The A’s came back form a 3-0 deficit to tie the game in the eighth, then in the bottom of the ninth, runners on second and third and one out, Rajia Davis takes the first pitch for a game-winning single. Game over!

Orlando Cabrera brought in Jack Hannahan with an RBI single in the eighth to narrow the margin to 3-1. Then with a Cabrera on base Adam Kennedy tied things up with a home run to right.

Trevor Cahill was going to be the losing pitcher after pitching another more-than quality start until the offense saved him. Cahill gave up all three runs in the fourth on a three-run home run by Joe Crede. Cahill went seven innings surrendering seven hits, two walks and struck out two.

Nicely salvaged game I must say. Go A’s!

Michael Wuertz wasted little time letting the Twins back into the game, offering up a solo home run to tie the game in the eighth . Then entering in the ninth in a non-save situation was Andrew Bailey. Bailey was roughed up for three runs and the A’s went on to lose 6-3.

Dallas Braden held the twins to two runs through seven innings.

The A’s draft was again the highlight of the day thanks to another loss. Several top-prospects fell into the lap of the Athletics, mainly because of signability concerns. Lets see if the A’s can snag at least two, preferably catcher Max Stassi and Samuel Dyson, a right handed flame thrower.

The A’s were down 10-0 heading into the ninth and scored four times. Still rallying, Bases loaded one out and closer Joe Nathan enters. Strike three swinging Jack Hannahan and Rajai Davis, game over.

The Minnesota Twins broke out for 10 runs on 16 hits to end the A’s seven game winning streak. Pitcher Brett Anderson looked like he was going to be the unfortunate tough-luck loser of a close game until the Twins busted out for four runs in the six, pushing their one-run lead to 5-0 and knocking Anderson out.

Anderson was removed after 6 2/3 and gave up five runs on ten hits, striking out five and walking one. The bullpen failed to give the A’s any ray of hope when Santiago Casilla came out for the seventh and didn’t record an out, surrendering a three-run no-doubter to right followed by a single. The next inning Edgar Gonzalez came in for cleanup duty and failed to keep the Twins off the board also, allowing two more runs to score.

The final score was 10-5.

Some good news…

Also important on the day was the First-year player draft. With a surpluss of pitching in the farm, the A’s chose shortstop Grant Green from USC with their first pick of the draft (they had two first day picks). Many scouts say he is a 5-tool player so we’ll see. You guys like the pick? Some are saying he’s the third-baseman of the future.

Black Jacks! A’s win again!

The two Jacks, Hannahan and Cust, put the A’s over the top to give them the win 4-3.  Backed by what else, but another solid pitching performance by Josh Outman who received timely run support to give him his fourth victory.

After the Twins put up a three spot in the top of the fourth, Jack Hannahan matched it in the bottom half of the inning by driving in three with a bases-clearing double to left center. This all came after Aaron Cunningham was drilled in the head by fastball to load the bases. The next inning proved to be the difference as Jack Cust crushed a solo-shot to right to give the A’s the final score of 4-3.

Outman was roughed up in the third but that was it. Outman (3-3) went six innings, striking out seven and surrendered all three runs on four hits, he walked two.

The draft begins tomorrow, what position would you guy’s like to be filled with the first pick? pitching, offense?

Take it easy A’s fans, seven straight is nice but eight is better!

That’s five straight and a series win versus the Orioles.

The game was looking like another blowout, something similar to last night’s 9-1 victory, that was until Bob Geren decided to manage again. With a nine-run cushion heading into the seventh inning and Trevor Cahill (tonight’s starter) at a comfortable 91 pitch mark, Geren chose to make a move to the bullpen because there were men on first and third nobody out. The move back-fired (once again) and Cahill was stuck with two earned runs. Two more scored and the 9-0 lead was now 9-4. What more can be said about Bob Geren. Has this guy ever heard of playing through adversity?

