Heeee's Baaaccckkkk!!!!!

The Paponator Returns

By Annie Rivera

After a day off to recoup, Christopher Rivera returned to the A's line-up with a passion and a vengeance.

A sight for sore eyes, Rivera took the mound like a captain mans his vessel. His trusty co-captain Isaiah Terrazas in the co-pilot's seat set up behind home plate. It was the 1-2 punch absent from Tuesday's game against the Red Sox.

Challenged to "bring it," Rivera brought it alright: 17 strike-outs in 6 innings maxing 84 pitches and only giving up 1 hit to the Yankees.

Not to be slighted in the least, the A's turned it up a notch and rallied in the final inning of the game which produced 4 base-hits and two runs.

Leading off the 6th inning, Rivera hit a straight-away line drive that hit the bottom of the fence in center field for a clean double. Terrazas sac-hit to the Yankees' short stop moved Rivera over to 3rd. Colton Burrows was next up to bat and his base-hit bunt landed in between the Yankees' catcher and pitcher. On what should have been a fielder's choice routine out at 1st, ended up with a confused pitcher's indecisive throw to their 3rd baseman. While the ball was in flight to 3rd, Rivera took a huge jump towards home plate sliding in feet first, taking out the Yankees' catcher all while the ball thrown from the 3rd baseman to home plate hit Rivera on the back as he over-slid home plate. Rivera rose to his feet and stepped on home plate to secure his run and the play at home was safe. "Blue" called it perfect. The Yankees began to argue interference at home but it was a no-argument call by the home plate umpire.

Uriel Garcia's sac bunt moved Burrows from 1st to 2nd. The big hit came with Jessie Moreno's blooper to shallow center field which dropped right in between the Yankees' 2nd baseman and their center fielder. Capitalizing on the base-hit, Burrows scored the 2nd run. Another giant hit came from Miguel Bansil with his shot to right field which advanced Moreno to 2nd base. The inning ended with a strike-out by Tommy Arreola. (Remember that name: Tommy! You'll see why in a minute.)

The Yankees had their last at-bat in the bottom of the 6th inning. Rivera began the 6th where he gave up his only hit. With a runner on 1st base, Rivera struck out his 17th batter for 2 outs and ended his outing with a BB to the Yankees. Runners were in scoring position at 1st and 2nd when the A's made a pitching change. They called Uriel Garcia to the mound. His only task was to get the 3rd out. Relief pitcher Garcia gave up a double which scored a run. Runners on 1st and 3rd, the score was now 2-1 Athletics.

Nervousness kicked in as Garcia was behind on the count 3 balls and 1 strike, 2 outs, with the next batter. Runners again in scoring position at 2nd and 3rd. Coach Mike called a "pitch out" to load the bases. Now it became the "any base" situation for the 3rd out. Good thinking Mike! With a count of 1 ball and 1 strike, the last batter hit a slow choppy grounder to Tommy at 3rd base (there's that name!!!!) who fielded it cleanly with a strong and confident throw to 1st base where Burrows was on the receiving end for the 3rd and FINAL out!

The A's did it...dealt the Yankees their first loss in the 2nd half. The final score Athletics 2 and the Yankees 1.

Much more than the win itself, the A's needed the team back together again - as it should be.

Pitching:
Rivera: 17-K, 1-H, 3-BB, 0-E, 1-ER, 0-Runs, IP-5 2/3, PC-84 U.
Garcia: 1-H, 1-BB, 1-ER, IP-1/3, 1-Run

Contributors:
Rivera: 1-2; 2B, BB, SB, Run
Terrazas: 0-3; 2-GO, K, Sac
Burrows: 1-3; K, GO, 1B, RBI, SB
Garcia, U: 0-3; 2-K, GO, Sac
Moreno: 1-2; BB, GO, 1B, RBI
Osborne: -0-1, K
Bansil: 1-1; 1B
Arreola: 0-3; HBP, FC, GO
Garcia, G: 0-1, GO
Gibson: 0-1
Ja. Hanko: 0-1; GO
Js. Hanko 0-1; GO

Boxed Scores:

WP: C. Rivera



A's HR: None
Yankees HR: None

Next game: Saturday, May 12, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. vs Ct. Rockies @ Ct. Continental