Milwaukee, WI – Yuniesky Betancourt drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning to help the Milwaukee Brewers defeat the Oakland Athletics, 4-3, in the second of a three-game interleague series at Miller Park.
Carlos Gomez's fielder's choice groundout put a runner on first with two outs in the 10th before Betancourt smacked a line drive to right-center, scoring Gomez from first for the deciding run off Oakland's Pat Neshek (1-1).
John Axford (2-3) picked up the win after working around a walk in the top of the 10th. Jean Segura drove in two runs with a triple as part of a three-run eighth inning and Aramis Ramirez tied the game at 3-3 with a one-out RBI bloop single.
"It was a fun game," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. "We had a hit and run going at the time when Betancourt drove in Gomez. The bullpen came through."
Yoenis Cespedes recorded his first career multi-homer game, accounting for all of Oakland's offense, scoring two runs and driving in three off his two homers in the setback.
The Athletics had won 15 of 17 following Monday's 10-2 trouncing in the series opener, while Milwaukee snapped a five-game home losing streak.
Sean Doolittle took the hill in the eighth with the Athletics holding a 3-0 lead, but things quickly got worse for the visitors.
Rickie Weeks and Norichika Aoki hit back-to-back singles, and Segura came through with a two-run triple down the right-field line, cutting the Brewers' deficit to 3-2.
Ryan Cook entered the game for Oakland and didn't do any better, blowing the save and giving up Ramirez's one-out bloop single to center, scoring Segura and tying the game at 3-3.
"He's having to deal, for the first time in his career, with being hit," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said of Doolittle. "That's the first time in his career he's given up a three-run lead. It was four pitches. His command was off, it was shocking to see."
Milwaukee had a great chance to win the game in the ninth versus Athletics reliever Jerry Blevins, but Segura grounded out with the bases loaded to send the game to extras.
Coco Crisp opened up the game with a single, stole second and advanced to third on John Jaso's groundout to first. The next batter, Cespedes, took the first pitch he saw over the left-center wall, giving the Athletics a 2-0 advantage.
Oakland starter A.J. Griffin, meanwhile, retired the first eight Milwaukee batters he faced and lasted seven innings, allowing just four hits and no runs while striking out six, but Oakland's bullpen couldn't help him secure the win.
Milwaukee starter Kyle Lohse allowed all three Oakland runs, which of course came on Cespedes' two homers.
"Although Lohse had given up two homers, I thought he threw the ball well," added Roenicke.
Cespedes continued to carry his team in the sixth, launching his second homer of the game to lead off the inning. He crushed Lohse's 3-1 offering in nearly the exact same spot as his first shot of the game, extending the visitors' lead to 3-0.
Game Notes
Milwaukee, which had dropped five straight at home for the third time this season, last had a six-game skid at Miller Park from Aug. 30-Sept. 10, 2011 ... Cespedes now has 11 home runs this season ... Milwaukee's last home win came on May 24 versus Pittsburgh.
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