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		It’s a happy Fourth for A’s By Charlie O. Mallonee July 4, 2010
	Oakland Athletics pitcher Vin Mazzaro delivers to Cleveland Indians' Michael Brantley in the first inning during a baseball game Sunday, July 4, 2010, in Cleveland. (AP Photo)
	The Oakland A’s boarded the airplane in Cleveland on Sunday afternoon with smiles on their faces. The A’s had just defeated the Indians 3-1 giving them the series win two games to one. With the series win in Baltimore, the A’s made this a very successful six-game road trip. The A’s drew first blood when Coco Crisp scored from third on an infield RBI ground out by Ryan Sweeney in the first inning. The A’s are now 32-13 in games where they score first. Crisp’s run may have been bittersweet. Crisp left the game in the second inning with pain in the hamstring area. The Indians only score came in the bottom of the third inning. Austin Kearns pushed Carlos Santana home with single to left field. The A’s came back and took the lead in the top of the fourth when Mark Ellis’ single to center drove Jack Cust home. Cust had an excellent day going two for three with a run scored. The A’s final run of the game came in the seventh inning. Adam Rosales led off the inning with a “monster” home run over the left field wall. A’s starter Vin Mazzaro turned in a stellar performance as well. Mazzaro went 7.1 innings giving up one run (earned) on seven hits. Mazzaro struck out seven and walked just one batter. Mazzaro tossed 111 pitches – the most he has ever thrown in a major league game. The A’s needed Mazzaro to go deep into the game because the bullpen was short due to Saturday’s extra-inning game. Mazzaro upped his record to 4-2 with the win. Andrew Bailey picked up his 17th save for his efforts closing out the game. The A’s have now won seven of their last nine games. Oakland took advantage of a schedule that had them face Pittsburg, Baltimore and Cleveland. The A’s now come back to Oakland for a six-game homestand that will take them to the All-Star Break. The finest team money can buy – the New York Yankees – will be for three games Monday to Wednesday. All three games are night games. The A’s will close out the “first half of the season” with a three-game weekend versus the L.A. Angels of Anaheim.