Cespedes’ amazing assist stands

The Angels won the game — on Collin Cowgill’s walk-off homer, which capped a 14-inning thriller — but no one will forget the throw from A’s left fielder Yoenis Cespedes.

With the score tied, 1-1, in the eighth inning and Howie Kendrick on first with one out, Mike Trout shot a line drive into shallow left field that bounced off Cespedes’ glove and rolled into foul territory, prompting third-base coach Gary DiSarcina to waive Kendrick home for what the Angels were certain would be the go-ahead run.

Cespedes retrieved the ball near the fence, barely took the time to establish any momentum towards the plate and air-mailed a throw home that traveled at least 300 feet and landed snuggly into the glove of A’s catcher Derek Norris, who applied the tag for the stunning out.

DiSarcina thought back to June 5, 1989, in Seattle, when Royals outfielder Bo Jackson retrieved a liner off the left-field wall by Scott Bradley and fired all the way home to gun down Harold Reynolds and keep the score tied at 3 in the 10th inning.

Two innings prior to Cespedes’ throw, Albert Pujols ran through DiSarcina’s stop sign and was easily thrown out at home by A’s right fielder Brandon Moss, who also threw Erick Aybar out going first to third in the sixth inning on Monday.

Cespedes’ eighth-inning throw was his third outfield assist against the Angels this season, having also thrown out two runners at home plate in the second inning at O.co Coliseum on May 31.