Athletics Week in Review: We’re in, Baby!
On Monday morning, the Athletics had a magic number of seven, meaning any combination of Athletics wins and Mariners losses adding up to seven would be enough to guarantee a wild card berth. When Sonny Gray pitched a complete game shutout on Sunday afternoon, Oakland punched their ticket to play the wild card game in Kansas City, narrowly avoiding game 163 in Seattle. Limping into the postseason doesn’t even begin to describe it, but that doesn’t change the fact that the team made it. The A’s are going to be playing baseball in October and that’s what matters, right? Seeing Jonny Gomes shaking those champagne bottles in the Rangers’ clubhouse after the win put a huge smile on my face. The Athletics have to win, I simply can’t stand to see Jonny Gomes unhappy.
2014 Oakland Athletics final record: 88-74
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
On Monday, Jeff Samardzija pitched a lovely gem and the Athletics batted around the lineup in the first inning, chasing C.J. Wilson and setting up a 8-4 Athletics win. On Tuesday night, Sonny Gray struck out twelve Angels over seven innings but the A’s were unable to score against Wade LeBlanc and the Angels bullpen and the good guys fell 2-0. On Wednesday night the defense let down Jon Lester, who gave up five runs (three unearned) on the night. The lineup mounted a valiant comeback in the bottom of the seventh, Josh Reddick hit a two run double to score Derek Norris and Jed Lowrie and then scored himself on a Nick Punto triple. Coco Crisp hit a single to score Punto, but it wasn’t enough and the Athletics lost 5-4.
Texas Rangers
On Thursday, Jason Hammel returned and pitched well, but the Athletics only scratched one run against Colby Lewis and Adrian Beltre hit a walkoff homer off of Luke Gregerson to win 2-1. Friday, Kazmir returned to form and the bats jumped all over Texas righty Nick Tepesch as the A’s were victorious 6-2. On Saturday, Samardzija had a rough outing, giving up five runs on seven innings which was too much for the offense to overcome and the Athletics fell 5-4. And Sunday, Sonny Gray went the distance and four runs was more than enough to bring out the champagne.
It’s always been said that Billy Beane‘s *ahem* “stuff” doesn’t work in the playoffs. But that meaning, that the playoffs are so much about what team gets hot and what superstars step up and have big games, is exactly what that Athletics have going for them this year. The 2014 regular season is behind them, the good times and bad, and all that matters is this next game against the Royals. The Athletics might have limped to the finish, but it’s a brand new season starting right now.