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When you're hot, you're hot. Down 7-6 to rival Texas going to the 9th, the A's tied it and then won it when Derek Norris, he of the TTO, did the hit-the-ball-over-the-fence one with the bases loaded. Oakland is now 10-3 in the Cactus League.
The game didn't start so well for the A's -- well actually that's not true. It started great if you consider that Jemile Weeks opened the game with a leadoff HR. But quickly the first inning unraveled on the A's as a ruffled (maybe he wasn't -- I just like using the word with him) Brad Peacock allowed 3 runs. Peacock wound up charged with 5 ER in 2.1 IP, allowing 5 hits and 3 BBs with just one K, and you would have to think his Cactus League showing has suggested that a bit more tuneup time in AAA might not be a bad thing.
As for Weeks? Make it a "fortnight" because when it came to HRs there were two Weeks' blasts, giving Oakland four on the day when you add two more from catchers: a 6th inning solo shot by Anthony Recker and Norris' decisive slam.
Other notables? Cliff Pennington went 4 for 4 and reached base all 5 times up. Collin Cowgill was 1 for 1 -- isn't that 5 consecutive hits for the moo-ish one? He's now batting .407 for the Cactus League. And Yoenis Cespedes did single his first time up, finishing 1 for 4 on the day.
The A's only need to commit to 4 starters between now and April 16th, and as the dust is clearing it's looking more and more like those 4 might be Brandon McCarthy, Bartolo Colon, Tyson Ross, and Tommy Milone, with perhaps Jarrod Parker in the mix to grab that April 16th start and Peacock ticketed more solidly for Sacramento. Meanwhile, though, how 'bout those "find a way to win" A's? Not the A's I've been watching since...how many days ago did Bob Geren take over the club?
