The A’s were silenced for the first six innings by Mariners starter Jarrod Washburn, who just happens to be “another lefty.” But after Washburn left, the A’s offense wasted little time, and took the lead  with four runs in the seventh to put them up one and that proved to be just enough, as they beat the Mariners 4-3.

Dallas Braden held on long enough to get the his fourth win of the season. The offense came in the form of three walks and two singles.  Orlando Cabrera’s single scored Rajai Davis, followed by a bases loaded walk that scored another by Matt Holliday. The final two runs came with the bases loaded and two out by Jason Giambi’s single.

Finally, we have a closer…I think. Andrew Bailey came in for the save and got a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save.

The good news is the A’s finally held onto a win to beat the Diamondbacks 6-2, the bad news is manager Bob Geren is still making random moves with his pitching staff. Back to this issue in a minute.

Josh Outman was fantastic once again, lasting 7 2/3 innings while allowing only four hits. Outman (2-0) walked five and didn’t strike out a batter. His ERA on the season now stands at 3.12, best among A’s starters. Outman lasted just long enough for his offense to come around as the A’s were being shut out up until the sixth when they struck for three to take the lead. Landon Powell hit his first ever Major League home run and almost failed to get around the bases, and Jason Giambi hit another home run, his fifth on the season.

Back to Geren.

Two things that surely tell us that Geren has screwed up lately were his decisions with his starting pitcher, and bullpen usage.

First: Starter Josh Outman was already over the 100-pitch mark after the seventh but Geren chose to leave him into the eight, should he have done this a little earlier in the season the A’s might have not lost some of those heart-break games.

Second: The bullpen needed some rest of course, and thankfully Outman was allowed to surpass the 85- pitch mark, but the question here is why Ziegler came into close tonight and not last night? Last night he came into the game in the seventh, today the ninth? I’ve never seen this before, not even with a closer by committee based bullpen.

Anything to add guys?

Bullpen fails, A’s lose 8-7 in eleven innings to the Diamondbacks.

Yeah, that’s how it’s going for the A’s, four home runs off one of the most dominant pitchers in the National league in Dan Haren, still doesn’t equate to a win. Way to go bullpen, especially you Springer.

After another shaky outing in the eighth inning by reliever Russ Springer-whom for whatever reason is still the setup man- the A’s saw a five-to-one lead erased in one inning. Springer never recorded an out, Chat it up guys, plenty to discuss here. Instead of having Brad Ziegler come in late in the game, Manager Bob Geren chose to bring him in for the seventh. Ask yourselves this, who would you rather have late in the game right now, Springer or Ziegler. Where was Casilla in the eight?

Too bad for recently-recalled pitcher Edgar Gonzalez who pitched a solid game but failed to pick up the win after leaving the sixth inning with a five to one lead. Gonzalez went five-plus innings giving up one run on four hits, he struck out four and walked two.

The bright spot in the game was obviously the long-balls, one more special than the others. Jason Giambi hit his 400th career home run in the fourth inning off Dan Haren. Jack Cust started the home run parade with a two-run shot to right center in the first, followed by solo variety’s from Giambi, Adam Kennedy in the fourth and Nomar Garciaparra’s coming in the fifth.

PS: Jack Hannahan and Bob Geren are spies.

I have to let my frustration out on someone, who better.

Maybe the whole closer controversy has come back to bite Manager Bob Geren in the rump. Instead of putting in so-called closer Brad Ziegler in the ninth inning with a two-run lead, Geren elects to keep Andrew Bailey in for his second straight inning of work, and he serves up a two-run home run. The winning run was credited to Ziegler, who finally came in with the game tied. Rajai Davis had a play at the plate but fumbled the ball and the Rays walked away with the win, 6-5.

More on Davis later.

Starting pitcher Dallas Braden, coming off his worst outing of the season in Detroit, rebounded nicely today, However; a few mistake pitches cost him a victory. Four of the six hits by Rays batters off of Braden came on  0-2 counts, including Bartlett’s go-ahead solo home run in the six. Braden (3-5) allowed three runs on six hits in seven innings of work. He struck out four and walked two.

For anyone who watched the game, is it incorrect to say that Rajai Davis should be fired? He will be buying Adam Kennedy dinner after his base running mistake almost cost the game. With men on first and second and one out, Jason Giambi hits a towering fly ball to center that looked like it could be gone, but Rajai Davis runs to third and then prematurely  goes back (in the meantime Holliday almost laps him) to tag before the center fielder plays the ball, which wasn’t caught. Result? the most inefficient single in A’s history.

This might have been worse than the Seattle loss.

7-6 A’s.

Ryan Sweeney, AKA. mr. clutch, the savior, did it again. What else can be said for his amazing, meaningful web-gems. Sweeney, with two out in the bottom of the ninth, up one run and the tying run at first, made an all-out diving catch which would have been the game-tying double off of BJ Upton’s bat.

Now Geren. Geren, Geren, Geren

He almost blew it again. Luckily Brett Anderson came away with his first career win.

