Sayonara Suzuki, Angels lose 2-1

On his 39th birthday, Kurt Suzuki donned the catchers gear for the final time in his career. He did so back in Oakland where his Major League career started. The place where he raised money for the lone survivor of the Adenhart tragedy and gave us a solid glimpse into his character.

The moment was handled perfectly.

Hoping to stick around next year is Michael Lorenzen. He was cruising along, pitching a shutout through 6 nnings. Problem was, A’s starter Cole Irvin was matching the zeros.

Both starters would leave after those six shutout innings but the shutout kept going thanks to Andrew Wantz and a pair of Oakland relievers.

Wantz cracked first, allowing a run with one out in the bottom of the eighth when Seth Brown drove in Tony Kemp. He left with two on and one out and Zastryzny got a K and a ground out to end the inning with no more damage.

Domingo Acevedo came into the 9th sporting an impressive 0.98 WHIP across 70 appearances fo Oakland.

Wunderkid Livan Soto put a dent in that WHIP with a lead off single. A little Bad News Bears by the A’s and some aggressive base running got him to third on the play.

Matt Duffy drove him home a few pitches later to tie the score at 1-1. Unfortunately Duffy was picked off first after an Adell K (shocker) and the rally died without any more scoring.

Enter Ryan Tepera needing to put up a zero in the bottom of the 9th. He did, including a K of Steven Vogt in quite possibly the final at bat in his career.

Vogt is one of the nicest players I’ve met out in Spring Training. Great guy. I’d be happy to land him if he gets into coaching.

Extra innings. Hmmm, this sounds familiar.

Stassi sacrificed ghost runner Fletcher to third. Rengifo grounded out sharply and the A’s intentionally walked Trout to get to Ohtani vs lefty AJ Puk.

Ohtani drove the ball to deep center field. It is out of most ballparks but it was an out tonight.

Tepera was kept in the game and got the ghost runner Smith out at third on an attempted sacrifice bunt. A nice play by Tepera and Rengifo on a really nice bunt by Tony Kemp.

It was downhill from there. A couple of batters later the A’s had the bases loaded with one out and walked it off on a walk.

An epic butter cup and a pretty good synopsis of the 2022 Angels.

See you for one more tomorrow.

21 Comments
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MarineLayer
Super Member
1 year ago

It’s a good thing paid intern Minasian only signed those two losers Loup and Tepera to inflated one year contracts. Wait, they’re both coming back next year?!! Yikes!

Last edited 1 year ago by MarineLayer
Eric_in_Portland
Legend
1 year ago

the ghost runner rule is terrible. Every year they’re going to do away with it and every year they find a new excuse to keep it.

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend

Well, no one is interested in watching long games now days what with Tik Tok and hula hoops and stuff. It’s not the endless dawdling while a commercial runs on TV…. and then the hitter acknowledges his ancestors who he can see across the mists of time…. and then the pitcher thinks, hard, for a long time…. nope. Not the problem. The problem is those boring innings where the teams are tied and it’s a high stress fight to the death.

2002heaven
Trusted Member
1 year ago

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Makes $19M a yr with Boston meanwhile we traded away Thor who was making $21M………..Nice job YOO NOH HOO
 💩  💩  💩 

Last edited 1 year ago by 2002heaven
gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  2002heaven

Is that an ice road trucker? Did we pay Thor 21M? Does paste taste the way it smells?

DowningDude
Legend
1 year ago

comment image

2002heaven
Trusted Member
1 year ago

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Meanwhile Perry’s former boss (Alex Anthopoulos POBO BTW for those of us who think a electrician can also do the job…… 😆 ) just won the Braves their 5th straight NL East Division title.
BYE!!!
 💪  💪  💪  💪 

DowningDude
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  2002heaven

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2002heaven
Trusted Member
1 year ago
Reply to  DowningDude

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Maybe if he fires both of us we’ll retire as millionaires by the weekend……..People who this man fires seem to do better LOL!!!!
 💪  💪  💪 

DowningDude
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  2002heaven

comment image

gitchogritchoffmypettis
Legend
Reply to  2002heaven

Jeeez…. who is that? Who ever he is he just looks better than you in every way imaginable.

Twebur
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  2002heaven

You’re our resident Energy Vampire 2002……see you next year
https://youtu.be/mfBbSwX6kEk?t=79

2002heaven
Trusted Member
1 year ago
Reply to  Twebur

Wonder wherz Red Floyd with his Big A lit up
(hasn’t done that more than 80 times a season!!).

red floyd
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  2002heaven

Go away.

DowningDude
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  DowningDude

or is it DiScroto?

red floyd
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  2002heaven

Don’t go away mad!

Just… go away.

DowningDude
Legend
1 year ago
Reply to  red floyd

Definite troll account to get us all to “hate 2002” when we really LOVE 2002 as it was our only year of glory. Although, this user never started 6-and-14 so he’s not really “2002” … he’s an imposter (Torii’s words)

GrandpaBaseball
Legend
1 year ago

Tempura is fried crap.

James
Trusted Member
1 year ago

You are correct. He wasn’t exactly battered but he was definitely fried!

Twebur
Legend
1 year ago

He’s deep fried crap. What a disappointment