The A’s stormed back from a 5-1 deficit tonight to take the game late from the Blue Jays. They finally got the elusive big hit, and despite Outman’s rocky start, every arm in the bullpen was lights-out.
Unlike their last game, the A's set up a golden chance to score early tonight; after Sweeney as the lead-off batter worked a 3-2 walk, Orlando Cabrera had a great AB, eventually getting a base-hit to send Sweeney first to third.
Giambi popped out, but Holliday was able to hit a weak ground ball to a) stay out of the DP and b) score the run. Not the prettiest of RBI’s, but he would do better.
The bottom of the first could have gone better for Josh Outman, as Marco!Scutaro! Extraordinaire opened the game with yet another Blue Jays homerun. Outman struggled early and often in today’s game; getting hit hardest in the third inning. Aaron Hill hit a two run homerun, and after an error by Ellis and a walk, Millar doubled in two more. The Jays jumped out to a 5-1 lead; knocking out Outman after four. Not a great line for him, but he did record 5 strikeouts on the night.
Undaunted by the deficit, the A’s loaded the bases in the fourth, after finally taking some pitches against the wild Purcey. Bobby Crosby came up with the bases loaded, and a 2-0 count and…wait for it…drove a ball into the gap for a bases-clearing triple, closing the gap to 5-4. He would score to tie the game on a wild pitch. I'll bet that felt good.
The game remained tied until the seventh, when Cabrera’s walk and Holliday’s ringing double would give the A’s the slim 6-5 lead. They would put two more on the board in the eighth on a Suzuki double, Ellis single, Crosby walk, and Cabrera ground out.
Toronto would not score again, thanks in large part to some stellar bullpen work by Bailey (2 IP, 4 K’s), Wuertz (1 IP, 2 K’s), Casilla (1 IP, 1 K), and Ziegler (1 IP, 1 K). The A’s pitching staff would strike out 13 batters tonight.
This was a GREAT win for the A’s; the game looked over in the third, but they battled back to get the big win; evening out their season record at 5-5.
Rumors abound that Chavy could be ready for the New York series, but we’ll see.
Game tomorrow is at 10:00 AM.
Filed under:
