Taking a cursory glance at Gallagher’s line today as he returned to the A’s rotation is a bit scary. Any time a pitcher is throwing a no-hitter, but is pulled after four innings, you either assume injury, or a whole lot of pitches. Today was the latter, as Gallagher struck out six, but also walked six. It was actually kind of hard to tell how well he pitched; I’m convinced the Tigers batters had no idea where any of his pitches were going, rendering him effectively wild, but not very pitch efficient.
Before Gallagher even took the mound today, he had a lead, as back-to-back homers (are we allowed to do that?) by Sweeney (sadly, the only one on the team now) and Cust staked the A’s to a 2-0 lead; one that they would not relinquish. The first inning set the tone for how Gallagher’s line would end up. He faced six batters to the tune of: walk, strikeout, walk, strikeout, walk, strikeout, leaving the bases loaded, but not surrendering a run. I’m not sure that ‘shutdown inning’ applies, but the overall effect worked.
The A’s extended their lead in the fourth, as Patterson and Cunningham both singled to drive in runs, putting the A’s up 5-0.
The Tigers got two back in the sixth as Blevins and Casilla struggled, but the big inning was avoided by a great play by Jeff Baisley over at third to get a much-needed double-play. The parade of A’s bullpen pitchers continued as Embree, Street, Devine, and Ziggy handled the rest of the game unscored upon; the game ending with a déjà vu play of a deep drive off Ziggy to the wall, where the runner at first was doubled off for the last out of the day. Street ended up with the win (scorer’s discretion) and Ziggy the rare three-run save.
All in all, it wasn’t a bad day for the A’s, who showed some pop from their bats, some hits from their rookies, and some actual bullpen work.
In other news, Gio Gonzalez is heading for the ‘pen, and rookie Josh Outman will make his starting pitching debut for the A's on Saturday against the Rangers. The A’s head home and will kick off the Rangers' series tomorrow night at 7:05.
0 recs | 57 comments
More like the A's win two series in a row!
Let’s keep up the momentum – gotta make sure the A’s finish with a better record than the Gnats.
doctorK - September 10, 2008
A sweep of the Rangers would put us nearly or completely even with them, with two weeks to play.
Let’s do that, fellas.
The Dogfather - September 10, 2008
Yes!
Perhaps “we” can get screwed out of another much better player in the draft based on some meaningless games!
PaulThomas - September 10, 2008
The Dogfather - September 10, 2008
I can see
tanking for kevin durant, but for the opportunity to draft the 17 year old third baseman from paducah instead of the junior from san jose state, ehhh…?
Hot Cup Joe - September 10, 2008
KD's not worth tanking.
Gimme a LeBron or a Duncan.
JediLeroy - September 10, 2008
Not meaningless
I have a big $1 bet with a 10 year old friend that the A’s will finish ahead of Texas
Miata71 - September 10, 2008
you'd take $1 from a 10-year-old? That's cold.
monkeyball - September 11, 2008
Meaningless?
What’s your definition of a meaningful game?
You think they’re going to magically start winning next year after sucking for so long? I’d much rather watch the young kids play well and put up good stats. That would most likely lead to wins. Their further development would mean a brighter future, sooner.
JediLeroy - September 10, 2008
The "young kids" could put up good stats and still lose...
I don’t think it’s accurate to say that I want the A’s to lose, or finish behind the Rangers, or whatever. I just don’t really care whether they do or not. I’d rather see the “kids” play well and the team lose than the opposite scenario.
PaulThomas - September 10, 2008
We have to do finish better than the Giants
I can’t believe that we only have three more wins than San Francisco. I almost feel sick.
green_and_gold - September 10, 2008
Celebration!
Sure feels a lot better when we win.
Remember to vote for Bill King today http://web.baseballhalloffame.org/awards/frick_2008/vote.jsp
LongTimeFan - September 10, 2008
Damn, that's a whole lot of info they want
birthday?
phone, email, all that. Grief
MobiusKlein - September 10, 2008
Put in any fake info you need to?
Flashfire - September 10, 2008
The HOF is building an army
monkeyball - September 11, 2008
Good win for the team.
Did anybody watch this game? I only had Gameday on here at work and said that Gallagher was hitting 93-94 on the gun consistently through his outing. Just want to see if someone else could verify that. While the wildness is concerning, as long as his arm is in good shape he’ll be fine.
Taj Adib - September 10, 2008
That's what Fosse said
I didn’t see it, but on the radio they said that he was hitting 94, sometimes 95. Since they were at the game, I assume they know what they are talking about.
#14fan - September 10, 2008
It would be hard to no-hit a team for even 4 innings with so little command
and not be throwing pretty hard — unless Gallagher is suddenly throwing a knuckleball.
Nick - September 10, 2008
Or a really good forkleball
Nico - September 10, 2008
knork you.
JediLeroy - September 10, 2008
For the good of The Game: Break up the Athletics!
