SCORE: 12-5 A's Moss base clearing double
In between innings check out my piece on why the Extra Wild Card spot has taken some of the drama away from today's game... Game 162 2012: Proving Bud Selig's Extra Wild Card Spot Was Unnecessary (Opinion) (Poll)
MICHAEL YOUNG FLIES OUT TO CENTERFIELD! GAME OVER! A's ARE THE A.L. WEST CHAMPIONS OF 2012!!
2 OUTS Young at bat
0-1
0-2 line drive fould
1 OUT Cruz at bat--
1-0
1-1 strike
1-2 swing and a miss by Cruz
2-2 high fastball
STRIKEOUT ON A SLIDER!
Balfour starts Beltre off with a strike-- Beltre fly out to right
0-1
TOP OF THE 9th
GRANT BALFOUR MAKES HIS ENTRANCE-- Three Outs to clinch... Fans are going crazy!
----------------------------------END OF THE 8th-----------------------
2 OUTS Runner on 2nd Donaldson at bat--- Strike out
quickly down 1-2 in the count STRIKEOUT SWINGING
1 OUT Runner on 2nd Reddick at bat--
0-1 foul ball
Murphy traps the ball
Moss 3-run single 12-5 A's
1 OUT Bases Loaded Moss at bat
PITCHING CHANGE COMING UP
THREE RUNS SCORE ON MOSS SINGLE and error
1 OUT Runners on 1st & 2nd Cespedes-- WALKS
2-2 count
Foul ball down third base line
Fastball outside! 3-2
Ball outside
1 OUT Runner on 1st Drew at bat-- Reaches on ERROR
Drew hit liner to Kinsler. One hop. Kinsler with bad shuffle. Andrus cannot handle.
1 OUT Crisp at bat-- WALKS
Pennington flyout to center
DEREK NORRIS WITH A HOME RUN OF ALEXI OGANDO! 9-5 A's
=======================MIDDLE OF THE 8TH======
2 OUTS Runner on 1st Hamilton at bat-- STRIKE OUT SWINGING
0-1 swing and a miss
1-1 watches slider outside
1-2 slider outside
DOOLITTLE YELLS AS HE GETS OFF THE MOUND! STRIKES OUT Hamilton
2 OUTS Andrus at bat-- WALK
Doolittle not messing around... 0-1
1-1 fastball away
3-1 count with Hamilton waiting
Fastball Outside
1 OUT Kinsler at bat
Grounder to short Drew in the hole... Moss with stretch to get the out
Doolittle to pitch.... Faces Geovany Soto--- Strikesout swinging on 95 MPH fastball
1-2 count
STRIKEOUT
TOP OF THE 8TH
---------------------------------END OF THE 7TH----------------------------------
2 OUTS Smith at bat-- Flyout to right... 3 OUTS
1-0 ball
1-1 high strike
1 OUT Donaldson at bat-- Strikeout swinging
0-1 strike
0-2 quickly ahead in the count (Uehara)
Reddick at bat
1-1 takes home run cut but comes up empty
Murphy tracks down ball hit into the gap
============== 7th INNING STRETCH in OAKLAND========
2 OUTS Runners on 2nd & 3rd Napoli at bat--- STRIKEOUT!
Slider outside 1-0
1-1 96 MPH fastball fouled back
1-2 slider low and out of the zone
SLIDER FOR THE STRIKEOUT!
1 OUT Runners on 2nd & 3rd David Murphy
1-0 high fastball
1-1 foul ball
2-1 breaking ball outside
2-2 very late on 96 fastball
STRIKEOUT SWINGING ON LOW SLIDER!
0 OUTS Runners on 2nd & 3rd Young at bat-- Grounder to third
1-0
Chopper to third
0 OUTS Runner on 1st Cruz at bat... sends liner down the line... DOUBLE
Glevins' day is over... Cook in to pitch fourth consecutive game
Beltre at bat-- single up the middle
2-0
2-1 Beltre takes the strike
Beltre with third hit of the day, fourth time on base
TOP OF THE 7TH
-------------------------------END OF THE SIXTH--------------------------------
2 OUTS Runner on 2nd Moss at bat-- strikes out looking
Pitching change coming. Uehara replaces Holland.
