Game #14: A's 4, Tigers 3

April 18, 2006 | A's vs. Detroit

Good game today for more reasons than one.

• Nick Swisher hit two homers. After he got the first one to bring us the 2-1 lead over the Tigers, I felt like he could do another one. I should've spoken up to GeneralChiang right then, but I didn't. So when Swish hit his second HR to break the 3-3 tie and give the A's the lead that we held on to, I couldn't convince GeneralChiang of my psychic powers.
• Saw Chris Shelton, the Tigers first baseman who's currently leading the AL with nine home runs. Unfortunately for Shelton and the two Detroit fans faithfully cheering in the seats to my left, he didn't hit any off of the A's tonight.
• Loaiza didn't suck. Six innings, six hits, three runs, three strikeouts. Better. But you're still not quite on my good side, Esteban. Keep working on it.
• I actually felt bad for the Tigers. Crowd of 16,000+ and not too many of their fans present. A losing record for the last few years. Then they go and commit two errors in tonight's game. Yeah, of course I want the A's to win, but this is like taking candy from a baby. I flashbacked to the first baseball games I ever attended, when I didn't know anything about the game, and I rooted for the visiting team just so they could have someone to clap for them. (Hmm, these were Giants games I'm talking about so already, back then, I was rooting against the Giants...)
• The espn.com play-by-play at the top of the 7th only says, "B Inge singled to center, C Monroe thrown out at third." And their box score only says, "Outfield Assist: M Kotsay (C Monroe at 3rd base)." But this is my version: Kotsay makes one of those amazing catches way out in center field, then he throws the ball all the way to Chavy at third, who tags Monroe trying to slide -- inning over. I couldn't help but jump to my feet and clap and shout as loudly as I can. Elation! "You never know what you're going to see at a ballgame," says GeneralChiang.
• I got to the game early enough to watch BP. Kielty was looking good; I miss his red hair. Haren was chatting and standing in the outfield, but occasionally going after a fly ball. I spent enough hours at the Oakland Coliseum (aka MacAfee Coliseum) today that GeneralChiang and I shared these observations:

1. They have vendors who sell Starbucks coffee out of these backpack containers. They pour the coffee through a handheld dispenser.
2. Now that the stadium has reduced seating to ~35,000 the vendors have less ground to cover which means higher vendor frequency. There's always something to purchase within the next couple of minutes.
3. The FusionStorm ad. What the heck is this product? I can't tell what it is. It sounds like something out of a comic book -- the phenomenon that enabled a superhero's powers, or the evil villain's device for ruling the world.

I got to the Coliseum so early, in fact, that I received the giveaway A's fleece blanket. Came in handy halfway through the game when I got cold.

(Game experience: Birthday present tix from GeneralChiang! We had pork sandwiches at the Plaza Club and sat at Sec. 214 Row 6. I was in Seat 2. )

A's record: 7-7 | streak: W-1 | well-A-meter: 3