So, Billy Burns got a hit! There's that. Oh, the A's lose again, but I assume that everyone already knew and/or predicted that long before the game started.
In all fairness, there was something different about tonight's loss. Instead of the usual frustration at the complete incompetence of the A's to put a single runner on base, this time the frustration stemmed from leaving runners all over the bases. It made for a more interesting loss, and on the scale of how many drinks to get through the game, it was a solid three. Which is better than the usual drinking game.
The A's had every chance to knock Paxton out of the game, but he lasted a full six innings, allowing just one earned run (two total) while striking out eight. I normally would note here that the A's can't hit left handed pitchers, but they can't hit Felix Hernandez, most right-handed pitchers, rookies, bullpens, closers, squirrels, and probably the ground on most days, so take a number, Paxton.
Jason Hammel became the tough-luck loser in tonight's game, and suffered the indignity of being pulled after the fifth because the A's would rather have Derek Norris (and his 0-3, I'd like to point out) in the game than the starting pitcher. As it was, after Soto left with an injury, we actually had a pitcher batting in this game. We all said that we might as well have the pitchers start batting; they can't be worse than the actual hitters, and Jason Hammel reaching base on a bunt doesn't do anything to disprove that theory.
The A's put a runner on in the first on a Josh Donaldson strike out, but they ended up with a zero on the board. Seattle took the early lead on a solo home run by Cano in the first, and doubled their lead in the second on a lead-off walk that was advanced to third when Soto sent the throw from catcher into the outfield. The A's still might have closed a scoreless inning had Jonny Gomes caught (or actually seen) the shallow pop up for the second out, but he stood in the outfield while Lowrie frantically tried to make the catch over his shoulder, running all the way out into left field.
Surprisingly, the A's rallied back to tie the game. In the third after back to back one-out walks to Fuld and Crisp, Gomes redeemed himself by striking out, oh...wait, just kidding; Donaldson singled in Fuld. Hell, I would have sent Coco, too. Norris walked to put two on again, but it was Lowrie's turn to strike out. Meanwhile, Soto left the game, sliding Hammel into the lineup in the seventh spot, putting him on deck in the next inning.
Freiman started the fourth with a single, giving Hammel a chance to bunt. Which he did fantastically; a perfect set-up, angle, and right to the third baseman. Seattle got greedy and threw to second, and both runners were safe when the ball trickled to the outfield. Nick Punto did not bunt; rather he grounded out to the third baseman, and everyone might have been safe as the throw went to second, if a pitcher had not been running. Sam Fuld nudged a half-bunt, half-soft liner towards second base, and only a fantastic scoop and throw by Robinson Cano got Fuld at first as the tying run scored.
Gomes led off the fifth with a single, but didn't move from the base. Seattle took the lead in the bottom of the inning on another solo home run; Hammel's last inning. Pinch-hitter Billy Burns earned his first Major League single in the sixth with one out, and stole second, but Punto and Fuld couldn't bring him in. Seattle extended its lead to 4-2 with another solo home run in the seventh, and the A's had no answer. A Callaspo walk in the eighth brought up Adam Dunn as the tying run, but since Seattle has a full bullpen, a lefty quickly countered that. They put on a little tease in the ninth after back-to-back hits by Moss and Fuld, but Coco Crisp popped up, Josh Reddick struck out, and Josh Donaldson struck out to end the game.
And that was that. The A's take on Felix Hernandez tomorrow as they march on to the slow, but inexorable death of their 2014 season.