Game 70: June 22, 1999 (L: 5-3)
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Commentary (by me)

Oh man, what an annoying loss. 

Aaron Sele seemed to be rolling along, although he came out after the fifth inning.  Our rookie phenom pitchers kept the middle up, not giving any runs, or much of anything in the 6th through the 8th.  We were up 3-2 going into the ninth.

Unfortunately, John Wetteland had a meltdown in the top of the 9th, and gave up three runs.  Now, that alone would have been bad enough on this loss.  However, in the bottom of the ninth, two big things consipired against what was an apparent comeback for (at least) the tie.  Tony Phillips, who had just been put into center field (he was playing second all the other 8 innings) made probably the catch of the season.  Text doesn't describe how awesome this catch was.    That robbed Juan Gonzalez of an easy double, with two RBI's to tie up the game.    What made it worse was that Rusty Greer was called out for a major brainfart - he passed Pudge on the basepaths, which is a huge no-no.  Actually, that was the second thing like that - Rafael Palmiero got caught in a rundown at third, and was thrown out - basically throwing away a run there.  :(

Oh man.  Not only did we give it up in the 9th, but we screwed ourselves in the bottom of the ninth.  Did't like this at all - but tomorrow night's trip to the luxury boxes would have made up for it.  Or so I thought - wait till you read tomorrow's commentary by me!

Commentary (by Jim Meeks)

Not available.

Game Recap

ARLINGTON, TEXAS (TICKER) -- The Oakland Athletics recovered from a gut-wrenching loss by breaking the hearts of the Texas Rangers in a 5-3 victory.

Miguel Tejada tripled home two runs in the top of the ninth inning and Rusty Greer passed Ivan Rodriguez on the basepaths after a diving catch by Tony Phillips in the bottom of the frame as Oakland rebounded from Monday's 13-11 loss to Detroit.

Rodriguez singled and Greer walked to open the last half-inning. Juan Gonzalez then hit a line drive to left-center field that Phillips, the center fielder, dove and caught.

Phillips, who has played nearly every position during his career and never has been known for his defense, moved from second base to center field in the ninth.

"I like to keep it simple," said Phillips, who also contributed an RBI single in the ninth. "You go try to catch it, and if you catch it, you catch it. When I start thinking, that's when I start to get in trouble."

"When the ball left the bat, I didn't think he had a prayer," A's manager Art Howe added. "I don't know how tall he is (5-10), but he used every inch."

Anticipating an extra-base hit instead of a sensational grab, Greer lapped Rodriguez between second and third.

"Anytime you lose a game late like that you are really disappointed," Greer said. "You have to really prepare yourself to come back the next day prepared to win."

"It was a tough one for them to lose and a good one for us to win," Howe said. "We've lost some like this on the road trip."

On Monday, the A's erased a six-run deficit to take a 10-9 lead before giving up four runs in the eighth.

Oakland scored all three of its ninth-inning runs tonight off major league save leader John Wetteland (1-2), who suffered his third blown save in 26 tries this season.

"Obviously, I was just feeling for everything the first few hitters," he said. "I reached back and let it go. It's a hard thing to gauge. All my breaking stuff wasn't as sharp or as close to where I wanted to put them."

Texas' bullpen had won its previous 14 decisions, dating to Wetteland's blown save and loss April 27 against the New York Yankees.

Rooke Jeff Zimmerman struck out Olmedo Saenz to end the eighth, stranding the tying run at first base. Zimmerman lowered his ERA to 1.00.

"Zimmerman threw very well but I'll take my chances with three outs to go with Wetteland on the mound any day of the week," Rangers manager Johnny Oates said.

The first four A's reached base in the ninth. Tim Raines and Mike Macfarlane had pinch singles and Phillips lined an RBI base hit to right to tie it, 3-3. Tejada followed by lining a 1-0 pitch to the wall in left-center for a 5-3 lead.

Billy Taylor completed a scoreless bottom of the ninth by getting Rafael Palmeiro to pop up, recording his 18th save in 21 chances. T.J. Mathews (6-2) pitched a scoreless eighth to tie the team lead in wins.

The A's opened the scoring in the first with two runs against Aaron Sele, but Texas plated a run in the third and two more in the fourth, taking the lead on Rodriguez's two-run single.

Oakland starter Kenny Rogers lasted seven innings, allowing three runs and nine hits. The former Ranger walked three, struck out one and threw 121 pitches, remaining unbeaten in 11 starts.

