Game #17: A's 5, Angels 3

April 21, 2006 | A's vs. Los Angeles

Definitely one to remember for a long time -- a game-ending batter's interference. Not even reliever Kiko Calero, who was on the mound at the time, had ever seen a game end with this type of play. But before we go into that, let's cover some other magic moments.

• Eric Chavez...home run #7. Steve and I had given up on Chavy ever having a breakout year. Leave him alone, Steve was wont to tell Chavy's detractors. He's a defensive third baseman! But now Chavy is finally getting off to a "fast start."
• Bobby Crosby...Mr. Glass, what did I tell you? On the one hand, Crosby's two-out double in the bottom of the 3rd brings about our first run. On the other hand, Scutaro replaces Crosby at short in the bottom of the 4th. DiamondVision later explains, "Bobby Crosby left the game with a strained right tricep." I can only shake my head.
• Milton Bradley...steals a base!
• John Lackey...seven walks?!? The Angels had a total of 10 walks in this game. Hey, I'm not complaining. The A's got four hits and five runs. I am not complaining.
• Vladimir Guerrero...0-4. Thanks for nothing, Vlad! Really. Thank you.
• Rich Harden...Perfect for the first three innings, then we enter the 4th and he starts giving up singles and a walk and I get anxious. Kendall even goes out to the mound to talk to him. But Harden prevails. He gets out of the inning and goes through eight. (Has a lot to do with our thinning bullpen, I suppose.) Later I hear on the radio Harden say he got himself through this whereas when he was younger and less mature, he wouldn't have been able to. Or something to that effect. Harden leaves the game after 8 IP and 111 pitches.
• Walk-off DP where Mathis strikes out and Kendall puts out pinch runner Quinlan at second...Here's how MLB.com's Mychael Urban described the 9th:
  

"Lefty Joe Kennedy took over to start the ninth inning and ran into a bit of bad luck when Erstad dumped a fly ball into right field that skipped past Milton Bradley and into the corner for a leadoff triple. Righty Kiko Calero came on to strike out pinch-hitter Tim Salmon and walk Casey Kotchman before striking out Jeff Mathis. Pinch-runner Robb Quinlan tried to steal second on the punchout pitch, but home plate umpire Lance Barksdale ruled that Mathis interfered with catcher Kendall's throw and called Quinlan out to end the game."

All I can tell you is that I saw Mathis strike out, then my eyes followed the ball thrown by Kendall to second. Quinlan slid in and I saw the umpire declare him safe. I jump on my feet to howl in protest, then I see the home plate umpire walking into the infield and pumping his fist to declare an out. Over the radio I hear the words "batter's interference" and the A's storm the field from the dugout. We fans are happy, if not a little stunned. I get the details from the radio and consult my baseball scoring guru afterwards. But as an A's fan said moments after the wacky, game-ending play resulting in an A's win, "We'll take it!"

(Game experience: Went to the game with Steve, Suzanne, and Michael. Steve and I are now 2-for-2 in games we've gone to together. I sat at Sec. 127 Row 11 Seat 5 which is in front of the bullpen mound. I've never sat this near to the A's bullpen before. Listened to KYCY 1550 AM during the game.)

BTW Kielty was sent down again in favor of RHP Chad Gaudin. I don't know how much longer Kielty will tolerate this. Billy Beane, what did Kielty do to deserve this?

A's record: 8-9 | streak: W-1 | well-A-meter: 3