Did we all just miss the best game of the year?

Tonight I made dinner for my kids, took them to the local ice cream store and had them run around outside.

Later my wife and I watched American Idol and I saw the highlights of the Celtics game.

And after everyone went to bed, I checked the other scores, including the Oakland/Texas showdown.

Wow.

I mean WOW. I mean I can’t wait to see the highlights on MLB.com.
There’s no way the A’s could have a win that tops Dallas Braden’s perfect game… or could they?

Just reading the box score was enough.

Eric Patterson hit a triple to give the A’s the lead in the 7th.

Josh Hamilton hit a 2 run homer to give the Rangers the lead in the 8th.

The top of the 9th had an error, a runner thrown out on the base paths and the A’s somehow pulling ahead 5-4.

In the bottom of the 9th one out from losing the game, Elvis Andrus singled home the tying run.

Daric Barton homered in the 11th to give the A’s the lead.

One out from losing again, the Rangers tie the game in the bottom of the 11th on a Julio Borbon single.

In the bottom of the 12th, a relay by Oakland to the plate gunned down the potential winning run.

And in the 13th, it was Barton again this time with an RBI single with 2 outs and 2 strikes that went under the glove of Ian Kinsler.

Once again the Rangers were an out away from losing but had the winning run at the plate in the form of Julio Borbon. But Tyson Ross in his third inning of work got him to pop out to end the game.

The A’s won and are now tied for first place with the Rangers.

I am guessing the crowd wasn’t that big tonight.
I am betting the TV viewing audience wasn’t that great.

Hell, I didn’t even watch it… but it read like a classic.

I hate to say it as a Sox fan, but if that were Red Sox/Yankees, there would be documentaries and books made about the game.

Instead it will probably be buried on SportsCenter.

But I doubt there will be another back and forth game with a share of first place on the line like this one!

Not THIS TIME, Tyler Clippard!

He almost did it again.

Tyler Clippard came into another game… his third straight game with the lead… and coughed up the lead.

He did it against the Mets at CitiField in the 8th inning. Ergo part one of his diabolical plot was complete.

He saw that Roy Halladay was rained out in Colorado. Now with the lead wiped out, all he had to do was prevent the Mets from taking the lead, go into the 9th as the pitcher of record and have the Nats score.

And that would give him his 7th win of the season. He would be 7-0… and on his way not only to a 20 win season but also staring Jack Chesbro in the face as he guns for 42 wins this season.

I’ve already broken down his plan!

But the problem is he let the Mets take the lead… and he was saddled with the loss.

On the one hand, Clippard has a 6-1 record and a 1.88 ERA.
HUZZAH!

He also has 5 blown saves already.

I bet that is more than Jack Chesbro had all year.

I told you not to panic!

Dice-K throws 7 innings letting up only 3 hits and 1 run… 9 strike outs and no walks.

Are you kidding me? We Sox fans would have taken 5 shaky innings from Dice-K.
What if Dice-K is actually good this year?

Wouldn’t that be the same as the Sox acquiring a solid starter in mid May?

OK… I will remain Buddha like. Not too high, not too low.