Well, you won't find it in the box score, but if you know how well (and by "well", I mean "couldn't field the ball using a garbage can") our defense has played lately, you probably already assume that misplays cost the A's yet another game. This is partially true; the big blow of the game came on a back-breaking 3-run homerun by Travis Snider, obviously with two runners on base. At least one of the runners should have been been off the bases, but Pennington couldn't complete a play he normally makes (it was not scored an error). Braden's pitch was terrible, and Snider made him pay. It was Braden's only real mistake on the day; he pitched into the 8th inning, but still ended up with the loss.
The Jays got off the deck in the very first inning, but a huge double by Matsui in the fourth gave the A's the lead. Then the bad thing happened, putting the Jays up by the score of 4-2. The A's would score another run on a triple by Coco and a single by Barton, but they just couldn't pull closer. Braden struggled opening the eighth, as the Jays knocked a single and a double, but Ziegler managed to get out of the jam with just one run scored; he notched a strikeout and a double-play in the process.
The A's put up absolutely no fight in the eighth and ninth innings; Rzepczynikiqrpzxtq struck out three batters in a row before the closer Rauch came into the game to finish the A's off.
So the A's start the season with an 1-4 record, which is bad enough, but it's a hundred times worse that Texas is 6-0 with no signs of slowing down.
We do it again, early morning game tomorrow. 9:37 start; Cahill vs. Romero. Let's hope K can right the ship.
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