This Tiger Win Is a Walk in the Park

Curtis Granderson drew a bases-loaded walk that brought home the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning, and the Detroit Tigers rallied to beat the Oakland Athletics, 4-3, on Thursday.

Brandon Inge drew a walk from Justin Duchscherer (1-1), filling in for regular closer Huston Street, on a 15-pitch at-bat that loaded the bases for Granderson.

A’s Manager Ken Macha opted to stick with Duchscherer rather than turn to reliever Kirk Saarloos, who had been warming up for several minutes.

Magglio Ordonez led off the ninth with a single, pinch-hitter Alexis Gomez doubled and Chris Shelton singled to make it 3-2 with none out before Carlos Guillen’s tying single.

Street has a slight muscle strain on the right side of his chest that will keep him sidelined at least through today.

Baltimore 9, Cleveland 4 -- Erik Bedard remained unbeaten, and Miguel Tejada homered and drove in three runs for the Orioles at Baltimore. Tejada, Javy Lopez and Jeff Conine each had two RBIs during a six-run sixth that erased a 4-3 deficit.

Bedard (4-0) joined Boston’s Curt Schilling and Atlanta’s Oscar Villareal as the majors’ only four-game winners. He yielded four runs -- three earned -- and six hits in six innings.

Tampa Bay 5, Boston 1 -- Jonny Gomes homered twice, and Scott Kazmir yielded four hits to lead the Devil Rays at Fenway Park. Kazmir (3-1) gave up Dustan Mohr’s home run and walked one while striking out seven in 5 2/3 innings. He was pulled after 101 pitches with a 2-and-2 count on Manny Ramirez; the team announced that Kazmir had muscle cramps in his left thumb and wrist.

Texas 4, Seattle 3 -- Closer Eddie Guardado walked the bases loaded in the ninth inning and then walked Phil Nevin to force in pinch-runner Gerald Laird with the go-ahead run. With the victory, the Rangers had their first winning road trip of at least nine games (5-4) since 2001.