Recker Proves Himself not Cursed, A's Avoid Sweep

Anthony Recker, the A's current back-up catcher, finally got a win behind the dish today.

After completing the battery for both the 22-9 debacle and the second half of the Sawx Saturday sweep of the A's, Recker finally got to catch a game in which the A's won.

And win they did--Gio Gonzalez and Craig Breslow combined for a five-hit shutout to avoid the four game sweep by the powerful, powerful Cleveland Indians.

You know, the road trip started off a lot nicer.

But then Recker got to play and the Yankees hit three grand slams, which is apparently more runs and hits and home runs and grand slams than God herself would hit.  Who knew?  The Yankees are powerful and awesome and capable of greatness.

How silly to think the A's could possibly sweep them.  So, after being bitch slapped by the hand of fate, Oakland traveled on to Boston, where the threat of a hurricane forced a marathon 12 hour Saturday, rain-delayed fun zone of baseball and not-baseball, which produced the synthesis of the A's losing two water-soaked games to Boston.

Then, onto Cleveland, where more uninspired baseball was played, followed by another marathon game of baseball in which the A's lost on a blown call in the 16th inning.  In all three stops for this road trip, the A's have played much longer than was necessary--extra innings in Cleveland, water-madness in Boston and Yankees-douchery in New York.

But Anthony Recker can now hold his head high and say that he caught his first MLB win.  Good job, young man!

So it is with great relief, great relief, that the A's can end this road trip on a high note, and return to Oakland to begin a home stand with Seattle tomorrow.

As my friend Matt said, "We won. Road trip over. Now let's forget it cause it sucked."

Positives:

• A's had some fine timely hitting.  Five of their seven runs today came with two outs.
• Recker also had his first extra base hit in the majors--congrats, sexy butt!
• Speaking of, the A's had 12 hits, 11 of which were singles.  As FSU said, "Pecked to death by ducks."
• Gio looked really good.  As did Breslow.  They combined to strike out 10, which would mean you might be able to argue yourself into a free small cheese Papa John's pizza at the Trop.  I mean, if these guys played for the Rays.  And they were at home.  And you'd probably lose the argument.  But still.
• Weeks, Pennington, Pig and Allen all had two hits. Which is better than one.
• Jack Hannahan, well-known A's killer, was held hitless today.
• This road trip is over.