Fired-up Athletics shell besieged Bucs bullpen

The Pirates blew a 10-6 lead in a 12-11 defeat.
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- The Oakland Athletics got fired up by a wayward pitch and then pulled off an unlikely comeback.
Jermaine Dye singled with the bases loaded in the ninth and the A's rallied from a four-run deficit for their 12-11 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.
Pittsburgh reliever Salomon Torres and manager Lloyd McClendon were ejected after the right-hander threw two consecutive pitches behind Damian Miller in the eighth.
"I think it woke us up," Miller said. "I don't know what he was doing or what they were thinking. It was a huge spark for us."
Torres' first pitch sailed behind Miller about waist high, and plate umpire Kerwin Danley warned both sides. A's reliever Justin Duchscherer had hit Pirates catcher Jason Kendall with a pitch in the top of the inning.
Denial
"There's no way we think a guy throwing a 55 mph curveball is trying to hit Jason on purpose," McClendon said. "I'm trying to tell them we've lost six in a row and we're just trying to get a win. We had things lined up the way we wanted, and unfortunately that happens."
Torres' next pitch also went behind Miller, earning an instant ejection. McClendon was also ejected as a result.
"I've already been issued a warning," Torres said. "I'm not trying to hit anybody. You have to be crazy or stupid to do that. I'm very disappointed he made the decision especially late in the game and how badly we need this win."
Torres argued with a fan sitting behind the Pirates dugout as he left the field escorted by a security guard.
Beanball
The A's and Pirates combined to hit five batters during Friday night's 6-1 Oakland victory.
Marco Scutaro doubled to lead off the ninth, and after Mark Corey (0-1) got Eric Byrnes to fly out, Mark McLemore and Mark Kotsay were walked intentionally ahead of Dye.
"I told someone I was just going to wait for the right pitch," Dye said.
"I was just patient. The guys were pretty excited when they came back and did that [to Miller]. It got us going."
Arthur Rhodes (3-3) blew his fifth save in 14 opportunities, most in the AL, but got the win when Dye singled.
Erubiel Durazo drove in three runs and Byrnes hit two homers for the A's, who scored five times in the eighth inning against Pittsburgh closer Jose Mesa to take an 11-10 lead.
"It makes no difference coming in the eighth or ninth, I still have to get the outs," Mesa said. "It wasn't tough, I just didn't do my job."
Crosby doubles twice
Bobby Crosby had two RBI doubles as the A's extended their season-best winning streak to seven games.
"We were tired and [Torres] fired us up," Crosby said.
"Once it happened, we took it right to them. It's a sweet win. I've never seen a guy throw behind a guy twice like that."
Ruben Mateo had two homers, including his first career grand slam, and Jason Bay collected three hits and drove in two runs as the Pirates lost their seventh straight. His grand slam gave the Pirates a 7-4 lead.
Mateo, who drove in a career-high five runs, tied it with a solo shot off Rhodes leading off the ninth.
"It might be the first time I did that but, when we lose it doesn't matter how I do," Mateo said. "It's no big deal."
Mesa replaced Torres. He struck out Miller but gave up a homer to Scutaro, the first he's allowed this year, and consecutive singles to Byrnes, McLemore and Kotsay for another run. Scott Hatteberg added a sacrifice fly to make it 10-9, and Durazo and Crosby followed with their hits. Mesa had allowed just three runs in his previous 22 innings.
PITTSBURGHOAKLAND
abrhbiabrhbi
Kendall c4111Byrnes lf6332
JWilsn ss5021McLmr 3b4110
Bay lf4132Kotsay cf5331
CWilsn dh3101Dye rf4232
Mckwk cf5120Httberg 1b4011
RMateo rf4325Durazo dh4123
Ward 1b5010Crosby ss4022
TRdmn cf0000DMiller c4000
Stynes 3b5231Scutaro 2b5231
Castillo 2b4220
Totals39111611Totals40121812
Pittsburgh002051111--11
Oakland112020051--12
One out when winning run scored.
E--Mackowiak (6), Castillo (4). DP--Pittsburgh 2, Oakland 2. LOB--Pittsburgh 8, Oakland 12. 2B--Bay (6), Ward (7), Kotsay (10), Dye (14), Crosby 2 (13), Scutaro 2 (17). HR--RMateo 2 (3), Byrnes 2 (7), Scutaro (2). S--Bay, Castillo. SF--Hatteberg.
IPHRERBBSO
Pittsburgh
Vogelsong486641
Gonzalez2-300010
Meadows1 2-310000
Johnston1-310001
STorres1-300000
Mesa2-365511
Corey L,0-1 2-321120
Oakland
MRedman597733
Bradford131101
RRincon2-301111
Duchscherer1 1-321100
Rhodes W,3-3121101
Vogelsong pitched to 2 batters in the 5th. HBP--by Duchscherer (Kendall). WP--MRedman. Umpires--Home, Kerwin Danley; First, Marvin Hudson; Second, Dana DeMuth; Third, Jim Joyce. T--3:59. A--24,606.
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