A’s up 2-0, but I’ve heard that before…
There was a runner on first and two outs. If Hunter just keeps that ball in front of him, it’s still a tie game, and there are still two outs. Dennys Reyes has the lowest ERA of any pitcher with at least 50 IP this season, he can get out of it. The next batter, Milton Bradley, grounded out to end the inning.
Torii Hunter dove, though, and two runs scored on Kotsay’s inside-the-park home run.
This was the A’s first postseason inside-the-park HR since Ray Durham ripped one off right there in the Metrodome, in 2002.
The A’s take a 2-0 series lead back to Oakland, where Danny Haren is poised to take on the ailing but effective Brad Radke. Assuming Radke’s arm doesn’t fall off before then…
Here’s the comparison of Haren and Radke’s performance over their last 15 starts:
Haren has been striking out people more than Radke, but Radke has been the better pitcher. He does have a torn labrum and a stress fracture in his pitching shoulder, so he may not be able to pitch as well as he has. It’s really a toss-up as to which Radke the A’s see. One thing is sure, though, he’s not going to walk many.