Barlow picked up the save in Sunday's 5-2 victory over the Padres. He allowed no hits or walks while striking out one over two-thirds of an inning.
Hogan Harris was originally brought in for the save but struggled to find the zone, prompting manager Mark Kotsay to turn to Barlow with one out and two runners on base in a three-run game. The right-hander was up to the task, striking out Nick Castellanos before getting Fernando Tatis to fly out and secure the victory. It marked Barlow's first save of the campaign after he blew his previous opportunity March 28. It remains to be seen whether the veteran will regularly factor into the Athletics' unsettled ninth-inning equation, though he has posted solid marks with a 2.88 ERA and 0.84 WHIP across 25 innings this season.