Game #11: A's 3, Rangers 6

April 14, 2006 | A's vs. Texas

Our fourth loss in a row. I'm sorry to say, I could kinda tell we were gonna lose this game sometime in the 2nd inning. You know, when Zito hit Phil Nevin, then walked Hank Blalock. Zito got Barajas with a K, then Brad Wilderson with a backwards K. But then he walked Derosa and now the bases are loaded. Jimenez hits the ball to Milton Bradley in right field -- I mean, to right field where Milton Bradley is. Jimenez gets a single and two runs score. There was something hapless about this inning, particularly with Zito throwing a lot of pitches. He's got to be solid in the early innings, otherwise I get this sinking feeling in my chest that tells me we're not going to win.

• At least I saw Frank Thomas hit a home run. His 450th career HR. "His BA is a lusty .181," says tanner boyle reading off DiamondVision during the game.
• At least we saw Milton Bradley hit his first home run with the A's.
• At least Dan Johnson snapped out of his non-hitting streak. He tied the A's franchise for starting a season with an 0-27, but DJ got a bloop single AND an RBI in the bottom of the 5th. His hit was a relief to everyone (especially himself, I'm sure). tanner boyle and I gave him a standing ovation for this. Later I find out the A's dugout gives him a standing O as well.
• At least Swisher is still hot. His SLG was .727 when he came up to bat in the 5th and got a double.
• And we were pleased to see Bobby Kielty's back from the minors! (Apparently Witasick's hurt his ankle and will be on the DL. Whatever. I'm not a Witasick fan.) Kielty's red hair, though shorter, is unmistakable.
  

tanner boyle suggested I present tonight's line-up with their batting averages. Herewith, courtesy of espn.com:

Hitters								AVG
M Ellis 2B								.167
M Kotsay CF								.300
B Crosby SS								.214
E Chavez 3B								.250
F Thomas DH								.182
M Bradley RF								.289
N Swisher LF								.343
J Kendall C								.231
D Johnson 1B								.034

(Game experience: Guest of tanner boyle who has SWEET season tickets on the second row behind the A's dugout. I was at Sec. 121 Row 6 Seat 12, close enough to see the individual hairs on Crosby's sprouting beard as he returns from the field, and at an angle providing a fantastic view of Huston Street's warm-up pitches in the bullpen -- you can see the ball slightly zig and zag on its way to the catcher's mitt.)

A's record: 5-6 | streak: L-4 | well-A-meter: 2