Ryan Sweeney drove in the tying run in the six and Mr. clutch Kurt Suzuki gave the A’s the go ahead run with a two-out RBI single to right propelling the A’s to their second straight win against the Padres 6-3.

Starting pitcher Brett Anderson lasted five innings but was replaced having thrown only 68 pitches. Anderson was decent tonight, getting out of jams when needed. The rookie lefty surrendered three runs on five hits striking out three and walking one.

Some more crucial insurance runs were manufactured by the A’s in the eighth inning, this time of back-to-back home run variety. Adam Kennedy hit one to right and Jack Cust completely annihilated one to deep left center to give the A’s their final runs of the night. Kennedy went 4-5, Ryan Sweeney had two hits as he gets re-aquaitned to baseball activities and Jack Cust had two hits.

Four-pack of A’s tickets still up for grabs! Read below for more info, Go Athletics.

With two down in the top of the eighth versus the host San Diego Padres, A’s down 5-3and Jason Giambi and Orlando Cabrera each come through in the clutch with two hits, driving in three total and giving Oakland the one-run lead and eventually the comeback win. Andrew Bailey closed the door with another four-out save.

Final Score 7-5.

Earlyr in the contest, stand-out rookie pitcher Josh Outman left early (second inning) with what is being said to be a strained elbow, hopefully that’s all it is as Outman has been the most consistent among A’s rookies pitcher. Edgar Gonzalez came in for relief and lasted 3 1/3 and gave up four runs. Following by Russ Springer who gave up the hit that scored two of the earned runs credited to Gonzo, Springer also allowed his own run as usual.

The other three runs came from Cabrera (sac-fly), Giambi (bases-loaded hit by pitch), Bobby Crosby (sac-fly) and the ever-important insurance run by Kurt Suzuki (single). Suzuki has my vote for the lone All-Star representative, he also had three hits tonight by the way.

Ticket contest reminder:

The game is for July first when Oakland hosts Detroit, four tickets in total, free to the winner.

The contest ends on June 29th if there isn’t much of a contest the tickets will go to waste. What kind of A’s fans would waste tickets, not you guys.

The commenter who brings the most traffic via message boards, blogs, face book, my space whatever will win the tickets. Make sure that anyone who comments on Athleticshomeplate.com references you by name so we can keep a count. Go A’s

It’s alive! At least it was Tuesday night. The A’s beat up on the Kansas City Royals 12-3.

After a short pep talk-initiated by Orlando Cabrera-with the offense, it didn’t take long to notice it had worked, as the A’s slaughtered the Royals pitching in the first four innings for 12 runs. The offense was led by whom else but motivational expert himself, Orland Cabrera.

Not only was it a great offensive performance, but the pitching didn’t disappoint either.

Starter Trevor Cahill (2-2) started things off shaky through the first two frames by loading the bases with two out ion the first, but he survived. The second inning was similar as Cahill gave up two hits but got out of the jam as well. He cruised through then next two innings before giving up solo home runs to Coco Crisp in the fifth, and Mike Jacobs in the sixth. His line was six innings, two earned runs, seven hits, two walks, and two strike outs.  Overall he pitched an effective game, although he still needs to work on his command, at times it looks as if he has no idea where his pitches will go. However, he does have an ERA of 3.69, not bad for the rookie.

This is what Billy Pitt paid for…

Orlando Cabrera had three hits to go along with four RBI’s while Matt Holliday, Jack Cust, and Kurt Suzuki each had two hits a piece. Cust had three RBI, all coming on a three-run sky-rocket home run to center. The remaining RBI’s went to Matt Hollday (2), Jason Giambi (2),and Jack Hannahan (1).

A’s beat the Blue Jays 5-3

Record now at 11-16

A five-run fifth inning ignited by Ryan Sweeney’s two-run shot to right was just what the doctor ordered. Jack Hannahan and Kurt Suzuki both drove in run’s with doubles, and Orlando Cabrera getting his RBI with an single.

The bullpen held their own tonight with 4 2/3 of shutout ball, with MIchael Wuertz (2-1) early entrance making him the winning pitcher. Starter Josh Outman (o-o) unfortunately labored through the third inning, costing him the win as he needed over 100 pitches to get through 4 1/3 innings. His third inning, in which he gave up the three runs, lasted over 35 pitches.

This is the kind of baseball I think were going to have to get used to, big innings from both our offense and pitching. The pitching seems to yield all of it’s runs in  one big inning, if they can minimize it-like they did tonight- they can be successful.

Other news from the game has to be the ugly defense.

Bobby Crosby at second and the unlikely Orlando Cabrera at short, both committing what looked like costly errors, fortunately the pen held down the fort.

At least they got a win.

After Thursday’s 9-4 win over the Rangers, and all of the bad baseball we have seen as of late, the A’s still are only four back in the division. With Seattle coming back down to earth as all of us A’s fans knew would, and the Angels and Rangers not doing enough to distance themselves, can they A’s finally pull it together?

If the A’s can pull it together offensively, and get some more good starts out of Josh Outman, Trevor Cahill, Brett Anderson, and Dallas Braden, can they gain some ground quick? Does anyone believe the team is in the early stages of breaking out?

I’ll give my personal opinion and everyone else can either break it down or come up with their own.

I’ll keep it short.

