How 'bout them Oakland A's? The team that the world seems to have forgotten about just won their eighth-straight game on Saturday against the (spiraling out of control) Boston Red Sox. This 7-1 victory by the A's gives Boston a streak of its own - five straight losses. Ouch. Oakland is now 3.5 games behind Texas in the AL West and holds one of the wild card playoff spots.
Red Sox starting pitcher Felix Doubront was chased out of the game after only three innings. Doubront gave up five earned runs on six hits with six strikeouts. His replacement, Alfredo Aceves, also lasted three innings, giving up one earned run on three hits with three strikeouts. The rest of the bullpen for Boston would give up only one more run.
The Athletics sent A.J. Griffin to the mound. Griffin had a seven inning, one earned run game taking his record to 4-0. Teammates Coco Crisp went 3-for-4 with one lead-off home run, Brandon Inge was 1-for-2 with two RBI's and Derek Norris went 2-for-4 driving in two runs. Coco Crisp was thiiiis close to hitting for the cycle, but was unable to get a triple to complete it.
It wouldn't be a Red Sox game without a little controversy. A's pitcher Griffin was carrying a perfect game into the fifth inning when Boston manager Bobby Valentine gave hitter Jarrod Saltalamacchia the go-ahead to put a first-pitch bunt down the third base line. When asked about the move after the game, Valentine gave a very 'Bobby Valentine answer', "Who cares?"
Wanna read more about your Oakland Athletics going for nine-straight wins? Hit for the cycle at Athletics Nation and SB Nation Bay Area.