Game 79: Athletics 3, Indians 0

The pitching was there, but the offense couldn't manage anything, so the Indians lost their first in six games. Mitch Talbot really struggled to get through the first, and never got on a roll, giving up five hits and walking four in 5.1 innings. To Mitch's credit, he kept the team in the game, just giving up the three runs, two on his last pitch, a Mark Ellis two-run double. The deficit could have been much worse, as the A's had the bases loaded with one out in the sixth, but Tony Sipp struck out Cliff Pennington and LGFT Coco Crisp to end the threat.

Not that it mattered much, for the Indians seemed helpless to score off Gio Gonzalez early in the game, and then one of the more bizarre plays in baseball short-circuited a promising rally in the sixth. With the bases loaded and two outs, Mike Redmond grounded out to right for the third out. Yes, you read me right. Because Redmond is a notorious opposite-field slap hitter, right fielder Ryan Sweeney was position in very shallow right field behind the hole between first and second. Redmond hit a line-drive right in front of Sweeney, who caught the ball on one bounce, and threw to first, beating the hustling Redmond by a full step. The last time I've seen that play work was in grade school;  I'll bet it's been at least 20 years since a right fielder forced a runner at first in the American League.

The bullpen continue to do some nice things. Besides Sipp's key strikeouts, Hector Ambriz was impressive in two innings of work (1 H, 2 SO, 0 BB) and Zombie Perez had another good outing. He's looking like his previous mortal self, so much so that my appellation may no longer be appropriate.

Oh, yeah....LGFT Craig Breslow threw 1.1 perfect innings, bridging the gap from starter Gio Gonzalez to closer Andrew Bailey. Thanks, Eric.

via www.fangraphs.com