OAKLAND, Calif., April 6 (UPI) -- Frank Thomas hit a 3-run double in the eighth inning in powering the Oakland Athletics to a 9-4 victory over the New York Yankees.
The Athletics came back from a 4-0 deficit in winning Wednesday's game, putting it away with a 5-run rally in the eighth to hand Jaret Wright (0-1) the loss. Oakland reliever Joe Kennedy (1-0) earned the win by pitching 1 1/3 perfect innings.
Oakland was down 4-0 before Milton Bradley drove in two runs and Jason Kendall another in the third. The Athletics tied the score the following inning with a bases-loaded walk by Bradley off Yankees starter Chien-Ming Wang.
Bradley opened the decisive eighth for Oakland with a triple. He scored on an error and, after Marco Scutaro drove in another run, Thomas pounded his bases-loaded double to finish the scoring.
Hideki Matsui put the Yankees up 1-0 in the second with his second home run of the year and New York pushed its lead to 4-0 with a third-inning rally that included a 3-run Gary Sheffield home run.
