Cleveland Guardians vs Oakland Athletics Match Player Stats On Jul 16, 2021

Jed Lowrie belted a two-run, walk-off home run with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning Friday night, giving the Oakland Athletics a dramatic 5-4 win over the visiting Cleveland Indians in their return from the All-Star break.

Lowrie's 11th homer of the season came after Cleveland's Bradley Zimmer had broken a late tie with a solo home run and three Indians relievers combined for three innings of shutout ball.

But the fourth reliever, closer Emmanuel Clase (3-5), had no such luck, allowing a leadoff single in the ninth to Elvis Andrus and Lowrie's blast one out later.

The walk-off win was Oakland's eighth of the season. The A's have won three in a row.

Sergio Romo (1-0), Oakland's fourth pitcher, was credited with the win after having pitched a 1-2-3 top of the ninth with two strikeouts.

Lowrie had an earlier RBI single and Mitch Moreland a solo home run, his seventh of the season, as Oakland built a 3-0 lead.

But Cleveland rallied, ignited by a Roberto Perez solo home run in the fifth, his sixth of the year.

After the Indians added two in the sixth to draw even at 3-3, Zimmer belted a Yusmeiro Petit pitch in the seventh inning over the barrier in center field for his first homer of the season.

Cleveland took the 4-3 lead into the ninth.

For Zimmer, a University of San Francisco product who made a name for himself when he struck out against his brother, Kyle, of the Kansas City Royals in the last game before the break, the home run was his first since belting his one and only of the 2020 season last July against the Chicago White Sox.

Perez's homer came against Oakland starter Sean Manaea, who got a late call when A's manager Bob Melvin elected to push back All-Star Chris Bassitt to Sunday as a result of having pitched in Tuesday's game.

Manaea worked 5 1/3 innings, charged with three runs on seven hits. He struck out seven and didn't walk anyone.

Indians starter Eli Morgan was pulled after five innings, also having allowed three runs and seven hits. He walked one and struck out six.

Lowrie, Andrus and Matt Olson finished with three hits apiece for Oakland, who out-hit the Indians 12-8.

Amed Rosario joined Zimmer in the two-hit column for Cleveland, which had closed the first half with three straight wins.

--Field Level Media