McCann hits go-ahead HR in 9th: 'Biggest moment of my career'

BALTIMORE -- It’s difficult to imagine a more challenging road trip this season for the A’s, who wrapped up their 10-day sojourn through Cleveland, New York and Baltimore on Sunday. But they finished it in style, mounting a ninth-inning comeback against Craig Kimbrel for the second time in three days to claim a 7-6 victory and a series win over the Orioles at Camden Yards.

Two days after storming back against an erratic Kimbrel to win Friday’s series opener in extra innings, the A’s did it again courtesy of backup catcher Kyle McCann’s game-winning, two-run home run off Kimbrel in the ninth. With fireballing closer Mason Miller unavailable (rest), right-hander Lucas Erceg retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning to secure his first career save and send the A’s back to Oakland happy.

“This is the biggest moment of my career,” McCann said. “It feels great.”

Finding themselves behind after the Orioles scored six runs off Paul Blackburn, the A’s pulled within one via Tyler Nevin’s solo homer in the seventh. They entered the ninth down a run facing Kimbrel, who entered this series 7-for-8 in save opportunities and left it with injury concerns after consecutive meltdowns.

Kimbrel walked the leadoff batter, Darell Hernaiz, on four pitches. McCann then worked a full count and fouled off three pitches before lifting the fourth into the right-field stands. It was only the second career homer for the rookie McCann, who was playing in his seventh career game.

“He walked Darrel with four straight, so I was going to take until I got a strike,” McCann said. “Once I got that strike, it was time to battle. He kept throwing me fastballs. I kept asking myself, ‘Am I going to see that curveball?’ The pitch before the homer, I fully sold out on the heater. He threw it in a good spot and I put a good swing on it.”

Said manager Mark Kotsay: “That at-bat says so much about his maturity. To take that at-bat … To foul off three pitches on a full count against one of the best closers in the game, and then get the result, it was a pretty special moment for him and also for the team.

In turn, the A’s finished a respectable 4-6 on their three-city trip through Cleveland, New York and Baltimore, taking four of seven games against the Yankees and Orioles after they were swept by the Guardians. Their victory Sunday secured only their second series win against an AL East opponent since the start of last season and their first series win over an AL East team on the road since April 11-14, 2022, at Tampa Bay.

“It obviously shows our grit. These guys have been battling all year. To come here against a playoff team, against a team that is top of the divisions in the east, and show that fight, show that resilience,” Kotsay said. “Everybody contributed today in some way, shape or form.”

The biggest contributions may have come from the bullpen, which was lights-out behind Blackburn and virtually untouchable for most of this series. A’s relievers combined to log 11 scoreless innings over the three-game set -- and only one of those innings came from Miller, who locked down Friday’s win while pitching on back-to-back days for the first time in his career. Miller was then unavailable Saturday, and Kotsay said he was unavailable again Sunday for load management reasons.

“We’re just taking care of the kid in terms of his workload,” Kotsay said. “We want this kid for the rest of the season. Every game is important to win, but his health and his future is also important.”

Asked if Sunday was a pre-planned day off for Miller, Kotsay said “Mason was not available today.”

“The workload, the back-to-back for the first time this year,” he said. “We want to make sure he’s good and rested before we send him back out. Obviously, he’s rested now.”