By Morris Phillips

So clever were the A’s on Saturday that they overcame the desperation-leaning, reigning World Champs, home plate umpire Quinn Walcott and his game-altering eighth inning call, the subsequent ejection of manager Bob Melvin and the almost complete absence of offense which saw just two Oakland base runners get as far as second base.

The surprising result?  The A’s squeezed past the Red Sox 2-1 in 10 innings on Coco Crisp’s RBI single off All-Star closer Koji Uehara to win their fifth straight and improve their divisional lead over the Angels to 6 ½ games, their biggest margin prior to an All-Star break since 1988.

The A’s were clinging to a 1-0 lead and riding the impressive seven-inning outing of starter Jesse Chavez when confusion struck in the top of the eighth with setup man Luke Gregerson looking to retire Mike Napoli to end the inning.  Gregerson’s two-strike pitch had Napoli swinging and missing, but Walcott ruled that Napoli fouled the pitch and catcher Stephen Vogt failed to catch it.  Bob Melvin was incensed, but powerless to argue balls and strikes.

“My feeling is that if there’s a play that needs to be reviewed, you should review it,” Melvin recounted.  “You just can’t on that one.”

The umpiring crew gathered after the play and discussed it.  But without video review none of the four could definitively say that they saw the foul tip wind up in Vogt’s glove on the fly.

“The plate umpire (Walcott) heard sound and thought the ball hit the ground and called it a foul ball.  This type of play happens quite often actually, it’s a difficult call for us.  And in order to change it, we have to (be) positive,” crew chief Gerry Davis said.

Two pitches later, a hyped up and disappointed Gregerson saw his offering short hop Vogt and bound toward the mound.  Boston’s Dustin Pedroia seized the opportunity, and broke for the plate from third base successfully ahead of Vogt’s attempted tag.

Suddenly, the A’s found themselves in a tie game, and Chavez without the opportunity to pick up a win, despite pitching the first six innings without allowing a hit.   But the resilient bunch minus Melvin who was thrown out in between innings for arguing the blown call rallied in the tenth.

Alberto Callaspo led off by drawing a walk from reliever Edward Mujica.  Nick Punto bunted Callaspo to second, and Crisp came up with the game-winning hit on Uehara’s first and only pitch of the game.

“I was taking the approach they were going to come right after me,” Crisp said in anticipating a first-pitch fastball.  “I didn’t want to wait around for the splitter so I was hoping that he would come in to what I was looking for, and he did.

The A’s improved their major-league best record to 47-28 with the win.  The defending World Champion Red Sox have lost 12 of their last 19 games and continue to struggle offensively.  Boston ranks 27^th in slugging percentage which almost seems like an impossibility given the Sox call doubles-orientated, hitter friendly Fenway Park their home.  Incredibly, the Red Sox are just 20-19 at home this season.

On Sunday, Boston’s John Lester stands between the A’s and a four-game sweep.  Lester will be opposed by the A’s Tommy Milone in the 1:05pm start.