DETROIT — The Athletics were not amused by Al Alburquerque kissing a baseball he fielded off the bat of Yeonis Cespedes before getting the out at first.
The Tigers? Well, Prince Fielder thought it was “the coolest thing ever.”
“We were wondering if it kissed him back,” Don Kelly said with a laugh.
“Maybe I’ve been sitting in the bullpen too long, but I’ve never seen that in my life,” said reliever Jose Valverde, who is known for his emotional outbursts.
Fielder though, raved about the play that ended the top of the ninth Sunday with runners on first and third, two out and the score tied in the Tigers’ ultimate 5-4 victory for a 2-0 ALDS lead.
“He caught it, there was no panic, it was awesome,” said Fielder, who said baseball should always be played with fun injected. “But then, I really don’t know about kissing the ball.”
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It was the play that got lost by game’s end but it remained huge. The A’s already had a second-inning run but Brandon Moss then ripped a single to right and rookie Avisail Garcia — the 21-year-old who so resembles Miguel Cabrera physically and in mannerisms — unleashed a one-hop laser to cut down Coco Crisp at home.
“I was anticipating the play. If it was a ground ball I was going to get it and throw and I got him,” Garcia said.
“Huge,” manager Jim Leyland said.
Cabrera said he felt his fly that Crisp misplayed had a chance to drop.
“I thought he caught it, but he ran like 100 yards to catch the ball. It’s tough.”
A’s starter Tommy Milone struck out six and allowed just one run on five hits in six innings.
“He did really well for us,” Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. “And he was a little out of sync early on, recovered as the game went on.” … The A’s have struck out 25 times in two games.
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Joaquin Benoit, who was tagged for a long fly out Saturday in a scoreless inning of relief, reverted to the struggling reliever who posted a 5.52 ERA after the All-Star break — including 7.36 in his last 11 games — by surrendering two runs in the eighth. Cespedes singled, stole second and third and came in on the wild pitch. Then Josh Reddick homered.
“I’m not concerned. It is what it is,” Leyland said.