"The first four innings were really tough to get through," he said. "I felt better at the end than at the beginning by far. I have a lot of no-decisions, but we have won a lot of them."

The A's are 9-2 in Rogers' last 11 starts and 10-4 overall with him on the mound.

Sele settled down after a shaky first. He gave up two runs and six hits while walking three, striking out three and hitting a batter in five innings.

Rangers prized rookie outfielder Ruben Mateo left after the eighth inning with tightness in his left groin.

Photos
(Click on any of them for a larger image

Oakland starter Kenny Rogers	Raffy's tagged out in the basepaths	Miguel Tejada - not sure what the grimace is for	Miguel Tejada getting congrats for his 9th inning triple	Tony Phillips getting congrats for his game saving catch in the bottom of the 9th

Box Score

Line Score
AL  FINAL
                    1  2  3   4  5  6   7  8  9     R  H  E
                    -  -  -   -  -  -   -  -  -     -  -  -
OAKLAND             2  0  0   0  0  0   0  0  3     5 11  2
TEXAS               0  0  1   2  0  0   0  0  0     3 11  1   (FINAL)

BATTERIES:  OAK - KENNY ROGERS, TJ MATHEWS (8TH), BILL TAYLOR
                  (9TH) AND AJ HINCH, MIKE MACFARLANE (9TH)
            TEX - AARON SELE, MIKE VENAFRO (6TH), JEFF ZIMMERMAN
                  (8TH), JOHN WETTELAND (9TH) AND IVAN RODRIGUEZ

             WP - TJ MATHEWS (6-2)
             LP - JOHN WETTELAND (1-2)
           SAVE - BILL TAYLOR (18)

HOME RUNS:  OAK - NONE
            TEX - NONE

     TIME:  3:19     ATT:  35,619

PROBABLES:  OAK - MIKE OQUIST (6-5, 5.21)
            TEX - MIKE MORGAN (7-5, 5.88)



Box Score
OAKLAND (5) AT TEXAS (3) - FINAL

OAKLAND                ab  r  h rbi bb so lob   avg
T Phillips 2b-cf        4  1  2  1   1  0   0  .250
Tejada ss               4  1  3  2   0  0   0  .275
Grieve lf               4  1  1  0   1  1   3  .237
Ja Giambi 1b            4  0  1  1   1  1   4  .272
Jaha dh                 5  0  0  1   0  1   7  .296
Stairs rf               3  0  1  0   1  0   1  .248
Chavez 3b               3  0  0  0   0  1   1  .224
 a-Saenz ph-3b          1  0  0  0   0  1   1  .264
R Christenson cf        2  0  1  0   1  0   0  .179
 b-Raines ph            1  1  1  0   0  0   0  .218
 Velandia 2b            0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .192
Hinch c                 3  0  0  0   0  1   1  .191
 c-Macfarlane ph-c      1  1  1  0   0  0   0  .280

Totals                 35  5 11  5   5  6  18

a-struck out for Chavez in the 8th; b-singled for R Christenson
in the 9th; c-singled for Hinch in the 9th.

BATTING: 2B - Ja Giambi (13, Sele). 3B - Tejada (2, Wetteland).
RBI - Ja Giambi (43), Jaha (43), T Phillips (39), Tejada 2 (28).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - Stairs 1, Jaha 3.
GIDP - Jaha, Chavez.  Team LOB - 9.

BASERUNNING: CS - R Christenson (1, 2nd base by Sele/I Rodriguez).

FIELDING: E - T Phillips (8, ground ball); Hinch (5, throw).
Outfield assists - T Phillips (Greer at 1st base).
DP: 2 (T Phillips-Tejada-Ja Giambi, T Phillips-Velandia).

TEXAS                  ab  r  h rbi bb so lob   avg
Alicea 2b               5  0  0  0   0  0   7  .138
I Rodriguez c           5  0  2  2   0  0   0  .302
Greer lf                2  1  0  0   3  0   1  .281
J Gonzalez dh-rf        5  0  2  0   0  0   5  .301
R Palmeiro 1b           4  0  1  1   0  0   3  .354
Zeile 3b                4  0  1  0   0  0   2  .250
R Kelly rf-cf           4  1  3  0   0  0   1  .324
Mateo cf                4  1  1  0   0  0   4  .182
 Wetteland p            0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .000
Clayton ss              3  0  1  0   1  2   3  .248

Totals                 36  3 11  3   4  2  26

BATTING: 2B - R Palmeiro (15, Rogers); Mateo (4, Rogers).
SF - R Palmeiro. RBI - R Palmeiro (60), I Rodriguez 2 (37). 2-out
RBI - I Rodriguez 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - Alicea 3,
J Gonzalez 1, Zeile 1, R Palmeiro 1. GIDP - Alicea.  Team LOB - 11.

