So, if you had told me that the same team that turned in Tuesday’s lackluster offensive performance would come back today and hit like they were…well…the Yankees, I would have laughed.
But that is exactly what happened tonight, as our A’s, led by Jack Cust, jumped all over the Yankees, to the tune of eight runs and an impressive win. Let me ‘splain. No. There is too much. Let me sum up:
After Giambi opened the scoring in the second with a solo homerun, giving the Yankees a short-lived lead, Duchscherer decided that one was run was enough for the night, and would not surrender another. His line would finish with 7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K.
The A’s, on the other hand, had no problem scoring; aided by a costly error by Giambi to start the third to put Buck on first. After Suzuki popped out for the first out, the hits just kept coming: Hannahan, single, Crosby, double, Cust single, Chavez single, Ellis single, Gonzalez double, as the A’s threw six on the board to take the big lead.
They added one more in the fourth on a Cust single, and one in the fifth on a Suzuki single, and the game was all wrapped up neatly until the ninth. After Brown pitched a perfect eighth, Geren went to Calero with the 8-1 lead, who promptly loaded the bases with one out. Embree was called in to face Giambi, and got what should have been the game-winning DP, but Crosby’s throw sailed at first to let two runs score. Another hit brought Giambi around to make it 8-4, but thankfully, the game ended there.
All in all, great game and great win, even if I would have loved to steal a couple of those runs for last night. Congratulations to Duchscherer for another win, but I have to say it: What was up with him tossing his hands up in frustration when Cust was unable to run pretty much half the length of the field to catch a fly ball by Giambi that turned into a double in the seventh? Now, granted, Duke has plenty of reason to question Cust as a defender, but in an 8-1 game, where Cust was responsible for quite a bit of the offense, and physically could not get to the ball where he was positioned? Are you sure you want to show him up like that?
Poor form, Duke.
So the A’s win tonight, even the series, and stay 5 games behind the Angels for another day. They look for the series win tomorrow as Blanton (coming off a tough loss) takes on Pettitte. 7:05 game; see you back here!
Don’t forget to buy your AN DAY V TICKETS now!!!!
