Missed it by THAT much. Actually, I missed it by more than that.
Despite yet another attempted Lazarus act in the bottom of the 9th, in which they plated 2 and brought the tying run up in the person of Nomar "Look Back In Ang" Garciaparra, the A's fell to the ALDS-bound Angels, ensuring that they will lose the season series to the LAA. It was an evening of despites as Oakland pitchers managed to fan 14 Halo hitters, including a career high 10 from Gio Gonzalez (who fell to 6-7 to close out 2009); still the A's were effectively nowhere near in the game until the very end.
I couldn't find a pic of Kendry I liked, so I used one of someone named Kendra Morales instead.
Although a (cheap) Juan Rivera HR, which cleared the wall by the width of a Geraldo Rivera moustache hair, was a factor, it really all came down to a botched throw in the 2nd by Cliff Pennington, which turned an almost-certain Kurt Suzuki pickoff of Mike "taking a quick" Napoli (who was on 2nd) into a double-steal for the Angels, with Kendry Morales being awarded the steal of home on the front end of the play. Replays were inconclusive as to whether Zook tagged him on the shoe before he touched the plate, but it's all academic if Pennington sets his feet before coming home with the throw. So yet another game (a season-high 5th L in a row now for the 2nd time in 2009) turns on shoddy, unfundamental defense... who'd have ever guessed such a thing from a team that may as well have Caroline Kennedy and Chad Pennington filling the left side of the infield at this point, at least in terms of glovework.
We'll try it all again tomorrow afternoon at 1:05 as Nico takes you home for 2009... watch him, he might try to good-night kiss you on the porch ;)
