For the 3rd consecutive start, Trevor Cahill went at least 8 IP and did not allow an earned run. Yet the top of the 6th was nearly his, and the A's, undoing as a 0-0 duel between Cahill and Colby Lewis turned into a circus -- and not the good kind.
The inning started with an Elvis Andrus grounder bobbled in the hole by Cliff Pennington, ruled an error, then progressed with a Josh Hamilton RBI single that Rajai Davis felt was necessary to heave all the way to the plate when he had no chance. Kurt Suzuki then continued the frightened baseball's journey to everywhere by throwing down to 2B and right through into CF. A sac fly later it was 2-0, both runs very much unearned.
The A's fought back with a run in the bottom of the 6th and then made a winner out of Cahill in the 7th. After Pennington reached on Andrus' "I can bobble grounders to start innings too, you know" error and then Coco Crisp provided the clutchiest hit, an RBI double scoring Pennington from 1B. Then a Landon Powell sacrifice bunt (please to teach Rajai Davis how to do this?) and a Kurt Suzuki sacrifice fly -- gritty productive outs!!!!!!!! -- gave the A's a 3-2 lead.
Then came Michael Wuertz. Let's walk Bengie Molina to lead off the 9th, shall we? Then mayhap a one-out walk to Cristian Guzman? Off the bench came Vlad Guerrero to hit a sharp roller to SS. 6-4-3, ballgame.
Cahill is now 12-4 with a 2.56 ERA and has gone 26 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run. He has this message for FIP: "Kiss my grits!" Wow. Totally did NOT see Flo from "Mel's Diner" coming there.
Powell was in the game, batting 2nd, because Daric Barton left with "left shoulder spasms," sadly making him only the second most injured A's player today. The gold medal goes to Matt Watson, who was rushed to the hospital with what appears to be kidney stones. Travis Buck awaits instructions. So does Chris Carter. Jeff Larish asks, "Anyone need a 1Bman?" Stay tuned...
