A's Unable To Hold On, Lose To Rays In 11 Innings
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (CBS / AP) -- Sean Rodriguez hit a three-run home run with two out in the 11th inning Thursday to lift the Tampa Bay Rays to a 5-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics.
Rodriguez's team-leading fifth homer came off Luke Gregerson after Desmond Jennings' two-out single had tied it against Dan Otero (4-1).
Yoenis Cespedes' sacrifice fly had given the A's a 2-1 lead in the top of the 11th after tying the game with an RBI double in the ninth of Rays closer Grant Balfour.
Josh Lueke (1-2) got the win after one inning of relief for the Rays, who broke a four-game losing streak.
The Athletics lost for only the second time in 13 games.
Yunel Escobar drove in the Rays' first run with a single in the seventh off Oakland starter Sonny Gray.
The Rays' final out in the ninth came when Jennings was caught stealing. The original call of safe was overturned by a replay challenge that took two minutes and 13 seconds.
Alex Cobb gave up three hits and two walks while striking out six in 6 2-3 innings in his first start for the Rays since April 12. After spending 35 games on the disabled list with a strained left oblique, the right-hander tied a franchise record with his third straight scoreless start.
Gray pitched eight innings for Oakland, giving up five hits and reducing his league-leading earned run average to 1.99.
NOTES: Rays manager Joe Maddon had struggling slugger Evan Longoria hit second for the second straight game, saying he wanted the third baseman to have a "try-and-get-on-base" attitude. Longoria hit just .196 over his previous 29 games. ... OF Coco Crisp and SS Jed Lowrie returned to the A's lineup simultaneously after missing games with sore necks. . . . Tampa Bay 2B Ben Zobrist said he still has some inflammation in his dislocated left thumb but hopes to return around May 30. ... Rays RHP Jeremy Hellickson (arthroscopic right elbow surgery) threw 34 pitches during his first batting practice session and expects to return before the All-Star break. ... Oakland LHP Scott Kazmir (5-1) will face Blue Jays knuckleballer R.A. Dickey (4-4) Friday night in Toronto. ... Tampa Bay RHP Chris Archer (3-2) and Boston RHP John Lackey (5-3) are Friday night's scheduled starters.
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