OAKLAND, Calif. — Pinch-hitter Richie Palacios delivered a two-out, two-run double in the ninth inning and the Cleveland Guardians took advantage of a key error to beat the Oakland Athletics 3-1 on Saturday.
A day after the two clubs combined for 17 runs and 21 hits, starters Shane Bieber of the Guardians and Cole Irvin of the A's kept it close into the late innings.
It was 1-all with one out in the Cleveland ninth with a runner on first when Oscar Mercado hit a potential double-play grounder to rookie second baseman Nick Allen, who misplayed it for an error.
Palacios hit a towering double on a 3-1 pitch from Dany Jiménez (1-1) that landed near the base of the wall just past center fielder Christian Pache.
Nick Sandlin (1-1) retired three batters. Emmanuel Clase worked around a two-out double by Elvis Andrus in the ninth for his fourth save.
Steven Kwan had two hits in his return to the lineup as the Guardians won their second straight following a seven-game losing streak. The rookie outfielder, batting .354 in his first big league season, had missed five games with a sore hamstring.
The Guardians are 2-7 on their 10-game road trip.
Sheldon Neuse homered for the A’s. Oakland, which turned a season-high four double plays, has lost five of seven.
Bieber allowed seven hits, striking out seven and walking one. Irvin allowed one run in six innings with four strikeouts. The left-hander has a 1.13 ERA over his last three appearances.
UP NEXT
The A’s plan to activate RHP James Kaprielian (0-0, 0.00 ERA) off the injured list to make his season debut in the series finale Sunday. Guardians RHP Triston McKenzie (0-2, 3.71) has allowed five earned runs over his previous 10 innings.
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