Oakland: The Oakland Athletics beat the New York Yankees 3-2 in a marathon game that went 18 innings yesterday.
A’s rookie Nate Freiman hit a walk-off single with the bases loaded off Yankees closer Mariano Rivera to decide the game.
It was Oakland’s 11th consecutive win at home this season and completed a 3-0 sweep against the Yankees, who grabbed an early lead when second baseman Robinson Cano hit a two-run homer in the first inning.
Both teams used six relievers in a game that took more than five and a half hours to finish.
Rivera, baseball’s all-time saves leader, broke Freiman’s bat on the play but the Oakland player still got enough on it to bring home the winning single.
“I’ve used that bat for quite a while. If it’s going to break, that’s a pretty good way for it to go,” said Freiman.
In another game that went to extra innings, the Chicago Cubs needed 14 to beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-5 with pinch hitter Julio Borbon delivering a walk-off single with two outs.
Borbon delivered the single after Starlin Castro had led off with a single and stole second before moving to third on a groundout.
“I was ready from the ninth inning on,” said Borbon. “It was my first walk-off, so it was definitely worth the wait.”
Ryan Zimmerman homered and drove in three runs as the Washington Nationals posted a 5-4 win over Colorado. Rockies left fielder Carlos Gonzalez, center ielder Dexter Fowler and shortstop Troy Tulowitzki all left the game with injuries.
Zimmerman hit a two-run homer in the third then added an RBI double in the eighth.
The Toronto Blue Jays defeated Texas 3-1, handing the Rangers a third successive loss at home. Texas pitcher Yu Darvish struck out nine in seven innings of a no decision.
Meanwhile, Yankees superstar shortstop Derek Jeter has been cleared to resume full baseball activities and run on his surgically repaired left ankle, the team said.
Jeter was examined in Charlotte, North Carolina, by doctor Robert Anderson, who performed the initial surgery after Jeter broke his left ankle in last year’s American League Championship.AGENCIES
