The A's end up on the wrong side of tonight's slug-fest as the four unearned runs they allowed in the fifth--after they had put up a 5-spot in the previous inning--prove to be too much for their offense to overcome. Although they did score 8 runs in the game, they should have also scored the the tying run.
Texas led off the game with two runs on a sac fly and a double to give them the early 2-0 lead. They would double this lead in the fourth on a single and a homerun; the score was 4-0 Texas before the A's could even manage to get a hit.
It would take until the fourth inning before the A's had their first hit, but it was soon followed by five more. Davis started the parade with a one-out single, Sweeney doubled, Suzuki singled, Cust singled, Ellis doubled, and with two outs, Pennington singled to complete the five run rally for the lead.
Unfortunately, the A's didn't like the lead.
Thanks to four hits and two errors (and could have/should have been another error on Pennington in the inning), Texas regained the lead with four runs. The last two were scored after a double-steal, on a hit by Byrd after he had taken what looked like strike 3.
The A's scored single runs in the next three innings; a homerun by Patterson (!!!!), a single by Barton, and a double by Davis, but they allowed Texas to score one more to bring their total to 9.
The seventh inning should have been more lucrative for the A's, as both Suzuki and Garciaparra struck out with Rajai Davis as the winning run on third.
They wouldn't score again.
Wuertz and Bailey kept the Rangers off the board in the eighth and ninth; Bailey with yet another perfect inning with two strikeouts. His ERA is now 1.93, and as Korach said, "If Andrew Bailey isn’t the best rookie pitcher in baseball, I don’t know who is." Forget rookie pitcher; Bailey is one of the best pitchers in baseball right now.
Fun fact: Patterson now has a higher batting average than Cust.
See you tomorrow afternoon for the conclusion of this series. A's try to split the series at 12:35.
0 recs | 27 comments
Was at the game tonight
Bad pitching and some untimely bad fielding really killed them tonight. Too many hits, and those errors really opened to doors to some runs that put and kept the Rangers ahead. Can’t blame the hitters on this one, even if they failed a few times in the late innings they put up 8 runs, and you can’t ask for much more than that.
I gotta say, I haven’t been to a game for a few months, but it sure was nice to see an offense that can actually put some runs on the board. The A’s put no one on in the first three innings and my feeling was, “Here we go again!” But in the fourth they turned it around in a hurry. I know the A’s lost tonight, but the fact that they scored as many runs as they did is extremely encouraging after watching a team the past 3 years that was lucky to get 3 or 4 runs. I will be excited to have Rajai, Pennington (even if he screws up some plays) maybe even Patterson and Barton on this team next year; the potential is there for these guys, we are seeing it now, and maybe adding a key veteran or two will make this at least an average offense going forward.
Philip Christy - September 23, 2009
Tonight was fun even though they lost.
Obviously a team with a rotation of Mortensen, Eveland, Gio Gonzalez and Edgar Gonzalez isn’t going to have a tough time of it in the early innings. But even so, when you’ve got a bunch of fast hitters who try to make things happen, there’s fun to be had at the ballpark.
I would like to see the last of Jack Cust. His passivity and lack of ability to actually hit a baseball may be acceptable at the end of a season when one is looking at statistics, but he may be one of the dreariest players I’ve ever seen in a major league uniform. Betting on the four choices: called, swinging, walk or other… gets tiresome after a while. He’s not inept. He’s just dull.
richwol1 - September 23, 2009
I mean...
…isn’t going to have an easy time of it in the early innings.
richwol1 - September 23, 2009
Jack Cust is having a down year
and considering all the production from the others in the second half, his second half is abysmal to say the least.
With today’s economy, he is not worth anywhere near $5 mil in arbitration but that’s just my opinion.
If the prospects come through over the next year or two then the situation will take care of itself. He will not be here.
Trainman - September 24, 2009
He probably won't get 5 mil anyways.
travdog6 - September 24, 2009
Mortensen's sinker
Just wasn’t working nearly well enough. Too many line drives and most were spanked. Rajai keeps it going. Still can’t believe he’s the same batter I saw in April.
If we had to lose, at least it was entertaining. I’m hoping we can put up a few runs early tmw for BA
geogrman - September 23, 2009 via mobile
Just returned from the game
Kennedy’s error that prolonged the first inning and helped lead to a run reminded me of the start of Monday’s game — but this game was better than that one. But too much sloppy play gave this game to the Rangers.
(sigh) I have tickets for only two more games this season
OaklandSi - September 23, 2009 via mobile
Tough loss last night
Hopefully our A’s will come out swinging and running today to split the series.
A's Fan in Virginia - September 24, 2009
Another tough night...
for the Rajai haters/doubters!
Keystone State - September 24, 2009
...
There are no Rajai haters. And those of us who doubt him only do so from a realist point of view. I would absolutely love if he could sustain this level of production. To insinuate that any A’s fan wants to see him fail is insulting and ridiculous.
danmerqury - September 24, 2009
Even we Raj-lovers
aren’t wondering if he’ll regress next year, just how much.
