The Cleveland Guardians erupted for three runs in the bottom of the ninth to stun the visiting Oakland Athletics 3-2 on Friday.

After A's starting pitcher Paul Blackburn was sensational through eight innings, Oakland manager Mark Kotsay was forced to go to his struggling bullpen.

Guardians All-Star Jose Ramirez opened the ninth with his 16th homer and Cleveland's rally was on.

Luke Maile's sacrifice fly drove in Oscar Gonzalez with the winning run to send the A's to their 10th consecutive loss.

Owen Miller tied the score at 2-2 with a sacrifice fly to score pinch-runner Oscar Mercado.

Reliever Anthony Gose (2-0, 4.40) pitched the ninth for the win for Cleveland.

Blackburn recorded the longest outing by an Oakland starter this season. He threw eight innings and allowed four hits, no runs and one walk. He struck out three batters. He retired 17 of the last 18 batters he faced.

Oakland reliever Dany Jimenez (2-4, 4.91) was brought in to pitch the ninth and gave up a 415-foot homer to Ramirez, the first batter he faced. It was his 56th RBI.

The A's bullpen is 1-6 with three blown saves in the last 14 games. The bullpen's ERA was 8.60 in that span coming into Friday's game.

The Guardians have won nine of their last 11 games.

Cleveland starter Triston McKenzie allowed two home runs and has now surrendered seven in the last three starts.

Oakland's Seth Brown unloaded on his sixth home run, a 412-foot shot, in the first inning. It was the 10th homer allowed by McKenzie this season.

Sean Murphy hit his sixth homer in the second inning, a 416-foot blast, for a 2-0 advantage.

McKenzie came into the game ranked first in the AL with by holding opposing batters to a .170 batting average.

The right-hander threw six innings and allowed five hits, two runs and two walks. He struck out six batters.

--Field Level Media