Skye Bolt hits leadoff sacrifice fly in 10th, A’s beat Marlins 3-2

AP – Skye Bolt hit a leadoff sacrifice fly — as strange as that sounds — in the 10th inning and the Oakland Athletics beat the Miami Marlins 3-2 Wednesday to avert a three-game sweep.

With David MacKinnon on second base as the automatic runner and the score tied at 2, Marlins left-hander Richard Bleier (2-2) flung a wild pitch. 

That advanced MacKinnon to third, and Bolt followed with a winning flyball.

A.J. Puk (3-1) got the win.

Until the 10th, the afternoon belonged to left-handers Jesus Luzardo of Miami and Cole Irvin of Oakland.

Irvin struck out 11 in seven scoreless innings, allowing three hits without a walk. 

He had lost four straight decisions in August.

Regarded as the coming ace of the A’s rotation until they dealt him to Miami for outfielder Starling Marte at the 2021 trade deadline, Luzardo held Oakland hitless until Jonah Bride singled cleanly to left field to open the sixth inning.

Following Tony Kemp’s sacrifice bunt, Nick Allen singled and Sean Murphy drew a two-out walk that loaded the bases, setting up Chad Pinder’s two-run single.

Luzardo also gave up just three hits in seven innings.

The A’s entered the game knowing that Luzardo would display confounding stuff.

“That’s always been him,” Oakland manager Mark Kotsay said. 

“Jesus has incredible talent. It’s not anything we’re surprised to see.”

Luzardo acknowledged feeling more motivated than usual to face his former team but insisted that he quickly calmed down.

“I definitely was trying to keep my emotions in check going into the start, just facing a lot of guys that I know, a lot of old teammates,” he said. “I felt like once I got the first pitch out of the way, it was back to normal.”

Luzardo admitted being aware that he had the early makings of a no-hitter. 

“I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t,” he said.

Miguel Rojas hit an RBI single in the Miami eighth against Zach Jackson, who began the inning by hitting Joey Wendle with a pitch.

Nick Fortes hit a tying home run in the Marlins’ ninth off Dany Jimenez. It was Fortes’ seventh homer of the season.

MOVING UP

Don Mattingly managed his 1,801st game in the majors, including 992 with the Marlins. 

He will join the ranks of skippers who have managed at least 1,000 games with their current clubs, along with Tony La Russa of the White Sox, Terry Francona of the Guardians, Craig Counsell of the Brewers, and Kevin Cash of the Rays.

TRAINER’S ROOM

A’s: CF Ramon Laureano (left oblique) backed off his injury rehabilitation program slightly, owing to what Kotsay termed as “general body soreness.” Laureano is expected to resume his regular program Thursday.”

UP NEXT

Marlins: Have not named a starter for Friday night’s series opener at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are set to start LHP Tyler Anderson (13-2).

Athletics: Host the New York Yankees for a four-game series beginning Thursday night. 

Oakland will start RHP James Kaprielian (3-7); the Yankees had yet to name a probable starter.