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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Terrence Long is making a habit of being
in the right place at the right time, both in the field and at the
plate.
Long hit a two-run double to cap a three-run rally in the bottom
of the ninth, giving the Oakland Athletics a 7-6 victory and a
three-game sweep of the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday night.
Long, who went 3-for-5, also tripled against Steve Karsay and
scored on Mike Stanley's double-play grounder to cut it to 6-4 in
the eighth.
"It seemed like he was always up at the big moment and
everything was going his way," Indians manager Charlie Manuel
said. "He's hot right now and he got the big hit again."
Long was 10-for-20 on the homestand for Oakland, and made two
diving catches during the series that robbed the Indians of chances
to win the first two games.
"It's been a great series for me," Long said. "Every chance I
have to get a hit, that's what I want to do. I feel like when I
have guys on, I'm just trying to do my job."
Cleveland closer Bob Wickman (1-2) loaded the bases with one out
before pinch-hitter Jason Giambi's infield single made it 6-5. Long
followed with a double down the left-field line, scoring Matt
Stairs and Sal Fasano, who both walked. It was Wickman's second
blown save in seven chances with Cleveland.
"I made some quality pitches and they laid off them," Wickman
said. "When they can lay off those pitches, bad things can
happen."
The A's have won four of five since a season-high six-game
losing streak.
Doug Jones (3-1) pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up the
victory.
"We answered the call," A's manager Art Howe said. "They came
in here hot, but we were bound and determined to make them earn
everything."
Travis Fryman hit two home runs and drove in four runs for
Cleveland, which fell three games behind Oakland in the wild-card
race and a half-game behind Boston.
Fryman's first homer broke a 1-1 tie in the fifth. David Segui
singled off Gil Heredia to start the inning. One out later, Fryman
hit a 2-1 pitch over the left-field fence. Following two-out walks
to Kenny Lofton and Omar Vizquel, Roberto Alomar doubled home
another run.
"From our standpoint there wasn't a lot of good things,"
Fryman said. "The offense performed well and Chuck pitched a good
game, but ultimately it wasn't enough."
Fryman hit his 18th homer, a solo shot also off Heredia, leading
off the seventh to make it 5-1. He added a sacrifice fly in the
eighth.
Cleveland's Chuck Finley hasn't won in Oakland since July 12,
1997, as a member of the Anaheim Angels. He allowed three runs on
seven hits with seven strikeouts and a walk in 6 1-3 innings. It
was his longest outing since he went 7 2-3 innings at Cincinnati on
July 7, a span of seven starts.
Heredia allowed five runs on six hits with three walks and four
strikeouts in six innings.
The A's took a 1-0 lead in the first when Randy Velarde led off
with a double and scored on Miguel Tejada's sacrifice fly. It was
Tejada's career-high 85th RBI.
Adam Piatt led off the second with a single, but was thrown out
at home by Lofton, trying to score on Ramon Hernandez's double.
Finley retired the next 13 batters before Stanley led off the
seventh with a single.
Cleveland tied it in the second. Wil Cordero led off with a
double and, one out later, scored on Sandy Alomar's sacrifice fly.
Game notes
Tejada set an Oakland record for RBI by a shortstop,
breaking his own mark set last year. ... Velarde left in the
seventh with neck spasms. ... Since the acquisition of Cordero and
Segui on July 28, the Indians' strikeouts per game have dropped
from 7.1 to 5.4. ... Piatt snapped an 0-for-17 streak with his
second-inning single. ... Segui has hit safely in 15 of 16 games
with the Indians. ... Giambi didn't start to rest his sore
shoulder. ... Finley moved into third place on the active innings
pitched list with 2,837 1-3. ... Finley also moved past Atlanta's
Greg Maddux into fourth place on the active strikeouts list with
2,299.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Cleveland Clubhouse
Oakland Clubhouse
Athletics sign 13-game winner Hudson to four-year extension
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