Halos Fall and Athletics Win

A Wild Start Led to a Great Finish

By Annie Rivera

Starting off shaky, the Athletics behind starting pitcher Colton Burrows gave up two quick runs in the 1st inning giving rise to the Halos' confidence in what they thought would be a sure win.

Burrows first batter was a lead-off HBP immediately followed by an Angels single and two errors by the A's.

The tension was building as the A's lead-off batter Christopher Rivera pulled the first inside pitch over the 3rd base foul line. Another inside high pitch caused Rivera to hit the dirt and the third and final inside pitch hit him squared in the back near his left shoulder blade. It was the pitch heard around the world.

The game was temporarily delayed as a boisterous fan and father exchanged words with the Angels' manager.

With the game back underway, Isaiah Terrazas hit into a fielder's choice forcing Rivera out at 2nd. Colton Burrows followed with a reach-on-error. Clean-up batter Uriel Garcia knocked in an RBI with his single. Jesse Moreno battled at the plate but would retire with a strike-out followed by a ground-out by Bryce Gibson for a 6-3 play. The score at the end of the 1st inning was Angels 2, Athletics 1.

Terrazas relieved Burrows on the mound in the 2nd innings; striking out the Angels' next three batters.

The A's bats were quiet in the bottom of the 2nd inning with 2 K's by Tyler Osborne and Justin Hanko. The 3rd out was a grounder hit Gabriel Garcia to the Angel's shortstop for a 6-3 play

Terrazas retired the Angels' top of the order with three straight K's in the 3rd inning.

The A's arsenal attacked after lead-off batter Rivera took an IW but was caught stealing 2nd base for a 2-6 put out. Terrazas lined a single in the hole followed by Burrows RBI single to right field to score Terrazas. U. Garcia lined out to Angels' 2nd base for a 4-3 put out but scoring Burrows for an RBI. The inning ended with a K to Moreno.

The Angels remained scoreless the rest of game with Terrazas striking out 1 more in the 4th and inducing 2 grounders right back at him for 1-3 put outs.

A's were on a dry spell in the 4th inning with a grounder to 1st base by Gibson and 2 K's by Osborne and Jared Hanko.

The A's were back in the 5th inning with a hard liner up the middle by Rivera for a single but with heads-up baserunning Rivera took 2nd on an Angels' error. Terrazas came up short with a K. Burrows high pop which should have been caught by a camped-under-the-ball 2nd baseman dropped behind him for a reach-on-error and Rivera scored on the error.

Closer Rivera came in for two innings to get his second save striking out the side in the top of the 5th inning and 2 more at the top of the order in the 6th; inducing a grounder back at him for the final 1-3 put out.

That's the way to play A's baseball!

Pitching:
Burrows: 1-H, 1-BB, 0-K, 2-Runs, 1-HBP, 4-E, 2-ER, IP-1, PC-19
Terrazas: 0-H, 0-BB, 7-K, 0-Runs, 0-E, 0-ER, IP-3, PC-41
Rivera: 0-H, 0-BB, 5-K, 0-Runs, 0-E, 0-ER, IP-2, PC-22

Catching:
U. Garcia: IC-6, 0-PB


Contributors:
Rivera: 1-1; HBP, IW, 1B, Run
Terrazas: 1-3; FC, K, 1B, 2-Runs
Burrows: 1-3; 2-ROE, RBI, 1B
U. Garcia: 1-3; 2-RBI, Sac, 1B

Box Scores:

WP: I. Terrazas



Angels HR: None
A's HR: None

Next game: Tuesday, May 8, 2007 vs Red Sox @ 5 p.m.