A's Stop Tigers From Re-Clinching Division!

by Nico on Sep 17, 2011 4:08 PM PDT

"No smoking zone? You gotta be KIDDING me."

The tension was palpable: Could the Tigers, having clinched the AL Central last night, re-clinch it again today? The answer turned out to be no, and as a result Detroit must settle for a single clinch, while the A's take a 2-1 lead in the series.

Oakland scored early on Rick Porcello, with a two-run 2nd inning rally started by Brandon Allen's single, featuring RBI hits from Scott Sizemore and Coco Crisp. The A's then added on in the 3rd with Kurt Suzuki's sacrifice fly. Meanwhile Gio Gonzalez, like Trevor Cahill yesterday, was in and out of trouble throughout the early and middle innings, but in contrast to Cahill, Gio wobbled but was never really knocked down. A single run in the 6th, cutting the A's lead to 3-1, was the only tally off of Gonzalez in his 7 IP of 8 hit, 1 ER ball. Gonzalez becomes a 14-game winner (14-12) with an impressive 3.33 ERA.

The A's added two insurance runs in the bottom of the 8th and good thing, because Andrew Bailey was scored upon twice in the 9th -- the 7th time in his last 13 appearances that Bailey has allowed a run. Ruh-roh.

To win the series, the A's will have to overcome Justin Verlander, who will take a 23-5 record into tomorrow's start. One of the 5 losses was, however, to the A's.

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Comments

What's up with Bailey lately?

Has he just been missing location and getting hit hard? Or is he getting unlucky with fluky hits?

by Cartwright on Sep 17, 2011 5:32 PM PDT reply actions

He's getting hit pretty hard

Seems to have lost the good cutter.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Sep 17, 2011 5:40 PM PDT up reply actions

And if he has lost the cutter for good

Then next year I think he may not be the closer because he is going to get blasted.

KK said on radio a week or so ago that the last surgery straightened his arm and there went the cutter. I guess we have to wait and see next year and see if he can adjust or can get it back

by Trainman on Sep 17, 2011 5:44 PM PDT up reply actions

Hopefully he will figure it out.

I’m not as confident in his replacements.

by Cartwright on Sep 17, 2011 6:08 PM PDT up reply actions

OR

Billy will just sell high before the rest of the league catches on about the loss of his cutter.

Re-sign Josh Willingham now!

by sf drift king on Sep 17, 2011 10:04 PM PDT up reply actions

Hope so

But the rest of the league already knows I think

by Trainman on Sep 17, 2011 10:23 PM PDT up reply actions

I kinda got picked on for complaining about it

But to me he seems to have faded lately. Even when he gets out of the inning unscathed, it isn’t in a “closer-like” manner.

Hopefully he’ll get back on it before next season starts.

by 4-6-3 on Sep 17, 2011 5:45 PM PDT up reply actions

It is obvious he is sucking

You don’t need anything but your eye to see that.

Couple that with what KK said and that appears to be the reason. Too many hard hit balls.

by Trainman on Sep 17, 2011 5:52 PM PDT up reply actions

We're on the same page.

Yeah, a closer should be striking people out or inducing weak hits. Bailey is giving up too many hard hits. Not all of them are going to be popouts.

by 4-6-3 on Sep 17, 2011 5:54 PM PDT up reply actions

Penny looked out at first to me.

No replays at the Coli. What was really up?

by 4-6-3 on Sep 17, 2011 5:48 PM PDT reply actions

He was out.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Sep 17, 2011 6:14 PM PDT up reply actions

Oh hey, what was up with the gun today?

Gio’s pitch was clocked at 100, which isn’t correct. Then it just went black except for showing 200 at one point.

Was it broken or was Gio’s speed just down. He wasn’t popping the glove hard.

by 4-6-3 on Sep 17, 2011 5:55 PM PDT reply actions

I mean Gio's 2nd pitch was clocked at 100

by 4-6-3 on Sep 17, 2011 6:01 PM PDT up reply actions

I think he was at his usual velocity (92-93, occasionally 94).

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Sep 17, 2011 6:14 PM PDT up reply actions

did the radar stay on on TV?

by 4-6-3 on Sep 17, 2011 6:43 PM PDT up reply actions

Yes, I think so.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Sep 17, 2011 8:22 PM PDT up reply actions

the radar gun had one pitch at 200 (no joke)

then the pitch after it was 100. After that they just turned off the radar gun.

by OaklandSi on Sep 17, 2011 7:20 PM PDT up reply actions

Was there a Native American on the mound with Gio?

Weird stuff happens when that guy’s around.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Sep 17, 2011 8:22 PM PDT up reply actions

Uh... wasn't he an aboriginie, like from Australia?

"Trying not to rec a "F**k the Giants" post is like trying not to look at boobs."

by Tutu-late on Sep 17, 2011 8:31 PM PDT up reply actions

Sure.

I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal

by Nico on Sep 17, 2011 8:50 PM PDT up reply actions

Ojos mas rapido

by player20 on Sep 17, 2011 10:03 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs

Clinch Eastwood

ack-A

by ak_A on Sep 17, 2011 6:38 PM PDT reply actions

Well Done

This was a game we needed to win, since now we go up against Verlander. Gio pitched well, and we got enough timely hitting to escape with a W.
Still, what in the world is wrong with Bailey? He’s been getting hit hard, allowing runs and hits all the time. His ERA is up to around 3.60. Why is this?

by Jason James on Sep 18, 2011 1:07 AM PDT reply actions

watching the game on FOX (DVRed it earlier)

This sportscasting crew is very sedate, some might say boring. But the color guy actually has some interesting things to say, talking about Allen’s swing and what he could be doing to pop up too much for example.

by 4-6-3 on Sep 18, 2011 1:15 AM PDT reply actions