Athletics catcher Willie MacIver throws the ball to the pitcher during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, May 25, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Sara Nevis)
Republished May 25, 2025 - 5:32 PM
Original Publication Date May 25, 2025 - 4:21 PM
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Willie MacIver had a tiebreaking single for his first big league hit in a two-run, eighth-inning rally, then capped his debut by throwing out a runner attempting to steal for the final out as the Athletics beat Philadelphia 5-4 Sunday to stop an 11-game slide and the Phillies’ nine-game winning streak.
A’s manager Mark Kotsay and third baseman Miguel Andujar were ejected in the seventh inning by plate umpire Roberto Ortiz with the score 3-3, angered over a called strike.
Philadelphia’s Trea Turner homered in the eighth off Hogan Harris for a 4-3 lead.
Matt Strahm (1-3) issued a one-out walk in the bottom half to Logan Davidson, who hit a two-run double and singled for his first hits. He made a forgettable debut Saturday when he entered as a pinch runner in the 10th inning and was thrown out at the plate, was called for obstruction and ended a 9-6 loss by striking out.
Lawrence Butler tied the score with a triple and MacIver singled to center.
A day after blowing a ninth-inning lead, Mason Miller allowed a two-out single in the ninth to Alec Bohm. Johan Rojas pinch ran and MacIver, a 28-year-old catcher who had been in the minors since 2018, threw to shortstop Jacob Wilson, who tagged the sliding Rojas on an elbow.
The A’s had to wait for a video review to uphold the call.
Tyler Ferguson (1-2) got his first win since Sept. 18. Miller, pitching for a third straight day for the first time in his big league career, got his 12th save in 14 chances.
Wilson hit a 420-foot homer on Jesús Luzardo’s first pitch as the A’s built a 3-0 first-inning lead.
Turner had three RBIs, including an RBI single in the third and a sacrifice fly in the fifth.
Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo struck out 10 in seven innings.
Key moment
A day after allowing Max Kepler’s tying ninth-inning homer, Miller retired him on a grounder starting the ninth before striking out Realmuto.
Key stat
The A’s had not lost 12 straight games in a season since 1994.
Up next
Phillies: LHP Ranger Suárez (3-0, 3.70 ERA) starts Tuesday night at Atlanta against RHP Spencer Strider (0-2, 5.79 ERA).
Athletics: LHP JP Sears (4-4, 4.00 ERA) starts Tuesday night at Houston against RHP Hunter Brown (6-3, 2.04 ERA).
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