J.P. Out At The Ballgame

Oakland Athletics vs. Tampa Bay Rays

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Pre-Game Notes

James Shields (8-6, 3.69) vs. Greg Smith (5-8, 3.79)

• Rays starter James Shields is 17-7 with a 3.17 ERA in his career at Tropicana Field, including 6-1 this season (his 2.05 home ERA is 3rd in the AL

• The A’s snapped a six-game losing streak with last night’s victory, and are now 8-13 in their last 21 games

• Rays manager Joe Maddon expects SS Jason Bartlett, on the disabled list since July 3, to be activated prior to tomorrow’s game in Kansas City

• Rays minor leaguer Matthew Walker (Class A-Vero Beach) was suspended 50 games for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance

• Tropicana Field hosts Parks and Rec Day today, hosting children from throughout the Tampa Bay area

Top of the 1st

It’s a very “youthful” crowd inside the Trop, with local children in attendance for Parks and Rec Day. James Shields retired the A’s in order in four minutes, including a strikeout looking of Jack Cust to end the opening frame. Shields threw 11 pitches. 0-0

Bottom of the 1st

After leadoff hitter Akinori Iwamura flew out to center, BJ Upton chases ball four and struck out. Carl Crawford grounded out to short to end the inning. Greg Smith threw 15 pitches. 0-0

Top of the 2nd

LF Emil Brown crushes the first pitch of the inning into the “Sea of Kids” in the left-field bleachers for his eighth homer of the season. Center fielder Carlos Gonzalez hit a 1-1 pitch over the right-field fence for his third homer. It is the second time the A’s have gone back-to-back this season (June 20, at Florida). Perhaps Shields can’t handle the pressure of pitching in front of all these 10-year-olds. Shields settles down and retires the next three batters in order. He has thrown 24 pitches through two innings. 2-0 Oakland

Bottom of the 2nd

Two quick pop-ups and a fly ball to left retires the Rays in the second. Smith has thrown 22 pitches. 2-0 Oakland

Top of the 3rd

Brooks Conrad leads off by striking out swinging, the second K of the game for Shields. Ryan Sweeney singles to left field, the third hit for the A’s. Kurt Suzuki grounds into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. Shields has thrown 34 pitches through three innings. 2-0 Oakland

Bottom of the 3rd

After a fly out, Jonny Gomes strikes out, lowering his average to .191. His continued struggles may force the Rays into moving him before next week’s non-waiver trade deadline. The question would be how much of a market is there for a guy batting less than .200? Ben Zobrist strikes out swinging to end the inning. Smith hasn’t allowed a hit and has thrown 39 pitches through three innings. 2-0 Oakland

Top of the 4th

Cust led off and struck out looking for the second time today, Shields’ third strikeout of the afternoon. Brown strikes out swinging, number four for Shields. On a side not, longtime Rays season ticket holder Dick Vitale is in his customary seat next to the visitors’ dugout. Shields get Gonzalez looking, striking out the side. He has five K’s today and has thrown 49 pitches through four innings. 2-0 Oakland

Bottom of the 4th

Iwamura leads off with a single on the 10th pitch of the at-bat. Iwamura gets picked off as he was caught leaning toward second base. He was tagged midway between first and second. Upton walks with one out. Crawford flies out to right on the first pitch for the second out. Amazingly, Crawford only has nine doubles and five triples this season. Longoria flies to right to end the inning. The Rays have to address the offense at the deadline if they want to advance to the postseason. Smith has thrown 60 pitches through four innings. 2-0 Oakland

Top of the 5th

Bobby Crosby strikes out swinging to start the inning. That’s four straight K’s for Shields. After a fly out and a groundout, the inning is over. Shields has thrown 57 pitches through five innings. 2-0 Oakland

Bottom of the 5th

Carlos Pena was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, though A’s manager Bob Geren argued that Pena swung. Willy Aybar flies out to left and Shawn Riggans pops up to second. Runner still at first with two out. Gomes crushes a 2-2 pitch off the c-ring catwalk for his eighth homer of the season. Zobrist follows with a homer to right-center on the first pitch , the fourth back-to-back for the Rays this season. Iwamura strikes out to end the inning. Finally some power from players not named Pena and Longoria. Smith has thrown 84 pitches through five innings. 3-2 Rays

Top of the 6th

Conrad goes down swinging as Shields continues his strikeout parade (seven now). Sweeney flies out to the corner in left, and Shields has now retired eight straight batters. Suzuki smokes a double up the box on a 2-2 pitch. He is the first Oakland base runner since the third inning. Cust lines out to right to end the inning. Shields has total control right now. He has thrown 75 pitches with seven strikeouts through six innings. 3-2 Rays

Bottom of the 6th

Upton leads off with a double to left. There’s a runner in scoring position now for Crawford, who has only 48 RBI this season. He flies out to center, forcing Upton to stay at second. Longoria is intentionally walked, then Upton gets picked off between second and third for the second out. The Rays have been picked off twice today. Pena flies to left to end the inning. Smith has thrown 94 pitches through six innings. 3-2 Rays

Top of the 7th

Brown is hit by a fastball to lead off the inning and Gonzalez follows with a single to right. First and second with nobody out. Crosby promptly hits into a 4-3 double play. Brown advances to third with two outs. Grant Balfour now warming up in the Rays bullpen. Hannahan grounds to second to end the inning. Shields has thrown 85 pitches. 3-2 Rays

Bottom of the 7th

Aybar leads off with a double to the gap in left-center. That will end the game for Smith, and he is replaced by righty Santiago Casilla. Smith threw 102 pitches and had four strikeouts. Riggans attempted to sacrifice, but Casilla threw to third. Aybar beat the throw, putting runners on the corners with nobody out. Pinch-hitter Eric Hinske strikes out swinging. Zobrist rips a single up the middle, scoring Aybar. First and second with one out, and the top of the order coming up. That’s all for Casilla, as Geren replaces him veteran lefty Alan Embree. Iwamura grounds to first, putting runners at second and third with two outs. Upton walks to load the bases for Crawford. As a team, the Rays are hitting .231 with runners in scoring position and two outs. Crawford grounds out to second to end the inning. 4-2 Rays

Top of the 8th

Wes Bankston flies to center to open the eighth. JP Howell is warming up in the Rays bullpen. Conrad flies to Crawford in left for the second out. Sweeney pops to second for the third out. Shields has thrown 95 pitches through eight. Does Maddon leave him in to face the heart of the Oakland order in the ninth? 4-2 Rays

Bottom of the 8th

Longoria flies to the wall in right field to start the bottom-half of the eighth inning. Aybar smokes a liner right at third baseman Hannahan to end the inning. 4-2 Rays

Top of the 9th

Shields is out to try and finish the game. Howell and Troy Percival warming up for the Rays. Suzuki flies to Crawford in shallow left for the first out. Cust doubles off the wall in left field, bringing the tying run to the plate and Maddon out to the mound. It was a heck of a game for Shields, who leaves to a standing ovation. Percival in now to close it out. Cust advances to third on a wild pitch. Brown flies to center and Cust tags and scores. A four-pitch walk to Gonzalez puts the tying run at first base with two outs. Crosby grounds out to third, ending the game. 4-2 Rays

WP: Shields (9-6)

LP: Smith (5-9)

S: Percival (20)

Time of Game: 2 hours 36 minutes

Attendance: 23, 437

Post-Game Notes

• After the game, the Rays optioned SS Ben Zobrist to Durham (AAA)