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Maybe portending a see-saw AL West race that could end up dead even, the A's and Angels each scored 4 runs in the 9th inning to end a day of giant ups and downs in a 13-13 tie.
Travis Blackley, picking up where he left off, took to the mound an ERA that was eligible to order alcohol and promptly surrendered 3 runs in the top of the 1st. Undaunted, the A's charged back with 3 in the bottom of the 1st against Jered Weaver, courtesy of a Josh Reddick 3-run bomb. The A's added 5 in the 2nd on Luke Montz' first Cactus League hit, a 2-run HR, and later in the inning a Cespedes HR. In all against Weaver: 2 IP, 8 ER.
However, an 8-3 lead did not hold up and by the 9th it was 9-9. The game ended as it began, with the two teams trading identical crooked numbers. The Angels took a 13-9 lead off of T.J. Walz, in easily the A's worst performance by a T.J. since Matthews.
Yet even though they couldn't face Pedro Figueroa (that's a Yankee Stadium reference), Oakland put up a 4-spot of their own in the bottom of the 9th, including a HR by Raul Ibañez Scott Moore. Key in the inning was a double off the CF wall by Cactus League MVP candidate Shane Peterson. After tying the game, the A's had a shot to win it, with two on and one out, but Ryan Lipkin bounced into a DP against pitcher Matt Oye, aptly pronounced "OY!!!!!!!"
In the other split squad game, the White Sox trounced the A's 11-5, getting 9 hits and 7 runs (5 ER) in 3 IP off of Jarrod Parker. Highlights from that box score include a Josh Donaldson HR off of Chris Sale, Derek Norris going 2 for 3, and Chris Resop maintaining his 0.00 ERA with 2 shutout innings.
And because 2 games weren't enough, Brett Anderson also threw in one of those fake-game-thingies and apparently allowed 2 ER in 5 IP, walking 4 but emerging from throwing 62 pitches with his neck still attached to the rest of his body.
Life in the Cactus League!
Note: If you love Tim Hudson (and who in their right mind doesn't?), you might enjoy this article about Huddy's position on the cusp of "Hall of Fame" status.
