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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- In his next start, Tim Hudson would
rather get his first victory of the postseason than his 20th win of
the regular season.
Hudson retired 15 straight hitters and won his 19th game as the
Oakland Athletics stayed 1½ games ahead of Cleveland for the AL
wild-card spot with a 10-3 victory over the Anaheim Angels on
Tuesday night.
|  | | Tim Hudson is 6-0 with a 1.36 ERA in his last six starts, and opponents are hitting just .164 against him. |
Oakland also stayed a half-game behind Seattle, which beat Texas
5-0, in the AL West. Despite winning 18 of 23, the Athletics
(87-69) can't shake the Indians (86-71), who beat Minnesota 4-2.
Hudson will get a shot at his first 20-win season Sunday against
Texas -- but only if the A's haven't clinched a playoff spot. If
Oakland is already headed to the postseason, manager Art Howe plans
to save his ace for the playoff opener Oct. 3.
"That's a no-brainer, (but) it might be a big game," Howe said
of Sunday. "Hopefully it doesn't mean anything, but it probably
will."
Skipping the start would be fine with Hudson (19-6), who shook
off a rough first inning to improve his majors-best winning
percentage with his sixth straight victory. He is 6-0 with a 1.36
ERA in his last six starts, and opponents are hitting just .164
against him.
"Whatever Art and the coaching staff think is best for the
team," he said. "Hopefully I'll have another shot at 20 wins
another time in my career. It might not be in the best interests of
the team to have me pitch (Sunday)."
Despite a rough first inning, Hudson blasted through Anaheim with his
customary pinpoint control that led to five strikeouts and even
more weak grounders to the infield. After the Angels scored twice
in the first, he didn't allow another baserunner until walking Mo
Vaughn in the sixth.
But after pitching out of a sixth-inning jam, Hudson cruised to
victory, allowing two runs, five hits and one walk in eight
innings. Oakland's small but vocal crowd gave him a standing
ovation after each of his last three innings.
Miguel Tejada hit a two-run homer and Jason Giambi added a
three-run shot, his 41st, in the eighth for Oakland. Giambi moved
within three homers of the league leader, Anaheim's Troy Glaus.
The A's scored five runs on two hits and five walks in a
disastrous first inning for Angels starter Scott Schoeneweis
(7-10), who lost for the third time in four starts as Anaheim was
officially eliminated from the playoff chase.
"They're playing some good baseball right now," Anaheim
manager Mike Scioscia said. "I'm confident our guys can play with
that team, but our Achilles' heel has been having to come back so
often."
Schoeneweis actually got two outs before walking two batters,
allowing Tejada's RBI single and then walking three more as
Oakland's fans laughed and cheered. Ramon Martinez singled home two
more runs to give the A's a 5-2 lead.
Tejada added a two-run homer in the second to chase Schoeneweis,
who made his shortest start of the season. He lasted just 2 2/3
innings in his previous start at Kansas City on Thursday.
Scioscia said a sore back contributed to Schoeneweis' problems.
"It stiffened up a little bit, and he just couldn't get the
command he needs," Scioscia said. "It's really uncharacteristic
of him. He's usually good at minimizing the bleeding."
Orlando Palmeiro and Garret Anderson drove in runs for the
Angels in the first. Lou Pote struck out a career-high six batters
in three innings of sharp long relief for Schoeneweis.
Game notes
Oakland OF Terrence Long made a nifty diving catch of Adam
Kennedy's drive to center field in the fifth inning. ... RHP Mark
Mulder, who won't pitch again in the regular season because of a
slipped disc in his back, has been cleared to begin throwing again.
Mulder, who is 9-10 with a 5.44 ERA in 27 starts, was injured Sept.
12. ... The Athletics broke their year-old franchise record for
runs. Oakland has 902 runs this season, breaking the mark of 893
set in 1999. ... DH Olmedo Saenz returned to the Athletics'
starting lineup for the first time since July 31, when he pulled a
hamstring. Saenz walked twice and scored two runs before Matt
Stairs pinch-hit for him in the fourth.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Anaheim Clubhouse
Oakland Clubhouse
RECAPS
Baltimore 2
Toronto 1
Cleveland 4
Minnesota 2
Tampa Bay 2
NY Yankees 1
Boston 4
Chi. White Sox 3
Kansas City 7
Detroit 6
Oakland 10
Anaheim 3
Seattle 5
Texas 0
Florida 5
Montreal 4
Pittsburgh 9
Houston 4
Atlanta 7
NY Mets 1
Philadelphia 10
Chicago Cubs 4
Milwaukee 7
Cincinnati 4
Colorado 7
Arizona 6
St. Louis 7
San Diego 1
Los Angeles 9
San Francisco 0
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Jason Giambi says the A's need to take care of business and not rely on other teams.
wav: 181 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
A confident Tim Hudson pitched himself out of a jam in the sixth.
wav: 71 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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