BASERUNNING: SB - J Gonzalez (2, 2nd base off Rogers/Hinch);
R Kelly (4, 2nd base off Tj Mathews/Hinch).

FIELDING: E - R Palmeiro (1, catch). DP: 2 (Zeile-Alicea-R Palmeiro,
Clayton-Alicea-R Palmeiro).

OAKLAND                      ip       h   r  er  bb  so  hr    era
Rogers                        7       9   3   3   3   1   0   3.80
Tj Mathews (W, 6-2)           1       1   0   0   0   1   0   3.34
Taylor (S, 18)                1       1   0   0   1   0   0   2.70

TEXAS                        ip       h   r  er  bb  so  hr    era
Sele                          5       6   2   2   3   3   0   5.44
Venafro (H, 3)                2 2/3   1   0   0   2   0   0   1.91
Je Zimmerman (H, 10)            1/3   0   0   0   0   1   0   1.00
Wetteland (L, 1-2; BS, 3)     1       4   3   3   0   2   0   3.82

HBP - Tejada (by Sele).  Pitches-strikes: Sele 97-51; Venafro 29-15;
Je Zimmerman 3-3; Wetteland 28-19; Rogers 121-66; Tj Mathews 19-13;
Taylor 18-10.  Ground balls-fly balls: Sele 9-2; Venafro 7-1;
Je Zimmerman 0-0; Wetteland 0-1; Rogers 10-10; Tj Mathews 1-1;
Taylor 0-2.  Batters faced: Sele 23; Venafro 10; Je Zimmerman 1;
Wetteland 7; Rogers 33; Tj Mathews 4; Taylor 4.

UMPIRES: HP--Fieldin Culbreth. 1B--Tim Welke. 2B--Laz Diaz.
3B--Jim Reynolds.
T--3:19.  Att--35,619.   Weather: 74 degrees, cloudy.   Wind: 13 mph,
in from center.

AL       OAKLAND AT TEXAS
         NOTE:  THE CURRENT SCORE IS OAKLAND 2, TEXAS 0.  THE FIELDER'S
                CHOICE BY JASON GIAMBI DID NOT SCORE TONY PHILLIPS.

AL       OAKLAND AT TEXAS
         NOTE:  TEXAS' RUBEN MATEO LEFT THE GAME AFTER EIGHT INNINGS DUE
                TO TIGHTNESS IN HIS LEFT GROIN.

Game Log

Oakland Starting Lineups -- Tony Phillips 2B, Miguel Tejada SS, Ben Grieve LF, Jason Giambi 1B, John Jaha DH, Matt Stairs RF, Eric Chavez 3B, Ryan Christenson CF, Aj Hinch C, Kenny Rogers LHP.

Texas Starting Lineups -- Luis Alicea 2B, Ivan Rodriguez C, Rusty Greer LF, Juan Gonzalez DH, Rafael Palmeiro 1B, Todd Zeile 3B, Roberto Kelly RF, Ruben Mateo CF, Royce Clayton SS, Aaron Sele RHP.

Umpires -- Culbreth (HP), T Welke (1B), Diaz (2B), Reynolds (3B).

Gametime Weather: 74 degrees, Cloudy, wind in from center at 13 mph.

OAKLAND 1ST: T Phillips grounded out to shortstop. Tejada singled to left. Grieve singled to right, Tejada to third. Ja Giambi doubled to left, Tejada scored, Grieve to third. Jaha grounded out to shortstop, Grieve scored, Ja Giambi to third. Stairs grounded out to shortstop. (2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) OAKLAND 2, TEXAS 0.

TEXAS 1ST: Alicea grounded out to pitcher. I Rodriguez grounded out to pitcher. Greer walked. J Gonzalez flied out to deep right. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) OAKLAND 2, TEXAS 0.

OAKLAND 2ND: Chavez flied out to deep left center. R Christenson singled to center. R Christenson caught stealing, catcher to second. Hinch struck out looking. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) OAKLAND 2, TEXAS 0.