Aside from what I’m calling sabotage, things went well for the A’s tonight. Cahill pitched like a veteran and the offense continued to get runs on the board. However; If I could give out an error to someone tonight it would obviously be Geren, he would inherit three of the four runs scored for his misuse of the bullpen (your welcome Ziegler and Breslow, Bailey your still the man).

Cahill’s night was awesome, two runs (one earned because of manager) on six hits in six-plus innings of work. Cahill (3-5) struck out five and walked none.

The A’s offense pounded out 13 hits tying an Oakland-record with 8 doubles. Jason Giambi drove in three with a two-out bases clearing double down the right-field line. Adam Kennedy and Orlando Cabrera each drove in two apiece, Cabrera had a three-hit night. Kennedy, Matt Holliday and Rajai Davis each had two-hit nights.

Five straight and they’re playing the Orioles again tomorrow boys, only 7 1/2 back of Texas and rolling.

Green and Gold and doubles galore!

Offense check, Pitching check.

That’s what we all expected coming into this season, three-run homers, and good pitching. The A’s took the first game of the series versus the Baltimore Orioles 9-1, backed by a solid pitching performance by Dallas Braden.

Braden was the lucky recipient of a bunch of runs, all nine in the first five innings and Braden didn’t look back. Braden evened his record on the year (5-5) and struck out a career high seven in seven innings of work. He gave up one run on just five hits, a solo shot to right off the bat of Baltimore outfielder Luke Scott, who is extremely hot right now. Has anyone noticed Braden’s tattooed-right index finger? Rollie Fingers esk. and he uses it extremely well I might add.

Braden was a little unhappy when Bob Geren removed him after the seventh inning with only 102 pitches. Braden began showing up Geren by doing pull-ups in the dug-out. Gotta love it!

The offensive onslaught began with six first-inning runs. Jack Cust hit a three-run home run to center (must of been the new haircut), Aaron Cunningham drove in two with a single up the middle, scoring Suzuki and Giambi. The final run of the inning came from the least likely Athletic, Rajai Davis, his first of the season on a line-drive-single to right. The final blow came in the fifth, a enormous three-run home run to center. To trade or not to trade, that is the question.

Geren must be loving these wins, heck, he probably thinks he has a lot to do with it. Four straight is nice, but Geren, it wasn’t you man, in fact your still very much on the hot-seat.

Go Green and Gold!

Orioles pitcher Jeremy Guthrie knows it’s going bad when he gives up five runs to the A’s in the first. But when he gives up an a line-drive RBI single to Rajai Davis, something must be wrong, nothing personal Rajai. This was Davis’ first RBI of the season. Cust-with his new dew-hit a three-run bomb to center.

Stay tuned and stay active and I’ll let all Athleticshomeplate.com commenter’s in on how to win a pair of A’s tickets. Thanks for the support.

Three-straight versus those Sox! Today’s game review below, Go A’s!

That’s what the last few games have been all about, rookie pitching and Brett Anderson is no exception. Anderson went seven shut-out-innings and dominated the White Sox lineup to earn his third victory on the season making it three-straight and the series win for the Athletics. A’s win it 7-0!

The offense was led by Jason Giambi’s second home run in as many days, a three-run home run, a no-doubt-insurance-type two-run home run from Aaron Cunningham (excited about this guy), and Matt Holliday’s 2-4 performance. Also a couple of sac-fly’s form Kurt Suzuki and Orlando Cabrera.

Stellar defense and good pitching, usually equates to wins for the A’s, and it happened again today. Aaron Cunningham made a highlight grab in foul territory in the fourth and Rajai Davis played a sketchy, but solid center-field to back up Anderson’s pitching performance.

Anderson (3-5) looked especially good today, limiting the walks which is what usually got him in trouble earlier in the season. He really pounded righty’s inside, making it difficult for them to square anything up. Anderson went seven, gave up zero runs on six hits and struck out a respectable four.

The impossible bullpen scenario? Bring out Wuertz and Bailey in the eigth and ninth innings respectively, every night. Hey, I can dream.

Go A’s.