The Dogfather - September 10, 2008
Outman's already made his MLB debut
monkeyball - September 10, 2008
Maybe she meant A's debut as a starter?
mikev - September 10, 2008
I did...sorry.
baseballgirl - September 10, 2008
Ryan homered (!!) and I missed it.
He hates me.
whiteshoes40 - September 10, 2008
You can see it on the MLB.com highlights.
Go to the A’s main page.
One won lost won - September 10, 2008
Just watched all the highlights...
Ry’s catch was pretty sweet, too. Nice shades, buddy… going for the Milton look?
whiteshoes40 - September 10, 2008
To the moderators, and Blez. Why isn't the BBWAA link not on the front page
this year for easy access to vote for Bill King????
theblackpearl - September 10, 2008
Cause it gives me an excuse to post every day :)!
LongTimeFan - September 10, 2008
No offense
but I really can’t figure out why so many people feel the need to plug this thing so constantly. Is there a rule that the words “Ford Frick Award” must appear somewhere on the fanpost scroll at all times?
PaulThomas - September 10, 2008
And you don't remember Bill King.
baseballgirl - September 10, 2008
I had a weird moment today--
listening to the end of the radio broadcast, when the voice says “here’s Ken Korach” before the postgame wrap, I totally expected to hear, “…here’s Bill King.” I miss him…
whiteshoes40 - September 10, 2008
I don't listen to the radio...
PaulThomas - September 10, 2008
All I can say PT
is that you missed out brother………sadly missed out not listening to the radio and missing the most excellent Mr. Bill King. There will never be another like him.
mrod - September 10, 2008
I remember and miss Bill King ...
… but I feel the same way about the Frick that I do about the All Star Game and individual postseason awards: meh.
monkeyball - September 10, 2008
Same here,
Bill King doesn’t need a reward for me to know that he was great.
Kimberly - September 10, 2008
Jeez, Paul
Dissing the admiration folks feel for the late great Bill King AND openly pulling for the A’s to lose games, all in one lightly trafficked game wrap thread.
Don’t blow all your cynicism at once…there’ll be trick-or-treaters to stiff in less than two months.
FreeSeatUpgrade - September 10, 2008
I didn't say "Bill King sucks," I said the constant plugs for this award are getting tiresome
I mean…
PaulThomas - September 10, 2008
If he wins it, you won't have to see them again. ;-)
Flashfire - September 10, 2008
Yes, hence the
“dissing the admiration folks feel” sentence construction. It’s not a big deal, just, you know, why rain on our parade? I mean, I don’t believe in God, but I still refrain from telling the parishoners how tiresome that incessant Sunday worshiping is.
FreeSeatUpgrade - September 10, 2008
There's a bit of a difference between ordinary churchgoers
and a guy standing outside your house banging a bass drum and yelling about Jesus every morning.
PaulThomas - September 10, 2008
Yeah, I'd probably not like that either if it happened.
Flashfire - September 10, 2008
Don't mind Nico, it's the sacramental wine talking
FreeSeatUpgrade - September 10, 2008
So I like Guzman - we really do need a good 3Bman, you know
Nico - September 10, 2008
Don't mind Devo, it's the Sacramento whine talking
monkeyball - September 11, 2008
Maybe you should shrink your browser text.
JediLeroy - September 10, 2008
they make pills for that now, you know
monkeyball - September 11, 2008
prediction/suggestion for MSM beat writers
Off-day filler feature story for 9/15 or 9/25: anecdotal reax quotes from hitters/coaches/prominent (i.e., overrated) defensive CF specialists about Rajai’s wheels.
After today’s second Rajai-started game-ending DP, I’m starting to feel more charitable toward Jay Payton — I think Rajai simply gets to flyballs that no “normal” OF gets to.
monkeyball - September 10, 2008
That was purely bad baserunning...
Most MLB CF would have caught that ball today. Was a pretty easy play for him and routine.
OaktownPower - September 10, 2008
I have tickets for all three weekend games
should be fun
OaklandSi - September 10, 2008
I'll be
slamming my hand in a car door in front of a small crowd of surly onlookers. That should be fun too!
Hot Cup Joe - September 10, 2008
different strokes
OaklandSi - September 10, 2008
I'll alert Werner Herzog
monkeyball - September 11, 2008
Carlos Pena just put one over the Monster in the 14th. 3-run shot, Rays up 4-1.
Flashfire - September 10, 2008
Rays hold on for a 4-2 win. That's big for their division hopes.
Flashfire - September 10, 2008
Great game - I love it when I can't get home until the 7th inning
and I still get to see 9 full innings.
Nico - September 10, 2008
I saw the boxscore for the Giants game today
and thought I was looking at yesterday’s
Wilson with another blown save, surrendering 2 runs – again. And once more, the Giants strike back in the bottom half of the ninth for the win. Poor DBacks.
SwisherThresher - September 10, 2008
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