TEXAS 2ND: R Palmeiro doubled to right. Zeile singled to center, R Palmeiro to third. R Kelly grounded into fielder's choice to pitcher, Zeile to second, R Palmeiro out at home. Mateo flied out to right center. Clayton walked, Zeile to third, R Kelly to second. Alicea lined out to shortstop. (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) OAKLAND 2, TEXAS 0.

OAKLAND 3RD: T Phillips reached on infield single. Tejada hit by pitch, T Phillips to second. Grieve walked, T Phillips to third, Tejada to second. Ja Giambi grounded into fielder's choice to pitcher, Tejada to third, Grieve to second, T Phillips out at home, Ja Giambi safe at first on 1st baseman R Palmeiro's fielding error. Jaha grounded into double play, third to second to first, Ja Giambi out at second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 1 Error) OAKLAND 2, TEXAS 0.

TEXAS 3RD: I Rodriguez fouled out to third. Greer walked. J Gonzalez singled to right center, Greer to third. R Palmeiro hit sacrifice fly to left center, Greer scored. Zeile flied out to left center. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) OAKLAND 2, TEXAS 1.

OAKLAND 4TH: Stairs grounded out to shortstop. Chavez struck out looking. R Christenson grounded out to shortstop. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) OAKLAND 2, TEXAS 1.

TEXAS 4TH: R Kelly reached on infield single. Mateo doubled to left, R Kelly to third. Clayton struck out swinging. Alicea grounded out to pitcher. I Rodriguez singled to center, R Kelly and Mateo scored. Greer safe at first on 2nd baseman T Phillips' fielding error, I Rodriguez to third. J Gonzalez grounded out to shortstop. (2 Runs, 3 Hits, 1 Error) OAKLAND 2, TEXAS 3.

OAKLAND 5TH: Hinch grounded out to third. T Phillips walked. Tejada singled to right, T Phillips to third. Grieve struck out swinging. Ja Giambi walked, Tejada to second. Jaha flied out to left center. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) OAKLAND 2, TEXAS 3.

TEXAS 5TH: R Palmeiro flied out to left. Zeile flied out to left. R Kelly reached on infield single. Mateo flied out to deep left. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) OAKLAND 2, TEXAS 3.

OAKLAND 6TH: Mike Venafro relieved Aaron Sele. Stairs walked. Chavez grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, Stairs out at second. R Christenson walked. Hinch popped out to shallow left center. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) OAKLAND 2, TEXAS 3.

TEXAS 6TH: Clayton singled to right. Alicea grounded into double play, second to shortstop to first, Clayton out at second. I Rodriguez grounded out to pitcher. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) OAKLAND 2, TEXAS 3.

OAKLAND 7TH: T Phillips grounded out to second. Tejada grounded out to shortstop. Grieve grounded out to shortstop. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) OAKLAND 2, TEXAS 3.

TEXAS 7TH: Greer grounded out to second. J Gonzalez singled to left center. R Palmeiro lined out to right. J Gonzalez stole second. J Gonzalez to third on catcher Hinch's throwing error. Zeile grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 1 Error) OAKLAND 2, TEXAS 3.

OAKLAND 8TH: Ja Giambi grounded out to shortstop. Jaha grounded out to first. Stairs singled to center. Saenz hit for Chavez. Jeff Zimmerman relieved Mike Venafro. Saenz struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) OAKLAND 2, TEXAS 3.

TEXAS 8TH: Tj Mathews relieved Kenny Rogers. Saenz at third. R Kelly singled to center. R Kelly stole second. Mateo grounded out to first. Clayton struck out swinging. Alicea popped out to catcher. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) OAKLAND 2, TEXAS 3.

OAKLAND 9TH: John Wetteland relieved Jeff Zimmerman. R Kelly in center. J Gonzalez in right. Raines hit for R Christenson. Raines singled to right. Macfarlane hit for Hinch. Macfarlane singled to center, Raines to second. T Phillips singled to right, Raines scored, Macfarlane to second. Tejada tripled to left center, Macfarlane and T Phillips scored. Grieve flied out to shallow left. Ja Giambi struck out swinging. Jaha struck out swinging. (3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors) OAKLAND 5, TEXAS 3.

TEXAS 9TH: Bill Taylor relieved Tj Mathews. Macfarlane catching. T Phillips in center. Velandia at second. I Rodriguez singled to left. Greer walked, I Rodriguez to second. J Gonzalez lined into double play, center to second, Greer out at first for passing baserunner. R Palmeiro flied out to left. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) OAKLAND 5, TEXAS 3.