Khris Davis’ 3rd homer is walk-off grand slam, A’s win 8-5
With Oakland down by a run and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Khris Davis clobbered a 2-2 pitch from Texas closer Shawn Tolleson over the wall in left, a grand slam that gave the A’s an 8-5 victory over division-leading Texas.
“Amazing feeling,” said Davis, who recorded his first career three-homer game, his first grand slam and first walk-off homer.
Madson, who got the win, entered the evening 11-for-11 in save chances, but with two outs in the top of the ninth, Rougned Odor — you might remember him socking Toronto’s Jose Bautista in the jaw the other day — singled to center, and Ian Desmond followed with a homer to left center to put Texas up 5-4.
Along with his first blown save of the season, Madson saw his string of 122/3 scoreless innings come to an end.
“It created a career moment for someone else,” said Madson, who compared the win to many his Royals team earned last year en route to the world championship.
Valencia had homered off left-hander Cole Hamels earlier in the evening, but Texas manager Jeff Banister elected to leave Hamels in to face right-handed hitting Valencia with two on and two outs in the seventh, despite having right-hander Matt Bush ready in the bullpen.
Valencia knocked a 2-2 pitch from Hamels into right field to send in Crisp with the go-ahead run.
Jesse Hahn had zipped through the first three innings, needing just 35 pitches, but Nomar Mazara smoked a 2-0 fastball out to left and Adrian Beltre, with an impressive bit of hitting, went down on one knee and drove a curveball from Hahn off the camera deck in center field.
Hahn, sent to Triple-A Nashville two weeks ago, was recalled Tuesday and had a good outing, working 62/3 innings and allowing 10 hits and three runs.