Suzuki Homers Twice, Allen (Almost) Homers, A's Win With Play At The Plate

I apologize for the delay in the recap; if you could have seen my day, you would understand. (In other words, stop being mean to me over text and email! ;-)) Anyway, if you went to only one A's game this year, this would have been a good one to make. A thriller of a game was played this afternoon as the A's squeak out a win and take 2 out of 3 from Baltimore.

I'll start at the end of the game, since obviously, that's the play that mattered. Ironically, in the play-by-play on MLB.com, the ninth inning has this listed: Defensive Substitution: David DeJesus replaces left fielder Josh Willingham, batting 4th, playing right field. If you missed the last play of the game (which you should really watch), you would know that Bailey struck out the first two batters before giving up a double and a single, putting runners on first and third. Our defensive replacement was about to be called into action. Bailey gave up one more single, the O's closed the gap to a one-run deficit, and David DeJesus flat out missed the ball and the runner from first tried to score. However, DeJesus did throw the ball home, Suzuki did catch the ball and tag the runner, and the A's won in the most dramatic way possible on defense.

Suzuki also hit two homeruns in the game and threw out a runner stealing. Go figure. Have a game, kid!

The A's trailed this one by two runs in the top of the first inning (McCarthy would pitch an okay-at-best six innings, and the A's did rescue the win for him), but they would tie the game and take the lead in their half of the inning. Weeks led off with a single, Coco walked, Matsui singled to load the bases and Willingham doubled two of them in. Everyone's favorite hot commodity, Brandon Allen, would sac fly the third run in.

Suzuki would homer in the second to give the A's a 4-2 lead, and in the third, Brandon Allen hit a ball deep to center field, just missing a real homerun. He would score in an attempt at an inside-the-park homerun, but it was ruled a triple and an error. It didn't make it any less exciting. The A's would now lead 5-2.

The Orioles hit a homerun in the sixth, and Suzuki would match that with his second homerun of the game, making the score 6-3. The O's would add another run in the seventh, and you all know how the ninth ended.

Wild, exciting, A's baseball over here, and a long-overdue good game for Kurt Suzuki.

We do it again tomorrow; this time A's vs. Jays. See you tomorrow night!