PIckfoff at first
0-1 Moss takes change up
Pickoff at first
1-1 wild pitch... Cespedes moves to 2nd base
MOSS WITH A TOWERING FLY BALL........ Foul ball 1-2
STRIKE THREE
2 OUTS Cespedes at bat-- WALK
1-0 Cespedes takes low ball
1-1 swings and misses changeup
2-1 ball inside
3-1 high fastball
3-2 foul ball
Ball FOUR
1 OUT Drew at bat--- Flyout to shortstop
0-1 fouls high fastball back
1-1 ball
Fly ball... Andrus calls off Hamilton lol
Coco Crisp at bat-- Liner to right field
1-0 fastball outside
1-1 slider for strike
Liner to Cruz
=============Middle of the 6th====================
2 OUT Hamilton at bat vs. Jerry Blevins----- Hamilton swings at ball four and strikes out
Quickly 0-2 chases breaking ball in the dirt
Foul Ball
1-2 slider outside
2-2 offspeed pitch... Hamilton is waitng on a fastball
3-2
Foul ball on fastball high (was ball four)
HIGH FASTBALL SWING AND A MISS!
Scribner taken out of the ball game. Hailton will face pitcher he has not had much success against
1 OUT Andrus at bat-- Flyball to center
1-0 fastball
Kinsler at bat--- Grounder two second
0-2 count
-------------------------------END OF THE 5TH--------------------------------------------
3 OUTS after Pennington groundout
Norris with RBI single scoring Donaldson, 8-5 A's
2 OUTS Runner on 2nd Norris at bat
0-1 Norris can't hold swing
1-1 fastball inside
2-1 fastball inside
Sliced shot up the middle... OFF THE GLOVE OF ANDRUS! Rolls into center... Run scored
1 OUT Runner on 1st Smith at bat-- Grounder to short
1-0 ball outside
2-0 changeup low
3-0 high fastball
3-1 strike
3-2 fastball in outside corner
Chopper over the head of Holland... Andrus handles
1 OUT Donaldson at bat
1-1 the count
Donaldson with base hit in breaking ball
Reddick at bat--- Reddick with groundout
1-1 count
1-2 chopper foul
2-2 fastball low
Reddick to Kinsler
=====================MIDDLE OF THE 5th INNING=========================
2 OUTS Soto at bat------ DONALDSON WITH SLIDE STOP and throw to first
0-1 curveball down the middle
1-1 breaking ball too low
1-2 fasball down the middle fouled
Grounder to third....
1 OUT Napoli- strikeout
0-1 first pitch strike looking
0-2 foul ball
1-2 fastball outside
STRIKE THREE LOOKING
Murphy at bat--- Flyout
0-2 count
1-2 ball outside
Scribner almost gets a strikeout... fouled off Norris' glove
1-2 fastball goes foul
Liner right at Reddick
TOP OF 5th
----------------------------------------END OF THE 4th---------------------------- A's Lead 7-5
Moss groundouts to first
A's lead 7-5 on 2-run error, Crisp and Drew scored
2 OUTS Runners on 1st & 2nd Cespedes at bat--- E8 2 runs score. A's lead 7-5
Meeting on the mound
Hollad fakes pickoff
1-0 fastball low
2-0 fastball outside
2-1 changeup fools Cespedes! Was going for the 3-run shot
3-1 low and inside
Holland hangs one! Lazy fly ball to center... HAMILTON DROPPED THE BALL!!! ERROR! 2 RUNS SCORE!
2 OUTS Runners on 2nd Drew at bat-- WALK
1-0 ball inside
1-1 Drew looks at slider
2-1 check swing fastball inside
2-2 Drew wanted time... not granted... Holland throws slider right down the middle
3-2 full count... Slider inside
Coco Crisp w/ 2-run double scoring Donaldson and Smith 5-5 tied game!
2 OUTS Runners on 2nd & 3rd Coco Crisp at bat--
DOUBLE DOWN THE LINE!!!! CRISP HAS TIED THE BALL GAME!!
1 OUT Runners on 2nd & 3rd Pennington at bat-- Weak popout to first
1-0 fastball low and away
Pop up on the field!
0 OUTS Runners on 1st & 2nd Kottaras at bat----Holland in to pitch for the Rangers
NORRIS pinch hits.... Almost got base hit. Kinsler with diving stop!
Out at first
RBI SINGLE FOR SETH SMITH, Reddick scores 5-3 Rangers
0 OUTS Runners on 1st and 3rd Smith at bat
0-1 fastball outside
1-1 fastball low
1-2 swing and a miss on slider
2-2 fastball outside
SINGLE TO CENTER!
