In what was a seesaw battle of homeruns, the A’s prevailed over the Rangers once again; scoring seven runs and holding the Rangers to five in another great win tonight. Reineke went five innings in his start, allowing seven hits and four earned runs, but the real pitching gold stars belong to the back end of the bullpen. After the A’s stormed back to take the lead in the sixth, the bullpen shut down the Rangers to win the game, and sent everyone home happy again. Tensions flared throughout the game, but no chairs were thrown, as the A’s paid the Rangers back when it counted--on the field.
Rajai Davis started the game right where he left off; with a single and an immediate stolen base in the first. He reached third on a missed pickoff, and was sent home by Hairston’s homerun to put the A’s up 2-0 early. Kurt Suzuki was also hit by a pitch in the inning, and would seek revenge in the third.The A's early lead didn’t last long. A double and a single in the second inning gave the Rangers their first run, and a hit batsman and a Murphy homerun in the third made it 3-2 in favor of the Rangers. But the A’s battled back, Rajai-style. After a leadoff double and a wild pitch found Rajai at third base yet again, he took off for home after a shallow fly ball; he's one of a handful of players who scores on that sac fly. Suzuki came to the plate again and sent the ball over the fence for the 4-3 lead for the A's.
Pennington added to the A's lead in the fourth with his first major league homerun, but Texas came back one more time. After another Murphy homerun in the fifth (Reineke) and a double and a sac fly in the sixth (Breslow), the score was once again tied, this time at 5 apiece.
But the A's would hit a fourth homerun. With Mark Ellis on second after a double in the sixth, it was Adam Kennedy's turn to go deep; not only did he play some stellar defense at third tonight, but he also drove in the winning run.
Springer, Ziegler and Bailey were nothing less than fantastic, holding the lead in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings, striking out four, and easily leading the A's to another win.
Some game notes; We saw a bit of Tommy Time's eye; he worked an 0-2 deficit into a walk during the only time he got on base. He and Cust were the only two A's without a hit. Adam Kennedy's catch into the crowd/equipment was fantastic.
We go for the four game sweep tomorrow afternoon, believe it or not! Game time 12:35! You're stuck with me for one more; maybe it's good luck!
