Inching closer to a Bay Area October

STEPHEN DUNN/GETTY IMAGES

For a while it looked like neither the Dodgers nor the Giants were going to win the game tonight. The Giants stranded an absurd number of runners and the Dodgers grounded into double plays the few times they could get on base.

Henry Blanco led off the game with a homer and Jake Peavy kept the Dodgers hitless until the 10th.

And of course the Giants tried to score on Yasiel Puig’s arm in the 11th only to have Belt gunned down at the plate.

But in the end it was Andrew Susac of all people who drove in the go ahead run and later scored when Dee Gordon threw to the wrong base in the 12.

Then Hunter Strickland got his first big league save throwing gas and a nasty slider.

The Giants are in all probability not going to catch the Dodgers. And they may not finish ahead of the red hot Pirates (with whom they are currently tied.)

But if Johnny Cueto and the Reds beat the Brewers tomorrow, all the Giants will have to do is win the game (with Madison Bumgarner pitching) and they will be one of the two Wild Card teams.

Meanwhile in Oakland, the A’s gave Jeff Samardzija six runs of support and their bats could be coming to life.

THEIR number to clinch a playoff spot dropped to 3.

Both the A’s and Giants are super close to October. In 1971, 1989, 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2012, both teams made the post season. Of course they only faced each other in 1989.

Baby steps first, though. Get into the dance. Both teams are almost there.

I guess I should 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

Andrew Susac’s 12 inning pinch hit RBI single and alert base running gave the Giants a dramatic 5-2 victory against the Dodgers. DODGED BULLET

57 Dodged Bullets 50 Teeth Grinders

TOTAL: +7

 

A’S DODGED BULLET – TEETH GRINDER Tally

The A’s fell behind 1-0 in the first. C. J. Wilson’s incredible wildness put Oakland up 6-1. But the Angels threatened enough to get Sean Doolittle up in the bullpen. In the end, the A’s held on to the 8-4 win. DODGED BULLER

55 Dodged Bullets 57 Teeth Grinders

TOTAL: -2

 

 

RED SOX DODGED BULLET – TEETH GRINDER Tally

Dodged Bullets 64 Teeth Grinders 76

TOTAL: -12

 

The A’s bats are heating up. A few more nights like this and people will stop moaning about Cespedes being traded.

It is the Doolittle and Donaldson show in Oakland!

(Scott Strazzante/SF Chronicle)

David Lynch and Rod Serling would call this A’s win strange.

The Phillies did everything short of announcing where the pitch was going to to help Oakland win. The A’s got on base by the walk, hit batsmen and boneheaded plays.

The Phillies threw the ball around, forgot runners couldn’t go to first on a strikeout if first base is occupied and let Adam Dunn tag up and lumber from third on a medium fly ball. It seemed like there were runners in scoring position with less than 2 outs all night. And yet the game remained scoreless into an agonizing 10th inning, tied 6-6.

Freaking Freddy Galvis came through again and Scott Kazmir couldn’t do the job (keep that in mind next time Jon Lester throws a masterpiece.)

So who came to the rescue? Sean Doolittle and Josh Donaldson. Friend of the Podcast Doolittle pitched a scoreless 9th and 10th, putting the debacle against Texas in the rear view mirror.

And the best way to cure the loss of Cespedes? Have Donaldson hit! He came up short against Houston and Chicago.

Today? He got on base 4 times, scored 3 and hit the walk off homer in the 10th. Cap that with Seattle losing to Houston and they chip 2 off of the magic number to clinch a playoff spot.

A strange day? Sure. But at this point all that matters are wins.

I guess I should 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

56 Dodged Bullets 50 Teeth Grinders

TOTAL: +6

 

A’S DODGED BULLET – TEETH GRINDER Tally

A wild back and forth game went into the 10th where Josh Donaldson walked off with a 2 run shot as the A’s beat the Phillies, 8-6. DODGED BULLET

54 Dodged Bullets 57 Teeth Grinders

TOTAL: -3

 

 

RED SOX DODGED BULLET – TEETH GRINDER Tally

Mookie Betts and David Ross homered and Joe Kelly kept Baltimore at bay as the Red Sox hung on for a 3-2 win. DODGED BULLET

Dodged Bullets 64 Teeth Grinders 76

TOTAL: -12

 

Giants and Dodgers tomorrow. Last gasp for any Division hopes for the Giants!

Can’t the A’s let their fans be happy for 24 hours?

THEARON W. HENDERSON/GETTY IMAGES

I didn’t even get a chance to write a Dodged Bullet – Teeth Grinder for yesterday and the A’s lost a crusher today.

A 3-0 crusher.

Freddy Gavlis (???) hit a 2 run, 2 out, 2 strike 7th inning homer and that was all the Phillies needed.

The A’s loaded the bases against the rotten Jerome Williams and couldn’t score in the second. Once again a mediocre pitcher looks like a Cy Young contender (7 innings of shutout ball)

Oddly Williams has beaten the A’s 3 times this season, each time while playing for a different team. Evidently he also did so with the Astros and the Rangers this year.

If Adam Dunn wasn’t as slow as a glacier, he might have been able to score from second on a single, but hey. He is not here for his legs.

So one step forward in the wonderful Friday night win, and one step back with this crappy outcome.

I guess I should 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

A 9th inning rally fell short with the tying run on third as the Padres held on to win, 3-2. TEETH GRINDER

56 Dodged Bullets 50 Teeth Grinders

TOTAL: +6

 

A’S DODGED BULLET – TEETH GRINDER Tally

Another day, another shutout. Freddy Galvis launched a 2 run homer in the 7th and that was all the dreadful Phillies would need to win, 3-0 in Oakland. TEETH GRINDER

53 Dodged Bullets 57 Teeth Grinders

TOTAL: -4

 

 

RED SOX DODGED BULLET – TEETH GRINDER Tally

David Ortiz’s homer put the Red Sox up 2 runs before the Orioles came to bat. Adam Jones’ two homers made sure the Orioles had 7 unanswered runs for the 7-2 loss. TEETH GRINDER

Dodged Bullets 64 Teeth Grinders 76

TOTAL: -12

 

The dodged bullets by the Red Sox and A’s from yesterday are included in this tally.