A's Win 5-4 in Comeback Fashion vs. Tampa Bay

After being shut-out by the Ray’s in last nights 5-0 disaster, Oakland was desperate for a win.  And that’s just what they got, winning game two of three 5-4.

Though Jarrod Parker didn’t have his best stuff tonight, he was still very effective, allowing only 3 earned runs off 7 hits and two walks, and had an impressive 7 strikeouts through 6 innings.  He took a no-decision in the A's victory.

Tampa Bay’s Matt Moore had almost the exact same line, only pitching a third of an inning more, and not allowing a homerun.

Here’s the recap:

In the bottom of the 2nd inning, Tampa Bay’s shortstop Ben Zobrist would step to plate and knock out his 15th homer of year, giving the Ray’s an early 1-0 lead. 

It was the top of the 4th, and with a triple and a walk, the A’s were able to score off a Josh Donaldson single to left that knocked in Yoesnis Cespedes.  Wasting no time, Brandon Moss took advantage of hit batter Derek Norris by reaching first base on an infield single, with Chris Carter coming across home plate for Oakland to lead 2-1

With none other than Ben Zobrist tripling to deep right field in the bottom 4th, Jeff Keppinger hit’s a sac fly to center field to score, tying the game at 2-2.

More work to do for Oakland in the 5th, as Jose Molina doubles and is then driven in by B.J. Upston (who doubles himself) to take a 3-2 lead over the A’s.  They would not score in the inning, however, with Ray’s hurler Matt Moore striking out Cespedes and Carter, and getting Johnny Gomes to fly out to center field.

It would be a laborious, and nerve-racking 6th inning for the A’s Jarrod Parker.  After settling down from allowing a leadoff single to left by Evan Longoria to retire the next two batters, Parker would allow a walk to Carlos Pena and a single to center from Ryan Roberts.  He then buckles down to get our of the mess, and strikes out Molina for the second time of the game.

Not standing pat, Josh Donaldson starts off the 7th by blasting a leadoff double to left.  Derek Norris makes Moore pay for allowing the leadoff man to get on, himself doubling to deep left with Donaldson scoring to again tie it up, now at 3-3.  After a wild pitch from Moore, Norris moves to third base.  And with that, Matt Moore’s night would be done, bringing in Jake McGee.  With Oakland again threatening to take the lead,  the Ray’s relief pitcher then strikes out Adam Rosales and Coco Crisp to end the inning.

Ryan Cook relieved Jarrod Parker in the bottom of the 7th, and made short work of  Desmond Jennings and B.J. Upton by striking them out, and getting Matt Joyce to ground out to second base.

Making another pitching change in the top of the 8th, Joel Peralta comes in to pitch for Tampa Bay.  It proves to be a bad switch.  With two outs and no men on, Chris Carter get’s things going with a single to right, and with one swing of the bat, Jonny Gomes laser-beams a 2-run shot out into the stands to take the lead at 5-3.

After two strikeouts and walk, Ryan Cook was done.  Bringing in Sean Doolittle to finish out the inning, Carlos Pena strikes out to do just that.

Wade Davis comes in to pitch for Tampa Bay, and easily retires the side with two strikeouts and a groundout.


Newly re-acclimated closer Grant Balfour just couldn’t shut it down with a 5-3 lead, as he allowed a leadoff walk who eventually scored off a pinch-hit double by Luke Scott (taking Jose Molinas spot), making it 5-4.  With a man at second, Balfour would straighten out, and induce three groundouts in a row to get his 13th save of the season.

Notes:

-Jonny Gomes went 1-for-4 with a two-run homerun and 2 RBI
-Josh Donaldson wen 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
-Chris Carter went 1-for-3 with a walk and 2 runs scored

Oakland is now tied with Baltimore and Tampa Bay for the lead in the America League Wild Card standings.

The A’s will look to take the series against the Ray’s in tomorrow’s 10:10 AM start

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A's Beat White Sox 9-7 In Slugfest

Travis Blackley continued to struggle. However, the Athletics' offense continued to produce.

The result? Another wild victory for the Oakland Athletics.

Jonny Gomes homered, Chris Carter had three hits and the A's beat the White Sox 9-7 in a slugfest. Grant Balfour kicked off the "closer by committee" era by recording his eighth save of the season, as he  got A.J Pierzynski to line out to end the game.

Gomes, Carter and Derek Norris all knocked in two runs for Oakland, and Brandon Inge plated the go-ahead run for Oakland. Inge ripped an outside fastball down the right field line to plate Yoenis Cespedes and give Oakland the lead.

In the third inning, Norris hit a low fastball from Francisco Liriano down the left field line for a ground-rule double. Two runs scored, and the A's took a 4-2 lead. Earlier in the inning, Carter ripped a 93 mph fastball into left field for a two-run single.

Oakland led 6-2 in the fourth, but the White Sox battled back. Kevin Youkilis and Tyler Flowers each homered, and after the 7th inning, Chicago led 7-6. However, setup man Matt Thornton came in, and he failed to stop Oakland's offense.

Thornton gave Gomes a curveball right down the middle, and he crushed it into the left-field bleachers. The game was tied, and Oakland wasn't done. They scored on Inge's single and on another hit from Gomes in the ninth, and the A's led 9-7 heading into the bottom of the ninth.

Balfour came on for the save, and he did a nice job after hitting Kevin Youkilis. Balfour didn't give Adam Dunn a good pitch to hit, and he got Dunn to fly out to left. Alex Rios struck out on a great pitch to get another out, and Pierzynski lined out to end the game.

With the win, the A's are now tied with three other teams for first place in the AL Wild Card standings. The White Sox are a half-game ahead of the Detroit Tigers for first place in the AL Central.

Tomorrow, Chris Sale (13-3, 2.59 ERA) will take the hill for the White Sox, while Bartolo Colon (9-8, 3.38 ERA) will pitch for Oakland.

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A's Rout Angels Behind Four Big Flies

It was an offensive night at the Coliseum, with 14 total runs and 21 total hits. Fortunately, it was the A's that ended up with the 10-4 win on Tuesday night against the Angels.

The always-dependable Bartolo Colon was masterful, going seven innings and allowing one unearned run on four hits.

The A's hitters certainly did their part, as the scoring came early and often. Home runs by Jonny Gomes, Derek Norris, Adam Rosales, and Josh Reddick accounted for half of their runs. The other half was scored a bunch of hits strung together in the third inning.

CJ Wilson got knocked around, allowing six runs in five innings.

With their win, the A's move into a tie with the Baltimore Orioles for the second wild card spot in the AL.

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