Today, we have a full schedule of baseball; thanks to the Bay Area teams finally putting up wins yesterday, there are now four games on the docket, instead of just two. Of course, we care about exactly one, and that's where all of our energy will be focused, as the A's try to force a game five by beating Max Scherzer tonight. Scherzer likes the strikeouts, and clearly, so do the A's, so they had better find a way to put the ball in play to back up A.J. Griffin, who didn't make it out of the third inning a week ago; the last time he took the mound. The A's won anyway.
And all we really wanted after falling to 0-2 was a chance to force a winner-take-all game, and tonight could provide the opportunity. But the A's will have to put every bit of energy and magic into tonight's game, as they continue to harness the amazing crowd's energy to make it back-to-back wins. Win-or-go-home! LET'S GO OAK-LAND!
Today's set of games kick off at 10:00AM:
St. Louis Cardinals at. Washington Nationals
With the series tied up at one, and all the remaining games in Washington D.C. (which I narrowly missed seeing a) Gio pitch and b) the stadium in April, but the game was rained out, much to my crushing disappointment), the Nationals will throw Edwin Jackson against the Cardinals' Chris Carpenter. Will the Nationals regret sitting their best pitcher for the postseason, or can their other pitchers pull it out?
At 1:00PM:
San Francisco Giants at Cincinnati Reds
The Giants found themselves not only down 0-2, but also on the road for the remaining games of the series, but so far, Cincinnati has been better to them than San Francisco was. The Giants forced a Game 4 with last night's win, and they will try to force a Game 5 with another win this afternoon. In an interesting twist, the Giants are starting Barry Zito instead of Tim Lincecum today against Mike Leake.
At 4:30PM
Baltimore Orioles at New York Yankees
The Orioles tied up the series at one game apiece after a late-inning loss to the Yankees in Game 1. Tonight's all-important Game 3 will be held in New York, as will Game 4 and Game 5, if necessary. The Orioles will be throwing Miguel Gonzalez against the Yankees' Hiroki Kuroda.
We will, of course, stop whatever we are doing for our game thread at 6PM, as the main event game of the night starts at 6:30PM; Your 2012 Western Division Champion Oakland Athletics will be facing the Detroit Tigers; one A's win away from an exciting Game 5.