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Oakland’s Jackson shines in A’s loss
By George Devine, Sr. June 16, 2010 |
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Conor Jackson, who joined the Athletics in a trade from Arizona, went 2-for-3 but Oakland still lost to the Cubs in interleague play at Wrigley Field, 6-2. The defeat leaves the Elephants a game below .500 at 33-34, 5 games behind the Texas Rangers and in third place in the AL West quartet. Southpaw Gio Gonzalez took the loss (5 ip, 8 h, 6 er, 3 w, 3 k, 1 hr; now 6.5, 4.21 ERA) and the home team’s righty Ryan Dempster got the win (6.2 ip, 8 h, 2 er, 2 w, 7 k, 2 wp; now 5-5, 3.67). Derrek Lee tagged Gonzalez for a solo homer to the left field seats in the second inning, but the Cubs were dominant in any case. Interestingly, Dempster won despite a pair of wild pitches on the same day that San Francisco’s Tim Lincecum got a win against the Baltimore Orioles despite three errant throws. With the series even, the two teams meet again at 11:20 a.m. PDT on Thursday, June 17, with RHP Randy Wells (3-5, 5.15) facing LHP Dallas Braden (4-6, 3.95). The A’s have agreed to terms with six more players from the 2010 First-Year Player Draft held last week. The A’s have now signed or agreed to terms with 23 of their picks from the draft. Oakland agreed to terms with one of its four early round high school selections, right-handed pitcher Tyler Vail, who was drafted in the fifth round out of Notre Dame High School in Easton, Penn. The A’s also inked right-handed pitcher A.J. Griffin (13th round, University of San Diego), right-handed pitcher J.C. Menna (14th, Brookdale CC), right-handed pitcher Logan Chitwood (19th, University of Texas-Tyler), right-handed pitcher Rashad Ramsey (20th, Chattooga HS) and right-handed pitcher Sean Murphy (33rd, Keystone College). The A’s will celebrate the 1970s with a Turn-Back-the-Clock Night Saturday, June 26 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in conjunction with the team’s 7:05 pm game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. As part of the promotion, the A’s are offering specially-discounted tickets of $9.70 for Plaza Level seats (regularly priced at $24) and $19.70 Lower Box seats (regularly $30), while malts and cracker jacks will be sold at Turn-Back-the-Clock prices (half off regular price). The “Swingin’ A’s” are considered one of the most dominant teams of the 1970s, winning five division titles and three consecutive pennants (1972-74) and World Series titles during the decade. Owned by Charles O Finley, the team was led by players such as Reggie Jackson, Vida Blue, Jim “Catfish” Hunter, Rollie Fingers and Joe Rudi. The 1972 Oakland A's captured the Bay Area's first ever world championship, defeating the heavily favored Cincinnati Reds in a seven-game World Series. The 1973 A’s featured three 20-game winners (Hunter, Blue, Holtzman) and defeated the New York Mets in a memorable, seven-game World Series and the following year, the A’s defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games. The A’s are the only Bay Area professional sports team to win three consecutive championships. In fact, those Oakland teams are part of a very select group of professional sports teams to win three straight titles, joining the Boston Celtics, New York Yankees, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Green Bay Packers, Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs. Pre-game festivities for the A’s Turn-Back-The-Clock Night include a car parade escorting Blue, Bert “Campy” Campaneris, Ray Fosse and Billy North around the warning track of the field led by a look-alike Charlie O the mule, the team mascot in the ‘70s, in-stadium music and entertainment from that decade, and the ceremonial first pitch thrown out with Charlie O’s innovative bright orange baseball by former A’s outfielder Joe Rudi (1967-76; 1982). Both teams will wear "throw-back" uniforms, with the A's donning the gold tops and pants made popular during the team's championship run in 1973, while the Pirates will dress out in their ‘70s black jerseys with black pants. In addition, 15,000 fans through the turnstiles will receive a replica 1973 Rudi jersey, courtesy of Pepsi. Other decade touches will include the Mission Gold Jazz band playing music reminiscent of traditional entertainment from the Coliseum in the '70s at entry gates as well as throughout the stadium and game day staff wearing ‘70s themed outfits. Mrs. Fields cookies will be delivered to the umpires during the game, similar to the 1970s when the founder of Mrs. Field cookies, Debbi Siyver, did so as ball girl for the A’s. In addition, fans can take their photos with the ‘72, ’73 and ’74 World Series Trophies in the Westside Club from 5:05-6:30 and 7:00-8:00 pm. Discounted tickets are available for this special day on the A’s web site at oaklandathletics.com/1970 by using the online coupon code “1970.” |
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