0 OUTS runner on second Donaldson at bat
Single to center!
RBI Double for Reddick, Moss scores 5-2 Rangers lead
0 OUTS Runner on 1st Reddick at bat
0-2 the count quickly
Reddick takes two balls up high
Reddick drives one to left center! Ball gets off the wall... double
Moss atbat
3-0 the count WALK on four pitches
==================MIDDLE OF THE FOURTH====================
2 OUTS Runner on 2nd & 3rd Young at bat
First pitch swinging... Liner right to Moss! Athletics get out of the inning!
2 OUTS Runner on 1st Cruz at bat
0-1 curveball inside
Pickoff attempt at first
1-1 fastball outside
Cruz lines it to left... double
2 OUTS Beltre at bat
Base hit to center
Hamilton at bat
down 1-2 in the count
Foul ball
Ball in the dirt. Swing and a miss...
1 OUT as Andrus grounds out to second
----------------------------------------------END OF THE THIRD---------------------------------------------
2 OUT Cespedes at bat
First pitch swinging... flyout to center.
1 OUT Stephen Drew at bat-- grounder to second
0-1 takes strike
grounder to Kinsler... Kinsler almost overthrows Napoli
Coco Crisp at bat---
0-1 shows bunt, takes the strike
1-1 breaking ball outside
1-2 strike outside
Crisp with flyout to right
Is Balfour's prediction in jeopardy? Oakland Athletics News: Grant Balfour Predicts Win On Wednesday to Clinch A.L. West
====================MIDDLE OF THE THIRD================ Rangers lead 5-1
3 OUTS
Kinsler grounds out to third. Donaldson steps on the bag at third.
Score is 5-1 Rangers lead.
RBI SINGLE for Soto, Murphy scores.... Bob Melvin to remove Griffin
2 OUTS Runners on 1st & 3rd Soto
Soto with a single!
2 OUTS Runner on 1st Napoli at bat
1-1 the count
2-1 high fastball
KOTTARAS DROPS THE POP UP!
Murphy with 2-run single to right center, Cruz and Young score
2 OUTS Runners on 2nd & 3rd Murphy at bat.. 2-run single
0-1
1-1 fastball outside
1-2
2-2 fastball inside
3-2 change up floats outside of the strikezone
Single in the gap!!!
Young with RBI DOUBLE off the chalk down right field, Hamilton scores. 2-1 Rangers
2 OUTS Runners on 1st & 3rd Young at bat
quickly 0-2 on Young
0-2 Young pokes it foul, fouled off strike 3.... Whoa! There's a fan with a SF Giants cap on.... Wrong stadium man...
Young spoils another one
1 OUT Runners on 1st & 2nd Cruz at bat
0-1
Cruz hits blooper! Pennington drops ball... PENNINGTON GETS BELTRE OUT AT SECOND!
Beltre with RBI single, Kinsler scores. 1-1 Tied game
1 OUT Runners on 1st & 3rd Beltre at bat
1-0 fastball in the dirt
hard grounder to the right... Single
1 OUT Runner on 2nd Hamilton at bat
First pitch swinging... Hamilton liner to right. Single
O OUTS Andrus with chopper to Griffin
Kinsler reaches on a bloop single
TOP OF THE THIRD
------------------------------END OF THE 2ND INNING-------------------------------------------
2 OUTS Pennington at bat
0-2...
Swing and a miss... 3 OUTS
1 OUT Kottaras at bat--- Pitcher gets out at first
0-1
Chopper to the pitcher... Dempster runs it down and tags bag
Smith at bat--- Strikeout
Full count on Smith
Swing and a miss on a slider
========================MIDDLE OF THE 2ND=====================
2 OUTS Runner on 2nd Soto at bat-- Force out at second
1-1 the count
2-1 curveball low and away
Grounder to Drew
1 OUT Runner on 1st Napoli at bat-- Reddick gets out in right center field
1-0 curveball low
2-0 fastball high
3-0 another high fastball
3-1 Napoli takes strike
3-2 swing and a miss! Breaking ball
Flyball to center
1 OUT Murphy at bat--single to left field
0-1 strike
0-2 swing and a miss
1-2 fastball outside
Foul ball
Foul ball long run for Cespedes and infielders
2-2 pitch outside
liner to third... past Donaldson
Young at bat---popup to right field
TOP OF THE SECOND
------------------------------------------------------------------END OF THE FIRST INNING-----------------------------------
2 OUT runners on 2nd & 3rd Donaldson at bat--- Strikeout
1-1 the count on Donaldson
1-2 foul ball
2-2 high fastball
Foul ball... slider fouled back
Donaldson goes fishing!
