehee followed with a base hit. McGehee stole second, but was stranded after a fly out and pop out.

Oakland left runners on the corners in the 11th, and Miami left two on in the 13th.

Moss and Alberto Callaspo each drove in two runs, while John Jaso ended up with three hits for the Athletics, who have won the first two in the set and eight of their last 10 overall.

Reed Johnson collected three hits and knocked in two for the Marlins, losers in three straight and eight of 11.

"You play 13 or 14 innings and you don't win, it takes a toll on you for sure," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "We have to figure out how to get that big hit and make that big play to get the win."

Oakland sent nine men to the plate in the first, and provided starter Sonny Gray with a four-run cushion thanks to a two-run single from Moss with the bases loaded, an RBI groundout from Jed Lowrie and a run-scoring hit by Callaspo which dropped just inside the left-field foul line.

Miami helped out starter Nathan Eovaldi with three in the second on Solano's RBI single and a two-run double from Johnson with one down. Gray avoided further trouble after walking Stanton intentionally to fill the sacks, by getting McGehee on a grounder to third.

The hosts picked up two more in the fourth on a Stanton single to score Johnson and a Jones groundout to score Derek Dietrich. The A's tied the game in the fifth on a unique set of circumstances.

Coco Crisp worked a leadoff walk, then Jaso doubled. Moss struck out but the ball briefly bounced away from Saltalamacchia. His throw to get Moss at first was in time, but Crisp slid in well ahead of Jones' throw to the plate.

"That was perfect," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "You're hoping there's no pump-fake involved. It's a risk but he's one of the best baserunners in the game."

Lowrie bounced a ball over the wall in left center to start the eighth, moved up on a groundout and scored on a Callaspo single to put the visitors ahead, 6-5.

Game Notes

Oakland assumed a 6-5 edge in the all-time series, having won four of the last six meetings with Miami dating back to June of 2008 ... Gray worked five innings, allowing seven hits and five runs with four strikeouts and three walks ... Eovaldi left after seven full, giving up eight hits and five runs ... With his second blown save of the season, Doolittle's scoreless streak ended at 26 1/3 innings ... Game time was 4:47, Oakland's longest of the season, which eclipsed a 4:39 finish in a 2-1, 14-inning loss to the Angels on June 10 ... Following the contest, the Marlins optioned pitcher Anthony DeSclafani and outfielder Jake Marisnick to Triple-A New Orleans. Those moves followed the Fish recalling pitcher Sam Dyson from New Orleans prior to the contest.






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