An exciting game with a great finish… for the wrong team.
After dragging Breath to a game last night, this time it was Anand’s turn to be taken to a game, and I think he got the better end of the deal. He even asked for the Red Sox game and actively cheered for them. I was so proud — he doesn’t even refer to it as the “hitting box” anymore and used the phrase “He got a piece of it,” in reference to a foul ball without even realizing that that’s a real phrase. He’s learning!
As for the game… Big Papi, always a crowd favorite, started off the game with a home run in the top of the first. Unfortunately, the A’s answered with two runs in the 2nd and a homerun in the 4th inning by Mark Ellis, who hit for the cycle tonight. Wily Mo Pena answered with homerun of his own in the 7th to bring it to 3-2 Oakland, but the A’s gained an insurance run in the 8th on no hits, but two walks and a fielder’s choice.
Going into the 9th and down by two, it was time for some more Big Papi magic, opening up the inning with a double and eventually scoring on a Jason Varitek pinch hit. Wily Mo played the hero’s role again, batting around Coco Crisp who was pinch running for Varitek, to tie up the game and send it into extra innings.
In the top of the 10th with Dustin Pedroia on first, it looked briefly like we were going to get more Big Papi magic as he hit a deep fly ball to center. It caromed off the wall and was a certain double… but then Pedroia tried to score and was out at home, ending the half inning.
Anand seemed legitimately excited through the 10th and then the cold settled into the stadium. His cheers quickly turned from being pro-Red Sox to “Either let him hit a homerun or strike him out — but make progress!” In the bottom of the 11th, Kyle Snyder finally acquiesced to his cries and gave up a walk off homerun to Eric Chavez that ended the game. Fearing the jeers of the Oakland fans, I stuffed my Red Sox hat into my bag as we ran off to catch the BART back to Berkeley.