Koji better buy Papi a big steak dinner

Photo: Jason O. Watson – Getty Images

Now THAT was a strange day of baseball in Oakland.

The Red Sox jumped out to a big lead on a David Ross homer and a Mike Napoli steal of home.

Then the A’s chipped away, using a ton of pinch hitters and pinch runners, closing a 6-1 hole with a 3 run 8th but faced Koji Uehara in the 9th. Done deal, right?

Stephen Vogt and John Jason each homered in the 9th to tie the game. (If Oakland scored another run to win it, of COURSE Dan Otero would have the win, his 7th.)

Ortiz saved Koji’s butt with a homer. Then a back swing knocked Derek Norris out of the game and forced Vogt to catch and to remove the DH.

With 2 outs in the bottom of the 10th and no DH, the A’s were forced to have the pitcher bat. So up stepped the closer, and friend of the podcast, Sean Doolittle to bat for the first time in his big league career as a pinch hitter for Abad.

Of course Doolittle was a former first baseman, but this was a tough first at bat. He grounded out. At least he made contact.

An odd game, one that makes one team grind their teeth and the other dodged a bullet.

Time to update the Dodged Bullet/Teeth Grinder tally.

An explanation of what this is all about can be found HERE.

 

 

GIANTS DODGED BULLET – TEETH GRINDER Tally

Madison Bumgarner didn’t have much support from the Giants bats, but he pitched into the 9th, letting up 2 hits and 1 unearned run and beat the Diamondbacks, 4-1. DODGED BULLET

32 Dodged Bullets 22 Teeth Grinders

TOTAL: + 10

 

A’S DODGED BULLET – TEETH GRINDER Tally

The A’s came back from a 6-1 hole and rallied against Koji Uehara. But in the 10th inning, the A’s fell behind Boston and were forced to use Sean Doolittle as a pinch hitter. It didn’t work. But hey! At least he closed the game, 7-6. TEETH GRINDER

28 Dodged Bullets 24 Teeth Grinders

TOTAL: +4

 

RED SOX DODGED BULLET – TEETH GRINDER Tally

The Red Sox blow a 6-1 lead and Koji had a rare bad game. But Ortiz’s homer won it against the A’s, 7-6, in 10. DODGED BULLET

25 Dodged Bullets 31 Teeth Grinders

TOTAL: -6

 

That’s it for the A’s against the Red Sox. Now I can root in American League games free of conflict.

Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – June 22, 2014

AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi

It is time for The Sunday Request on The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast

@sullybaseball Hey Sully-Who’s the best player on the San Diego Padres?

— Ritch Duncan (@ritchied) June 19, 2014

This simple question stumped me. And maybe THAT’s why the Padres are in so much trouble.

Adam Wainwright, Aramis Ramirez, Jake Odorizzi, Steve Pearce, Cole Hamels, Rubby De La Rosa, Asdrubal Cabrera and Corey Dickerson all added to their totals for Who Owns Baseball.

Rename it the C O.co Coliseum

Michael Macor, San Francisco Chronicle

Even a blown call in the Red Sox favor couldn’t stop the A’s juggernaut.

Have the tying run score in the wake of a swing and miss mistakenly called a foul ball? Eject the manager? Send it into extra innings? Put Koji Uehara on the mound?

Did the A’s even sweat? Coco Crisp for the second game in as many days delivered the game winning hit and middle reliever Dan Otero hilariously earned his 6th win.

Watch him win 20 games.

And watch the Red Sox slide into futility.

Time to update the Dodged Bullet/Teeth Grinder tally.

An explanation of what this is all about can be found HERE.

 

 

GIANTS DODGED BULLET – TEETH GRINDER Tally

Pablo Sandoval’s 3 hits help make up for a shaky Vogelsong start, giving the Giants a 6-4 win in Arizona. DODGED BULLER

31 Dodged Bullets 22 Teeth Grinders

TOTAL: + 9

 

A’S DODGED BULLET – TEETH GRINDER Tally

Coco Crisp’s once again is the hero as he smacked a walk off 10th inning hit off of Koji Uehara. DODGED BULLET

28 Dodged Bullets 23 Teeth Grinders

TOTAL: +5

 

RED SOX DODGED BULLET – TEETH GRINDER Tally

Red Sox take advantage of a blown call in their favor to tie up the game on a wild pitch. But Mujica was once again a disaster and the A’s won in 10, 2-1. TEETH GRINDER

24 Dodged Bullets 31 Teeth Grinders

TOTAL: -7

 

Let’s see Crisp get another game winner and Otero get another win just for good measure.