Crisp Leads Offense, Ziegler Rescues Bullpen, A's Win Series

"I just don't have time to think when I go out there in the day. You just go out there, boom.

...
Pitching in the day, it's just show and go. A little breakfast, get warmed up fast, ready to rock-and-roll."

 —Gio Gonzalez, trying to explain the A's success in day games.

And indeed, with today's win (spoiler alert!) the A's are 29-12 in day games.

But it wasn't all sunshine and roses in today's day game. Despite holding a seemingly secure 4-1 lead going to the ninth inning, the A's let the Jays tie the game on Blevins' blown save (read: It was almost entirely Wuertz' fault) and only a clutch double-play from Brad Ziegler even kept the game tied.

As a result, the A's had to play out the bottom of the ninth.

Good thing, though, since Tolleson got to score the game-winning run on a Pennington single to make the game just that much more fun to win, and as a bonus, we didn't have to see the Jays hit again.

The A's built their lead early today; in the very first inning, a walk for Crisp (which would be the start of his awesome 3-for-3-with-a-homerun day), a walk for Barton, and a walk for Jackson loaded the bases for the RBI groundouts by Suzuki and Kouzmanoff. Not sexy, but the A's would take the 2-0 lead; they've done worse in those situations.

They added a third run in the second inning on a Pennington walk and a Crisp double (Rzepczynski would walk five overall in his 4.1 innings), and for most of the game, it seemed as if three runs would do the trick. The only thing marring today's win was Gio's no-decision for his sparkling seven inning, two hit, one run (scored on a pop-up, no less) effort. 

The A's would add an insurance run on a seventh inning homerun by Coco, and after H-Rod shut down the Jays in the eighth, the A's would cruise into the ninth with a 4-1 lead.

Wuertz did not get the save.

After a leadoff double and a lineout, Wuertz walked both Overbay and Encarnacion, and ended his outing with a "single" (Davis broke back on the ball initially; the outfield was playing deep), scoring the Jays' second run. Jerry Blevins came into the bases-loaded, one-out situation just in time to give up the game-tying single, blowing the save and Gio's win all in one pitch. He was replaced immediately by Brad Ziegler, who earned the win today on the strength of a 10-pitch double-play to get the A's to the bottom of the ninth, still tied.

Steven Tolleson hit for himself and started the inning with a single. He was moved to second on a passed ball, setting the stage for Pennington's game-winning single. The A's won the game without recording an out in the ninth.

Just like we like it.

It's rhyming week; the A's leave the Jays in favor of the Rays; tune in tomorrow night!