Athletics 6, Marlins 5

MIAMI (AP) -- Scott Hatteberg and the Oakland Athletics got just the break they needed.<br><br>Hatteberg hit an RBI single in the eighth inning and the Athletics regrouped after blowing a four-run lead

Thursday, June 5th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

MIAMI (AP) -- Scott Hatteberg and the Oakland Athletics got just the break they needed.

Hatteberg hit an RBI single in the eighth inning and the Athletics regrouped after blowing a four-run lead to beat the Florida Marlins 6-5 on Wednesday night.

After losing 13-2 on Tuesday night, the A's led 5-1 behind Tim Hudson. But his throwing error in the seventh helped Florida tie it.

In the Athletics' eighth, Frank Menechino and pinch-hitter Billy McMillon drew one-out walks.

Eric Byrnes followed with a comebacker, but Tim Spooneybarger (1-2) hesitated as he looked toward third, and settled for an out at second base. Hatteberg then singled for the go-ahead run.

"The play's at second base," Marlins manager Jack McKeon said. "No question about it. You go for the double-play. Now, it's a tougher play than it looks, but when he looks at third and hesitates, that's it."

"It might have caught me off-guard," Spooneybarger said. "It was on that (left) side of the mound, so I thought I could go to third. But by the time it all happened, I wasn't going to make it, so I had to go to second."

Chad Bradford (4-3) got the win, escaping a jam in the seventh after relieving with runners at the corners and the score 5-all.

Bradford struck out Ivan Rodriguez and Mike Lowell, issued a walk that loaded the bases, and retired Derrek Lee on a grounder.

"Chad came in and that was a Houdini act, getting out of that jam," A's manager Ken Macha said. "First and third and nobody out and not letting them score is tremendous. One run scored would have been a good job. No runs scored was fantastic."

Keith Foulke pitched a perfect ninth for his 15th save in 17 chances.

Marlins starter Mark Redman was roughed up for five runs and didn't make it out of the fourth inning as the Marlins lost for the fourth time in six games.

Hudson took a 5-3 lead into the seventh, but started it by hitting Alex Gonzalez and Brian Banks with pitches.

Banks was hit in the helmet and left the game. X-rays were negative and he was listed as day-to-day.

Juan Pierre laid down a bunt, and Hudson fielded it and threw wildly to third, his first error since the 2001 season.

Gonzalez scored to make it 5-4, and Luis Castillo hit a tying single that finished Hudson.

"I just kind of ran out of gas," Hudson said. "I can't really put my finger on it. I thought I had enough to go out and get it done. It's a little different down here with the weather."

Hudson worked six-plus innings and allowed five runs -- three earned -- on five hits. It was his third straight start without a win.

In his previous outing, Hudson had his shortest stint, lasting just 3 2-3 innings in an 11-6 loss to the Royals.

"I just kind of ran out of gas," Hudson said. "I can't really put my finger on it. I thought I had enough to go out and get it done. It's a little different down here with the weather."

Hudson, however, hit a run-scoring single for the first RBI by an A's pitcher since Kenny Rogers against San Francisco on June 6, 1999.

Notes: Redman has not allowed a home run since the third inning against the Mets on April 8, a span of 165 batters.

Oakland 3B Eric Chavez, who singled against the left-handed Redman in his first two at-bats, came into the game batting .094 against lefties.