The A's sizzling hot September continues as they win big today, and split the four game series with the Rangers. The A's complete the homestand at 6-2, have won 9 out of 11, and 14 out of 18.
Brett Anderson collects his 11th win of the year to push his record over .500, and with his 1ER, he has now dropped his ERA to 4.12 and his WHIP to 1.28. He has been as good as the A's could have dreamed of in his last several starts, and looks like a successful major league pitcher right now.
One interesting note so far on the season. The A's and Texas have scored just about an identical number of runs. This was not the case at the All Star Break. Of course, Texas has about a hundred more homeruns and the A's are dead last in the AL in SLG percentage, but none of that seemed to matter in today's game.
The A's put another 12 runs on the board today thanks in part to Kennedy, Cust and Patterson, who all had multi-hit games. Just about everyone else drove in a run.
Brett Anderson broke the A's rookie strikeout record with 6 K's in his 5.2 innings of work, and despite the A's shoddy defense, they still managed to hold the Rangers to a paltry 3 runs. The Rangers faded fast, and this series just about wipes out any chance they had at a postseason berth.
Once again, the Rangers got on the board early, with one in the first (courtesy of 2 errors--Kennedy and Pennington) and one in the third.
Despite leaving the bases loaded in the second (after Travis Buck!!!! took an 0-2 count for a walk), the A's came right back in the bottom of the third and put 4 runs on the board. Kennedy singled and stole second, Sweeney walked, Cust walked, Barton walked, Patterson singled and Buck!!!! singled (and was helped by a poor throw by Andrus).
The A's turned a nifty 3-6-3 double-play to shut the Rangers down in the top of the fourth for the shutdown inning for Anderson, and Rajai "I'm not a fluke" Davis tripled to score another run in the fourth. Sweeney sac flied him in and Cust hit a homer to give the A's some breathing room.
Anderson and his 1 ER were cruising until the sixth, when a single, another error, and a single brought in another run for the Rangers. With two runners on and two outs, Brad Ziegler came in and walked the first batter to load the bases, bringing up the tying run; pinch hitter Nelson Cruz. In what could be classified as an 'unfair at-bat', Ziggy struck him out with ease.
The Rangers would not score again, thanks to another inning by Ziegler and two by Blevins (who is rebounding nicely). The A's; however, would. They put another 3-spot on the board with two walks, a Pennington triple and a Kennedy double, and two more in the eighth after a Sweeney single, Powell walk, Barton groundout and Patterson single. Basically, a group effort today.
Anderson's 11 wins brings him closer to Joe Blanton, who had 12 in his rookie season. Anderson has one more start to finish his season. He's been a great pitcher this year, especially the second half of the season.
The A's play the Angels down my way this weekend. Tomorrow night's game is at 7:05.
