Stairs Helps A’s Climb to Victory

OAKLAND —  With characteristic modesty, Matt Stairs isn’t touting the four home runs he has hit in as many games.

Instead, he’s pointing to the Oakland Athletics’ four-game winning streak and their series sweep of the Cleveland Indians.

“It’s nice,” he said. “It’s a team effort. Everyone has played well in the past four or five games.”

Stairs hit a three-run shot Sunday as the A’s came from behind to defeat the Indians, 7-5. The day before, he hit a game-winning homer in the 10th inning as the A’s beat the Indians, 6-5, before more than 48,000, the sixth-highest regular-season turnout in attendance-poor Oakland. The fans were largely lured by a giveaway of 15,000 Beanie Babies.

“I’ve never done it before,” Stairs said of his home-run streak. “I was talking to [Indian first baseman] Jim Thome, and he said some days you feel like you’re going to hit it out, and some days you feel like you’re going to strike out. Lately, I’ve had a good lift on the bat.”

Stairs’ 19th homer came in the Athletics’ five-run seventh inning, which they entered trailing, 5-2. The A’s swept the three-game series for their first sweep of three or more games at the Coliseum since 1996.

“If you make mistakes, he makes you pay,” Oakland Manager Art Howe said of Stairs.

Ed Sprague, making his debut with the A’s after being traded from Toronto, homered off Indian starter Charles Nagy (9-7) to lead off the seventh. Miguel Tejada followed with a double and scored on Mike Macfarlane’s single.