1 OUT Runners on 2nd & 3rd Reddick at bat--- Reddick popsout to Young in foul territory
0-1 swing and a miss
Popout
Moss with RBI double. Drew scores 1-0 Oakland
****THE FANS ARE PUMPED!
1 OUT Runners on 1st & 2nd Moss at bat.... RBI DOUBLE!
1-0 low ball
2-0 low breaking ball
2-1 Breaking fouled off, had a lot of the plate
Line down the right field line!
1 OUT Runner on 1st Cespedes at bat-- Single for Cespedes
1-1 high fastball
1-2 fists off a ball foul
Foul ball straight back
Foul ball
2-2 ball in the dirt
Chopper to short---
1 OUT Drew at bat--- Single for Drew
1-0 high fastball
1-1 strike
2-2 swing and a miss at the breaking ball
liner to center
Coco Crips at bat-- grounder to second
1-0 high fastball
1-1 fastball down the pipe
Quickly 3-1
--------------------------------------------MIDDLE OF THE 1st INNING-------------------------------------------------
3 OUTS on Cruz pop up to Moss
2 OUTS Runners on 1st & 2nd Cruz at bat
0-1 fastball down the pipe
1-1 fastball outside
Cruz fouls curveball... Moss runs it down in foul territory..
2 OUTS Beltre at bat.... Washington argued call at second... Drew did not have foot on the second base bag
1-1 last pitch a curveball
2-1 fastball outside
3-1 low ball
Curveball high...
1 OUT Runner on 1st Hamilton at bat.... Pennington gets out at second. Hamilton safe at first
0-1 swing and a miss at curveball
0-2 fastball outside corner
Grounder to second
1 OUT Andrus at bat-- ***Very breezy today.... WALK
0-1 fastball strike outside corner
0-2 fastball strike
1-2 slider working outside.... Griffin works quickly...
2-2 curveball inside
Foul ball... Andrus late on fastball
Foul ball... Andrus half hearted swing at curveball... Griffin hung that one
3-2 fastball up and away
Foul ball
Foul ball
Curveball inside.... almost took the hit by pitch...
Kinsler at bat--- Flyout to Right field... Reddick with put out
1-0 fast ball outside
1-1 can't check swing
2- fastball outside
2-2 Kinsler out in front of curveball
FLYBALL TO RIGHT
Kinsler walks to the plate
We are just minutes away from the first pitch in Oakland Coliseum
Athletics:
1. CF Coco Crisp
2. SS Drew
3. LF Cespedes
4. 1B Moss
5. RF Reddick
6. 3B Donaldson
7. DH Smith
8. C Kottaras
9. 2B Pennington
Rangers:
1. 2B Kinsler
2. SS Andrus
3. CF Hamilton
4. DH Beltre
5. RF Cruz
6. 3B Young
7. LF David Murphy
8. 1B Napoli
9. Soto
We will bring you starting lineups shortly.
-------Welcome to the live blog of Rangers vs. Athletics--------
The Oakland Athletics host the Texas Rangers in the deciding game of the 2012 season. Both teams are 93-68 and tied for the first place spot in the A.L. West.
This is what October baseball is all about.
The Oakland A's have won both games of the final series, spoiling any chances of the Rangers celebrating on their turf.
Both the A's and the Rangers are in the playoffs. The winner can relax for a couple of days and battle of the postseason's division series. The loser, however, would face the New York Yankees or the Baltimore Orioles. It will not be an easy task.
Grant Balfour predicted a win for the A's as they hold the momentum going into the final game of the series.
Attempting to prevent this prediction from occurring will be Ryan Dempster as he gets the ball for the Rangers in game 162 of 2012..
In his last five starts, the right hander is 3-2 with a 4.71 ERA. He will go against A.J. Griffin who is 4-1 in his last six starts with a 3.09 ERA.
First pitch will be a little after 3:35 p.m. ET/12:35 p.m. PT.
To follow the live blog just refresh the page as the latest updates, scores and play-by-play will be at the top of the article.
