A's Win From 10 Down, Yet Tainted by Controversy

The Oakland A's came into tonight's game after a gut-wrenching loss to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 10 innings. In that game, all the A's needed was one run to give Brett Anderson a victory.

In tonight's game, the A's seemed like they were playing through the motions in another uninspired performance, but wait...

The A's were down 12-2. Gio Gonzalez again got rocked and did not last very long and he gave up 11 runs in 2.2 innings. Santiago Casilla came into the game and relieved Gonzalez. Casilla went in and gave up two runs and one earned.

Gonzalez gave up a grandslam to Justin Morneau, a three-run home run to Morneau, a three-run homer to Jason Kubel, and a solo home run to Michael Cuddyer. Casilla gave up an RBI single to Kubel and a sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth to Delmon Young. Unfortunately for the twins that was the last time the team would score a run.  

Nick Blackburn did not fare much better for the Twins. He did go the minimum amount of innings to qualify for a win. He went five innings, gave up 13 hits, seven runs, and gave up two home runs.

Both Matt Holliday and Daric Barton were able to hit two run home runs off of Blackburn, but it was the story after Blackburn was relieved. In the bottom of the sixth the A's were able to get two hits off of Brian Duensing. Yet, Duensing was able to escape any damage by inducing a double play and getting Kurt Suzuki to fly out.

For Duensing the bottom of the seventh inning was when he got hit hard. He walked Barton. Ryan Sweeney then singled. Mark Ellis hit a single but only after having a second life after Morneau overran the foul ball.

Ellis then blooped a single into right field. Adam Kennedy was the only out recorded by Duensing in the inning where Kennedy lined out to second base.

Orlando Cabrera hit a two run double after a unnecessary dive by Michael Cuddyer. Bobby Keppel was then called in by Ron Gardenhire to pitch to Scott Hairston. Keppel was not able to find the strike zone and walked Hairston.

Holliday then came up with the opportunity to tie the ball game because the A's had trimmed the lead to 13-9. Keppel had Holliday 1-2, but threw a fastball down the middle that Holliday drove out to right field to tie the ball game. Keppel did not record and out and was replaced with Jose Mijares.

Jack Cust was the first hitter to greet Mijares and he homered deep to center field to put the A's up 14-13 and that ended up as the final score. The bullpen for the Twins gave up seven runs in three innings.

The game ended on a play that wasn't even close to questionable and,
I'll admit it, the call was blown. The game should have gone to the bottom of the ninth with a blown save by Michael Wuertz.

What happened on the play was that Wuertz threw a slider in the dirt that Suzuki was not able to find until Cuddyer was on his way to home. Suzuki finally located the ball and threw it to Wuerz covering home.

Wuertz laid down the tag just after Cuddyer got his foot across home, but the call on the field was out, even though it was very clear that Cuddyer beat Suzuki's throw.

Cuddyer immediately argued the call and out came Gardenhire to argue for his player. Although, no amount of arguing would have change the call, it will further renew efforts to expand replay on close plays at the plate.

If I were a Twins fan, I would be livid. Just like I was with a call against the Angels that gave the Angels a double play.

Morneau finished the game with two home runs and seven RBI. While Holliday finished the game with two homers and six RBI.

In the end, this game will turn out to be the biggest come-from-behind victory in Oakland's history and in the franchises history it ranks as the second largest come from behind victory, which was a 12-run comeback in 1925 against Cleveland.