So far, the newly-re-christened Roberto Hernandez is doing a much better job than he did the last time he pitched against the A's as Roberto Hernandez. In his one start against them in 2012 he took the loss when he gave up more runs than he pitched innings, leaving him with an unsightly 11.57 ERA. In his career against Oakland, he is 4-7 with a 5.14 ERA and a 1.47 K/BB ratio in 68.1 innings (about the sample size of an average relief pitcher's season). There was talk of the Rays using him as a reliever, but with Jeff Niemann's injury, Tampa Bay was forced into using its first free agent (i.e. non-developed) starting pitcher in recent memory.
Tommy Milone, the starting pitcher for the Athletics, was projected as their SP3, but he's been the most consistent starter on the staff so far, as he's won all three of his starts coming into today. Here through the bottom of the 4th, he has allowed 4 runs against only one that his team has scored. One of those runs was unearned, as it came on a Josh Reddick dropped fly ball error, a la Josh Hamilton dropping that flyball against the A's in the last game of the Rangers' 2012 season (except Hamilton lost the ball in the sun, whereas Reddick lost it in the baseball-colored roof of Tropicana Field). Like another Angels star from last year, Reddick has also significantly altered his very noticeable facial hair strategy. But whereas Albert Pujols shaved off the very tasteful goatee which he has worn for years (and hit a home run immediately thereafter), Reddick divested himself of a massive shock of hair and beard that would put even caveman Johnny Damon to shame.
While the trimming might not have improved his indoor defense (he's got a gold glove in his one season as a regular, so he's usually pretty solid in the field), Triple-H's biggest fan did get himself a base hit to drive in a run for the A's, something he used to do very regularly. He also stole a base, but then was spotted shaking out his injured wrist as he walked to the dugout, something he's been doing far too often lately.
But the main story point here is the extremely high-leverage at-bat for Brandon Moss in the top of the 5th. Bases loaded, two outs, full count, he's the go-ahead run at the plate.... and he lines out into the glove of right-fielder Ben Zobrist, playing in one of the 6 new positions he learned for the World Baseball Classic. He has been playing there more than at second base, continuing the trend from last year, and he is first to come up to bat immediately after making the inning-ending play. I always thought that batters historically showed a boost in these situations, but in this at-bat, the Team USA star struck out. Meanwhile, the New Era caps commercial star from approximately 2009 was also retired painlessly, with Jed Lowrie, captain of the infield, taking charge to pull in the pop-up. Longoria and Ryan Zimmerman were neck and neck for that coveted #4 ranked third baseman spot prior to the season, but Zimm's recent trip to the DL might have just solidified that race three weeks into the season.
Jumping back up a paragraph, in Reddick's next time at the plate since his productive at-bat was a weak strike out in the 6th. The A's have been about as productive in the rest of the game. Lefty Jake McGee (of the 8.53 ERA so far this April) pitched himself out of a jam he created when he walked the first two batters in the 7th. Then Brandon Gomes came in for the 8th and is still on as he takes his team's commanding 8-1 lead to the bottom of the 9th. Meanwhile, a bit of trivia: The uniform numbers of the first two A's pitchers tonight - starter Tommy Milone (57) and reliever Pat Neshek (47) - follow the same sequence as pitchers numbers 2 and 3 for the Rays - McGee's 57 also gave way to Brandon Gomes's 47. It's the little things that keep us A's fans interested as our team is swept by the Rays to end the weekend. At least Mad Men and Game of Thrones are on later tonight...
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