That was undoubtedly the best baseball game i've been to in ... well ... ever. Dave and i arrived at the Oakland Coliseum (screw you, McAfee!) ten minutes before the game's scheduled 7:05pm start, and fought the crowds to reach our seats just as Dustin Pedroia of the Sox was taking the first pitch from Dan Harren. I privately decided my allegiance was with the A's, but didn't pick up a hat until late in the game and kept a relatively low-profile amongst my pro-Sox seat neighbors. Boston fielded a weird lineup, inserting Alex Cora in place of starting shortstop Julio Lugo and Kevin Youkilis in place of on-fire third baseman Mike Lowell. This was ostensibly because the Sox's Sunday game against the Yanks in Boston didn't end until midnight east coast time, and they then flew cross-country for the Monday game and were probably pooped.

Big Papi David Ortiz lived up to his rep, hitting a solo homer in the first inning. Oakland responded in the bottom of the second as Mark Ellis tripled to score Bobby Crosby and Mark Kotsay, giving the home team a 2-1 lead. Ellis one-upped himself in the fourth with a solo shot off the left field foul pole for a home run and a two run advantage, then doubled in the sixth as part of a fruitless rally. I then realized that all he needed was a single to hit for the cycle, a fairly rare feat in baseball. Meanwhile, the tired Sox got within 3-2 with a towering Wily Mo Pena shot. Ellis's bid for the cycle in the 8th produced a dribbler to short that wound up a fielder's choice and an error, which let down the crowd who wanted the play (which produced no outs) to be scored a single. The A's did get an insurance run in the inning, and they would need it as reliever and former Boston pitcher Alan Embree proceeded to give up a double to David Ortiz, a Jason Varitek single to score Big Papi, and a Pena single to score pinch runner Coco Crisp to tie the game.

At this point i expected the old deceive-to-impress A's to blow it. However they loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth with no outs, leading me to hope for a game winning rally. Unfortunately Eric Chavez struck out, and Bobby Crosby hit a bouncer to third that produced a force out at the plate and a double play to first. And all we needed was a sacrifice fly with no outs! The A's came within a foot of going down by two runs in the top of the tenth, when with two outs and Dustin Pedroia at first, David Ortiz hit a powerful ball that rebounded off the top of the fence. Pedroia attempted to score, but thanks to an excellent throw by Mark Kotsay and relay by Bobby Crosby he was thrown out comfortably at home plate. The A's rallied again in the bottom of the tenth but failed to produce. Mark Ellis completed his cycle with a blooper to left center, and earned a standing ovation from the crowd. After putting down the Sox in the top of the 11th, with the hour having past 11pm, Eric Chavez hit a two out solo homer to right field off Boston reliever Kyle Snyder to give the team a walk-off victory.

Four home runs, only the 17th cycle in A's history, squandered chances, a great defensive play at home plate, and a walk off homer. A fantastic game all around, even if Dave was exhausted and exasperated by how close his beloved Sox came to winning. The A's have got a fantastic blue-collar, workmanlike ethic these days. They're a low brow team. Many of them look like they just came from the trailer park, and team's payroll is half of Boston's. But general manager Billy Beane is an excellent chemist and has consistently produced something from nothing.