This is the type of game that when it happens to the A's, and I spent three hours watching it, I feel like I just wasted my night. Your team has frustrating at bat after frustrating at bat, no exciting situations whatsoever, and early homers by the opposition ensure that your team is never in it. I'm sure Rockies fans checked out early and fell asleep on this one.
In fact, I too found it hard to stay awake, because the win was so easy. I think I missed the 6th and 7th innings snoozing on the couch. I was trying to stay awake but the cat just jumped up, sat right next to me, and fell asleep. I had no chance at that point.
The game was so completely drama-free I think we had an all time low in comments. What was there to say? I don't think the Rockies even had two men on base at any point tonight. We all deserve a nap now and then.
Anyway, the reason it was so drama-free was because of some big scoring early, and some great pitching and defense throughout. The A's crushed it in the bottom of the first against with two no-doubt bombs from Josh Reddick (following a Stephen Vogt single) and Ike Davis (following a Billy Butler single). 4-0 A's, and both homers were with two outs. Nice to see the A's not give up, after they looked so weak against better competition.
Butler followed with a solo shot of his own in the fourth inning, and nothing much happened for a while.
Meanwhile, Kendall Graveman, buoyed by the early lead, pitched seven shutout innings, tying his career-high of 111 pitches. Man, this guy is getting to be really good. I like his style. Just three walks and three strikeouts, and lots of groundballs. He just kept working the sinker, mixing in the occasional slurve (it feels too slow to be a slider).
The A's had a hiccup in the 8th as Evan Scribner gave up yet another longball, this time to Charlie Blackmon. That was Scribs' seventh homer given up on the season.
The A's had another breakfast-powered crooked number in the 8th. He laced a double that plated Reddick in the 8th after an error by Troy Tulowitzki on the relay throw home. Butler took third on the play, and then he went to the dugout and told everyone he hit a triple after Brett Lawrie actually tripled him home. 7-1 A's.
Marcus Semien had an error but that didn't stop Tyler Clippard from pitching a scoreless ninth inning (I guess he was pitching because he had four days off, but I still don't like Clips in a 7-1 game). The only other mild downer note is that Billy Burns' hitting streak was snapped at 16, one shy of the A's rookie record. I have a feeling he still might break that record before the season's over.
Colorado is completely winless against American League teams so far. The A's are now 4-1 vs. the pitchers hitting circuit. Not bad at all. A sweep of the purple mountains would at least help put the recent sweep far in the rearview. The road to .500 continues tomorrow night.
P.S. I thought you might enjoy the fact that this is the MLB.com and ESPN.com file image for Rockies' rookie first baseman Ben Paulsen (who is having a fine season):