Put the brooms away: Sox avoid sweep
Written by Heegos, Wednesday April 15 2009
Like Meatloaf once famously sang: Two outta three ain't bad.
The Oakland A's couldn't sweep The Red Sox in Boston's lone trip to McAfee Coliseum, but, hey, I'll take it.
Tim Wakefield's knuckleball was nearly unhittable in the third game of the series. I had never seen a no-hitter in person, but today was not the day I wanted that to no longer be. Wake baffled A's hitters, allowing four hits in the complete game effort, losing his no-hit bid in the eighth, when Kurt Suzuki lined a single to center.
Despite scoring five runs in Tuesday's 12-inning heartbreaker, Boston's offense finally looked like, well, Boston's offense. It was surprising to see that the only every day players hitting over .300 were Kevin Youkilis and Jason Bay. The first three hitters in Boston's lineup (Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia, and David Ortiz) are all hitting below .200 halfway through the second week of the season.
While it's still early, the Sox' struggles at the plate need to turn quickly, before they fall to far behind in the AL East. It is almost guaranteed the division will boast two playoff teams, but the winner of the division will have a decided advantage.
Oakland's offense has show signs of explosiveness this season, but has yet to hit a consistent stride. Constant output by the offense must be key if Oakland is to take over the Angels for the AL West crown. (Sorry Seattle fans, I know the team is much improved, but I still can't see the Mariners taking the division. Not this year, anyway.)
And a quick side note about fans helping fans: I was standing at C Gate on my way into Tuesday night's game, and I couldn't find my ticket. I had put it in the same pocket as my cell phone and it must have fallen out when I answered a call. So there I was, standing alone and dejected, about to start a near-impossible search for my sure-to-be-gone ticket when a wonderful young lady overheard my predicament. She reached into her pocket, pulled out a ticket and said, "Here, I have an extra." I looked at the ticket, and it was for a box suite. She could have easily sold it, or asked me for money, but all she would accept were my thanks. I didn't go sit with her in the suite, much to my friends' chagrin, but I was able to get in without having to buy another ticket. It was pretty much the coolest thing a stranger has ever done for me. I still owe her a million thanks, and will be sure to pass the kind gesture along.
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