Here's all you really need to know about tonight's game: Dan Haren, in a single swing, knocked in more runs than did the entire A's lineup for the entire game. His three-run double in the third stretched the Diamondbacks' lead from 5-0 to 8-0, making what was already a pretty bad situation look completely insurmountable.
Haren reminded his old ballclub why he was such a sought-after commodity, and looked very much like the pitcher who represented the A's as the All-Star Game starter just last season. He posted 7 innings of one-run ball, striking out eight A's hitters to go along with his prowess at the plate. Meanwhile, Joe Blanton became the first pitcher in the American League to post 10 losses, going home with a record of 3-10 after an ugly, ugly start.
Blanton wasted no time in seeing this game slip away. The first four Diamondbacks hitters reached base in the first inning, and once two were out, Chris Young hit a three-run shot, making the score 5-0 before we knew what had hit us. By the time he left the game, Blanton had given up 8 runs on 7 hits and 3 walks in only 3 innings, seeing his ERA rise to 4.81, up from 4.23 entering the game.
To be honest, it's almost better that the A's just got pasted tonight, partly due to the Diamondbacks needing retribution for Tuesday's 15-1 shellacking, and also as Blanton couldn't blame the hitters for tonight's defeat. He's been in his share of hard-luck losses this season (and the last few), but the only thing hard tonight was how hard he was being hit.
If I were Joe, and Haren now offered to take me to dinner, I'd turn him down, order room service and go wreck the hotel room.
