Oakland Athletics left fielder Yoenis Cespedes hits an RBI-double in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Sunday, May 4, 2014, in Boston. The Athletics won 3-2 over the Red Sox. (AP Photo\/Steven Senne) <\/p>\n
BOSTON (AP) Daric Barton didnt bat and barely got on the field. He still made the game-saving play. <\/p>\n
Yoenis Cespedes drove in the go-ahead run on an infield single with the bases loaded in the 10th and Barton, playing first, cut down the potential tying run at third in the bottom of the inning as the Athletics averted a three-game sweep with a 3-2 win over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday. <\/p>\n
He made a terrific play, Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. Thats a gutsy play. Thats a play that if the runner gets over, they can win the game with a hit. A gutsy play. <\/p>\n
Bostons Will Middlebrooks opened the inning with a single and advanced to second on the hit when center fielder Coco Crisp had the ball bounce away for an error. <\/p>\n
With Barton playing in, guarding for a bunt, Jackie Bradley Jr. bounced it to first. Barton fired to third, cutting down Middlebrooks. <\/p>\n
My whole goal was obviously to get the guy at third whether it was a bunt or a ground ball to me, Barton said. It feels good. Ive learned to be ready. Anything can happen at any time, but Ive learned to be ready when they call my name and go out there and do my job. <\/p>\n
Barton came in when Josh Reddick left with a sprained ankle in the ninth. <\/p>\n
Jim Johnson (3-2) then got Dustin Pedroia to bounce into a game-ending double play. <\/p>\n
Middlebrooks was somewhat surprised and impressed by the play. <\/p>\n
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The rest is here: <\/p>\n
Red Sox lose to Oakland, miss out on series sweep<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Oakland Athletics left fielder Yoenis Cespedes hits an RBI-double in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Sunday, May 4, 2014, in Boston. Continue reading