WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. \u2014 Willie MacIver hit a go-ahead single in the eighth inning of his major league debut. Minutes later, the 28-year-old catcher threw out a runner trying to steal second for the final out that ended the Athletics\u2019 11-game losing streak.<\/p>\n
\u201cI woke up hoping for a Gatorade bath at the end of the game and, man, I\u2019ve never felt such a good feeling with such cold water,\u201d he said after the A\u2019s beat the Phillies 5-4 on Sunday and stopped the Phils\u2019 nine-game win streak.<\/p>\n
MacIver was among\u00a0five players\u00a0brought up from the minors on Friday. He started Sunday in place of Shea Langeliers in the day game after a night game.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is part of the talk that we had in spring training, it was going to take the whole army that was in the room,\u201d said manager Mark Kotsay, who watched the end from the clubhouse following his\u00a0first ejection this season.<\/p>\n
MacIver, hitting .389 with two homers and 30 RBIs at Triple-A Las Vegas, grounded out in the second and fourth against Jes\u00fas Luzardo, then struck out in the sixth.<\/p>\n
After Trea Turner homered in the eighth off Hogan Harris for a 4-3 lead, another Friday call-up sparked the rally.<\/p>\n
Logan Davidson walked and scored on Lawrence Butler\u2019s triple against Matt Strahm. MacIver fouled off a fastball, then drove a cutter into center field to bring home the go-ahead run.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m always upset about walks,\u201d Strahm said. \u201cI just feel like I\u2019ve had too many too close together.\u201d<\/p>\n
A day after blowing a ninth-inning lead, Mason Miller allowed a two-out single in the ninth to Alec Bohm. Johan Rojas pinch ran and MacIver, who had been in the minors since 2018, threw to shortstop Jacob Wilson, who tagged the sliding Rojas on an elbow.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had family here, friends, teammates, ex-teammates,\u201d MacIver said. \u201cIt\u2019s a dream come true. I can\u2019t even put it into words.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rojas at 29.9 feet per second has the fifth-highest sprint speed in the majors among players with 10 or more opportunities, according to Statcast.<\/p>\n
MacIver was selected by Colorado in the ninth round of the 2018 amateur draft from the University of Washington. He played in the 2021 Futures Game with Bobby Witt Jr., Julio Rodr\u00edguez and Spencer Torkelson.<\/p>\n
MacIver became a minor league free agent last November and signed a minor league contract with the Athletics a month later.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m so grateful for my family and for my support system,\u201d he said. \u201cThey\u2019ve been everything to me and I obviously wouldn\u2019t be here without them and like, I can\u2019t thank them enough. \u2026 The fact that they could be here and see my first hit and how that game ended, man, it\u2019s awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n
Davidson started at first a day after Nick Kurtz left the game because of a left hip issue. He had two hits and two RBIs a day after a forgettable debut.<\/p>\n
Davidson entered as a pinch runner for Kurtz in the 10th inning. He was thrown out at the plate, called for obstruction and ended\u00a0a 9-6 loss\u00a0by striking out.<\/p>\n
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