With one on and nobody out in the seventh inning, starting pitcher Brett Anderson was pulled after throwing 80 pitches, the result? Nailbiting for all of us, as releiver Michael Wuertz gives up two hits and a run, but was bailed out with an inning ending doulbe-play, at home, I might add.

The A’s finally won a game 4-1 beating the Rays in the 11th inning Tuesday night in rare dramatic fashion.

The blow came off the bat of Matt Holliday’s three-run, no-doubt home run to left field and an insurance run was added later in the inning by Adam Kennedy’s single.

Josh Outman stopped the bloody-mess which is the last four games from a pitching standpoint.

Outman was great, keeping the Rays off their game all night and coming up huge with some big K’s. Outman (1-0) went six, striking out six. He gave up three hits, and walked one without allowing a run. Following up Outmans performance was Michael Wuertz, Andrew Bailey, and Santiago Casilla, all pitching shutouts in the  seventh, eight and ninth, and tenth innings, respectively.

Matt Holliday came up in the ninth with one out and a chance to end things a bit earlier with men on first and second, but struck out on three consecutive pitches. Lucky he had the chance to redeem himself.

Jason Giambi could have been cut some slack tonight if he could have gotten a hit in a couple of key circumstances but failed. What a shock.

Home run friendly Russ Springer tried to add to the drama in the bottom of the 11th by surrendering a solo shot. No faith in that guy anymore.

At least tonight we don’t have to avoid tonight’s ESPN.

It sure looked like the A’s offense was facing a stud-pitcher, Cy-young in the making, however, they weren’t. They faced a guy who basically has two pitches-fastball (not overwhelming), curveball (good)- and those two pitches have produced mediocre results so far this season. That is, until he faced the Oakland Athletics.

The A’s (13-22) lost 13-4 to the Tampa Bay Rays. The A’s offense managed nine hits, two hit games coming from Jack Cust, Adam Kennedy, and Travis Buck.

Notables:

Orlando Cabrera hit his second home run in as many days and Jack Cust hit a meaningless two-run home run in the eighth to give him six long balls on the season.

The pitching was again, horrendous and it looks like more changes will be made soon, as starter Sean Gallagher gave up seven runs (all earned) on THREE hits, FIVE walks, and one strike out in 2 1/3 innings. Replacement, and recently recalled pitcher, Gio Gonzalez allowed four earned runs on six hits, THREE walks (yep, more walks), six strike outs in 3 2/3.

My favorite moment of the game was manager Bob Geren’s bullpen, speciffiocally Gio Gonzalez. Remeber that game in Seattle where the A’s blew the lead in the 13th? The one where the bullpen seemed to be running with their heads cut off? Well, it happend tonight with GIo Gonzalez. Bob Geren, “get Gonzalez up…wait sit him down, no up..” How about you, Bob Geren, sit down!

Six runs in the first two innings, one there after , you would think seven runs equates to a win, not for the A’s.

Oakland lost 11-7 to the Detroit on Sunday after giving up two three-run home runs, one served up by Santiago Casilla (which is rare) and one by Russ Springer (not so rare). Trevor Cahill had the six-run cushion which lately would have suggested a win, as he has won his last two starts after receiving ample run support, but not today. Cahill (2-3) lasted only 2 1/3 innings, surrendering seven earned runs and seven hits, while walking two with zero strike outs.

The bullpen gave up four of the 11 runs, three by recently instated Casilla who came in very early-too early maybe- to replace cahill and one by home run friendly Springer.

Please don’t refrain from giving me your full opinions!

Another wooping, another poor offensive performance, and the A’s are barely treading water as they fell to 7 1/2 games out of first place to 13-20 with their second consecutive loss to the Tigers 9-1.

Dallas Braden was lit-up by the Tigers for six earned runs in five innings.The offense did nothing tonight, four hits and a run.

I’ll leave it to you guys to give me your input on what, if anything, should-or can- be done. I’ll comment further as I gather my thoughts as to why this team is playing so poorly.

A’s (13-19) lose 14-1 to the Detroit Tigers.

Who knows how this game might have ended up have the A’s not committed two costly errors (four total) that led to a grand slam.

The A’s had a chance to get out of this filthy game, but Mother Nature thought differently. After Detroit ended their side in the bottom of the fourth, the game was delayed for over an hour, the A’s were losing 9-1, but unfortunately for the A’s, the game resumed, and the butt-kicking continued.

Starting pitcher Brett Anderson (0-4) looked good through the first two batters of the game, but then Jason Giambi completely dropped a little-league throw that hit his glove in the sweet spot. Next Bobby Crosby-who I know cant stand being on the A’s-botched a routine grounder. After a hits batsman came an unfortunate grand salami…Game over. After the second of two rain delays, another grand slam a occurred. Get them out of here. Pretty much a nightmarish evening for the A’s

An inning later Bobby Crosby (coincidentally) left the game with a “stomach ache”. Gimme a break!