Nico - September 24, 2009
can anyone tell me how Mortenson got a (L) in that game?
he pitched 4.2 innings and 7 runs were given up (3 erned) and the texas pitcher pitched 5.2 innings and gave up 7 (all earned). The W and L has to be one of the worst stats in baseball and how the scorer gave the loss to Mortenson Im just really not sure, but i didnt watch the game.
OmahaHi - September 24, 2009
It's just the way the scoring rules work
Hunter pitched the minimum amount needed to be eligible for the win and even though he wasn’t very good once the A’s got to him Texas never gave up the lead he left with, so he gets the win.
Conversely, even though four of the runs Mortensen allowed were unearned, it’s his loss because the team couldn’t tie it up after he left. Simple as that.
Flashfire - September 24, 2009
How the $#($#*@
does Mark Ellis get charged with an error last night? For making a perfect relay chest high to the plate that Suzuki missed? That should either be an E2 or no error. Ridiculous and unfair to a fielder who has been hosed out of the GG before and likely will be again.
Nico - September 24, 2009
The official scorer last night was
to put it simply — completely screwing up calls.
mikev - September 24, 2009
Yeah, I agree
The ball seemed to square pretty directly towards Suzuki’s glove and it looked simply like a missed catch.
Jackson23 - September 24, 2009
It was definitely an error...
the ball got past Suzuki, which allowed the runner from 2nd to go to 3rd. Not saying it should be on Ellis, just saying there should be an error.
Philip Christy - September 24, 2009
I was at that game -- whoever called that was either
high or on drugs — or both.
It looked like a perfect throw from where I was sitting, and Suzuki just dropped it.
I’m ticked. REALLY REALLY ticked.
#14fan - September 24, 2009
I meant drunk or on drugs
#14fan - September 24, 2009
Pray tell, where were you sitting?
I happened to be at the game as well.
mikev - September 24, 2009
I did make it. I was initially up in 243, but I went down to 121, and sat down, when
the usher wasn’t there, and I was the only one in my row, and since I was in a shirt and tie, I guess she didn’t worry about me. She asked everyone else around me for there tickets, but the only thing she said to me was nice tie. I was at the top of 121-122. first seat from the top
theblackpearl - September 24, 2009
I never heard a gymnastics yell :(
mikev - September 24, 2009
we sorta wandered around
because our seats were bad… we were in 232, but I was walking around the field level when the really bad call was made.
You’re coming to the tailgate, right?
#14fan - September 24, 2009
Yep
mikev - September 24, 2009
Yay
#14fan - September 24, 2009
A few observations:
- It was pretty obvious (to me at least) that Mortensen was pretty gassed by the time David Murphy came up with 2 outs in the 5th. He had to throw some extra pitches in the early innings due to the errors, he was a having a hard time keeping the ball down and the Rangers were running wild on the bases. Kilby was warming up in the bullpen, and the Ranger lineup went Murphy (L), Byrd® and Blalock (L). Sure, it was nice to let Mortensen see if he could man up and get an out to get out of the inning, but he surely wasn’t having his best night out there and if I were Geren in that situation, I would have pulled Clayton and gone for the lefty-lefty matchup of Kilby v. Murphy in order to limit the damage immediately and prevent the big inning and another plate appearance by Han Blalock with runners on base. Alas, that didn’t happen and the Rangers put up a 4-spot in the inning, which proved to be the difference in the game.
- It’s hard not to admit that Cliff Pennington is showing more with the bat than previously advertised…but last night was a good example in that his defense still leaves something to be desired, at least from my perspective. He got to a few well-struck balls, but just didn’t field them very cleanly and didn’t keep them in the infield. I think with a fairly groundball-heavy starting staff, it’s going to be important for the A’s to ensure that the infield is manned by technically solid fielders, especially in the up-the-middle positions. I like Pennington’s arm and quickness, but he’s still a little too erratic for my taste and probably for Clayton Mortensen’s as well. Man, I would still love to get ahold of JJ Hardy…partly because of his field acumen and partly because I think Pennington would be a great backup infielder at short, 2nd and even 3rd…
Taj Adib - September 24, 2009
OF's
if you remember a couple months ago, the A’s basically handed the CF job for a few games to patterson after the holliday trade He struggled for a few games, the sent him down and its been rajai’s spot since.
Sweeney his progress the last 3 months has to be exciting. Last yr he was basically an opposite field slap hitter. I recall many times lately he’s been hitting doubles to left center with authority, he still needs to pull the ball more and take advantage of that power.
Patterson- if he was even avg defensively at 2b/OF his versatility might be more useful. In limited AB’s he’s done well in September. But i still they should at least give buck a similar chance. It would be nice if someone cleared up this situation and some honesty from the A’s side. The handling of buck + the hairston injury situation seems to be very secretive and poorly handled by geren with his vague statements
Despite last night’s game, i think pennington has proven to at least be an above avg defensive SS.
Asfan4ever723 - September 24, 2009
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