The pitching is coming around, I see Trevor Cahill’s last start more of what we will see the remainder of the year (excluding an off day here or there, everyone gets one), and Dallas Braden will continue to be very solid and keep the A’s in the game. Brett Anderson seems to be on the cusp of turning in some good starts as long as his blister doesn’t linger. Josh Outman throws hard and he was very encouraging in Seattle last time out, I don’t see him consistently getting too deep in the game though. That leaves the five spot, I’m not sure who’s going to be there past this weekend in Sean Gallagher, so I’ll leave that one out.

If the offense can string together some offensive performances in the five to six-run territory, I could see the A’s taking charge in the division. They will need Suzuki, especially Giambi, and the role players to stay hot, like Bobby Crosby. I’ve heard Crosby’s just trying to play his way out of Oakland, we’ll take it.

I’m not really worried about the bullpen as long as they are not over-worked, or as Bob Geren likes to do it, under-worked. Had to throw that in there. He should still be packing his bags!

The Angels, Rangers, and Mariners haven’t had many difficult teams to face early in the season, but all that changes in the next two weeks. The Angels and Mariners will be beating each other up severely, like Pacquiao did Hatton, as they face each other seven times in the next 19 games. Then the A’s host the Mariners, and after their beat-down by the Halos, the A’s will take it to them, which will be the turning point, it has to be.

And Holliday, keep hitting Insane, beef-eating home runs.

The A’s are in a major rut, losing their fourth in last five games 3-2 to the visiting Texas Rangers, bringning thier season record to a horrific 9-16.

The A’s pitching did their job with spot-starter Dan Giese going 52/3 innings, while limiting the potent Ranger offense to three runs on eight hits, no walks, and three strike outs. The bullpen backed his outing, allowing only one hit in 31/3 innings.

Again the man on offense tonight was Kurt Suzuki, driving in both runs with an two-RBI double in the fourth. Jack Cust had three singles but they were not enough as the A’s had only one extra-base hit, Suzuki’s double.

An interesting note for those who have negative feelings towards A’s manager Bob Geren:

Opposing Manager Ron Washington had the choice of going with his closer, who had pitched in the last two games, up by one, or going with another reliever on more rest, in the bottom of the ninth. He chose his closer, regardless of his last two apperances. As we know very well by know Geren chose not to use his best reliever, resulting in a loss, Washing tonight? A win.

Chomp on that, Geren needs to go.

A’s lose 8-7 in bottom of the ninth, but for me the story is Dana Eveland.

Although Russ Springer failed to do his job last night, This is about Eveland. It’s about time Eveland heads back to Sacramento, or another organization for that matter. He has been horrific all season, don’t let his one “decent” outing fool you. After giving him the biggest offensive lift of the season, he goes and squanders it by giving it back, and quick, with no chance of getting out of the inning. Opposing hitters are foaming out the mouth when they see Eveland on the mound this year. Bye Bye Eveleand.

I’ll take wild, Gio Gonzalez, and his good minor league numbers, over Eveland, I’ll even take the promise of a rookie pitcher in VIn Mazzaro, he can at least get ground balls.

Next game is today and hopefully by Sunday the A’s will have sent Eveland somewhere else.

Keep hitting the long-ball Holliday, and keep hitting .350 plus Suzki.

With two on, two out in the bottom of the eight inning, the A’s leading three to one, Ian Kinsler drives a pitch from Russ Springer to deep center field and Ryan Sweeney robbed Kinlser of what would of been a game- changing home run.Then in the top half of the ninth, Matt-oh I wish I could hit a home run-Holliday comes up and drives his first long-ball of the season to center field.

The A’s defeated the Rangers 4-2 Thursday.

Backed by some great situational pitching by Dallas Braden (3-2) and Andrew Bailey, the A’s held onto the win, setting their record at 8-11.

Braden’s pitch count forced his outing short, but he was effective once again, going five innings giving up zero runs, five hits, four walks while striking out six.

Check SportsCenter tonight because there will be plenty of “web gems” from the A’s defense including a nice throw from Holliday in left to get (greedy) Michael Young out at third with one out in the bottom of the ninth.

The offense had 11 hits, with Sweeney, Cabrera, Suzuki, and Crosby each tallying two. RBI’s from Cust (8), Holliday (12), Suzuki (8), and Powell (3).

Yeah boy!

The A’s won their second straight, and take the three-game series against the Rays in a final score of 7-1. The A’s record stands at 7-10 on the season.

Dana Eveland (1-1) finally came through with a decent 5 plus inning effort, yielding only one run on four hits, three walks, and three strike outs.

The offense, led by Kurt Suzuki’s three RBI, managed ten hits, two coming from shortstop Orlando Cabrera.

The A’s are back on the road to take on the free-swinging Texas Rangers, in what should be a high scoring affair, as it always is in Arlington.

Oh yeah, Chavez was out today with yet another injury, a strained elbow. He has to be the biggest gimp in baseball. Name one worse.

A’s lose again, in familiar fashion, extra-innings 9-7 to the Yankees.

It was in the bottom of the 14th, recently called up, ex-yankee, Dan Giese on the mound…home-run Yankees.

Poor Dan Giese has come to the A’s and has given up two walk-off shots, thanks to some more lackluster offense. It was pretty much all singles again for the A’s, aside from an early-and unlikely- three-run jack from catcher Kurt Suzuki.

If the chicks love the long-ball, then the A’s are still feeling lonley because they still can’t hit.