Oakland Athletics vs. Tampa Bay Rays: The Daily Box Score May 18, 2009

(Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

This article is a game recap based solely on what the author has read in the game's box score. If you want to know what really happened, you can go watch SportsCenter and pray that you don't change the channel before they put on the 30 second segment of the game. One game per night selected at random, this is the Daily Box Score.

Tampa Bay Rays 13, Oakland Athletics 4

It's hard to say it any other way, but Oakland starter, Sean Gallagher gave this game away.

In the first inning he walked a batter and hit one with the bases loaded, gave up a two-run single, and to make matters worse, his catcher, Kurt Suzuki gave up a passed ball that let in two runners.

This game was virtually done only after six outs.

"You know, we had a great first inning," said Suzuki, "I got scored off of Jay(son Giambi)'s sac fly. Things were looking good. And then all hell broke loose."

Suzuki went on to describe the events using such words as, confusing, forget, lapse, blackout, and straightupembarrassing. And even though that last one really isn't only one word, coming from Suzuki it might as well have been.

All was not as depressing to the home team as they were sucking on the celebratory Orange Juice by the second at Tropicana Field.

"I personally want to thank Oakland for making it so easy, but I also want to my boy Jeff Niemann out on the mound for not being as bad as the other pitcher," said BJ Upton in center field with two outs in the third inning in an on the field during the game interview.

"These are one of those games where you can try to impress the crowds with fancy catches and long shot big throws." Upton said right before making a crowd pleasing catch in the field.

Niemann who has been called out by his below average start, went eight strong innings getting three strikeouts and lowering his season era to below five.

"I was happy that I went this far to give the bullpen a rest, and I am sure that it was nice for 'Issy' (Jason Isringhausen) to be in a no pressure situation to work on his control against big league hitters," said Neimann to a retired home newspaper reporter.

Game Notes: 11,000 people made it out to the Trop, which continues a streak of proving that being in the world series ain't the same as winning it...Fantasy baseball fans will notice that Orlando Cabrera and Jack Buck homered, in an otherwise terrible performance for the Athletics...A's utility speedman, Rajai Davis, pinch hit for center fielder, Ryan Sweeney, to only foul pop out to the catcher, and then did ten push ups in homage to Willy Mays Hayes...

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