Oakland A's finish a road trip from Hell

[Auggie]

10 games against contenders in the East, 3 each against the Yankees and Red Sox and 4 against Cleveland. Total playing time: 33 hours and 50 minutes, not counting rain delays (see below).

One of those games last week against the Yankees featured a blown 7-1 lead. New York came back to win 22-9. There was an earthquake during the series for good measure.

In Boston they lost a doubleheader that included four rain delays courtesy of Hurricane Irene -- the delays alone added up to 5 hours and 29 minutes. Combined run total: Boston 13, Oakland 3.

They lost of three of four in Cleveland, one a 16-inning game on a blown call at home plate. Starting pitching and bullpen combined for a total of 237 pitches thrown (both teams would throw 509 pitches overall)! Oh yeah -- there were midges -- the same bugs that beat helped beat Joba Chamberlain and the Yankees in the 2007 playoffs. They were everywhere -- tons of them.

Oakland left the ballpark at 12:55 am only to return to Progressive field at 9 am for a noon start, the fourth game, which they won Thursday (today) 7-0.

Somehow the A's managed a 4-6 road record, which could have easily been 5-5 or even 6-4 had the breaks gone their way in Cleveland.

"Road trip from hell," outfielder Ryan Sweeney said Thursday morning, yawning, hood pulled over his head and most of his face.

QUOTE: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/09/01/SPJ81KV0KS.DTL#ixzz1WkKtrTIS

[bluedigger]

1. Builds character. n/t

[joeybee12]

2. I thought you'd be happy Cleveland did well against them...nt

[Auggie]

3. Bittersweet

I follow both teams, as well as the Giants. But since the A's are out of it it's not as tough. They're a young team (Oakland) with a lot of potential, beset by injuries. I'm thrilled they won the New York series.