Joey Estes gave up two runs in 5 2/3 innings, and the Oakland Athletics scored four runs in the fourth inning to win 4-3 against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, avoiding a sweep.
Estes (6-6) limited the Brewers, who had scored 20 runs in the first two games of the series, to just two hits while striking out five and walking one. Mason Miller earned his 21st save of the season, coming in with two outs in the eighth inning and protecting a one-run lead.
The 22-year-old Estes said he was able to effectively place his fastball and his sweeper was also working well.
“I feel like I was just able to change eye levels a little bit and mix up counts,” Estes said.
Brewers starter Frankie Montas (6-9) retired the A’s in order for the first three innings, but Oakland broke through in the fourth, scoring four runs as the first five batters reached base.
“Our offense this whole home stand, we’ve struggled to score runs,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “So today was a great day in that the pitching lined up for us.”
Down 2-0, Lawrence Butler, Brent Rooker, and JJ Bleday started the inning with consecutive singles. Shea Langeliers walked with the bases loaded, Seth Brown tied the game with a single, and then Daz Cameron and Zack Gelof hit back-to-back sacrifice flies to give the A’s a 4-2 lead.
“We haven’t been able to string those hits together or build those innings like we did today in the fourth,” Kotsay said.
“We’ve done a better job of it post-All-Star break, of not relying just strictly on the home run to win games. So that’s a part of the offense that we talk about, that we work on in (batting practice)… and to see it executed is a good feeling.”
Gary Sánchez hit a two-run homer for the Brewers in the second inning. Willy Adames made it 4-3 with a solo home run in the seventh inning.
