The A's didn't lose a tight one, like Friday night. They didn't relinquish an early lead -- and then get blown out -- like yesterday. No, today they just ... lost.
This was your garden variety the-other-team-hit-and-pitched-better game. Braden certainly wasn't awful -- and considering how sick he apparently was, he really deserves credit for gutting out a few innings. And, heck, he looked better at times than did Matsuzaka, who's never yet met a pitcher's count that he didn't want to go needlessly deeper in.
It was nice seeing Barton get ahold of one for today's Obligatory Meaningless Two-Run Homerun, and Dan Meyer provided a decent inning of introductory mop-up work (did that inning signal the beginning of a new Giological Era on Thursday?). For that matter, it was nice to see Embree come out of the rain delay and shut the Sox down for an inning.
But once again, the inventory of the A's offensive efforts showed a whole lot of K's, a smattering of BBs, not many H's, and precious few R's.
The A's trundle off to Toronto next for a four-game set with the Jays.
This was your garden variety the-other-team-hit-and-pitched-better game. Braden certainly wasn't awful -- and considering how sick he apparently was, he really deserves credit for gutting out a few innings. And, heck, he looked better at times than did Matsuzaka, who's never yet met a pitcher's count that he didn't want to go needlessly deeper in.
It was nice seeing Barton get ahold of one for today's Obligatory Meaningless Two-Run Homerun, and Dan Meyer provided a decent inning of introductory mop-up work (did that inning signal the beginning of a new Giological Era on Thursday?). For that matter, it was nice to see Embree come out of the rain delay and shut the Sox down for an inning.
But once again, the inventory of the A's offensive efforts showed a whole lot of K's, a smattering of BBs, not many H's, and precious few R's.
The A's trundle off to Toronto next for a four-game set with the Jays.
