I stayed up until the 7th inning last night but went to bed with the Sox down 4-1. They went on to make a game of it before losing in 12 innings.
In the eighth, Big Frank hit a 2 run shot off ex-Sox, underhander Chad Bradford to make it 4-3. Jose tied it up with a 2 out homer in the ninth.
It's too bad I missed the comeback, but I'm glad I didn't stay up just to see them lose in twelve.
The Sox actually had a few chances to score runs early in the ballgame but ran into some good fielding and bad luck. In the first, Carlos Lee drove a ball to center with Willi Harris on second base, but Kotsay made an amazing Willie Mays style running catch at the wall to end the inning.
In the second, Rowand hit a line drive to second that McLemore caught and then threw to first to double off Korneko. McLemore jumped to catch the liner and started his throwing motion to first even before he landed back on the ground.
In the third, Willie Harris smacked a hard liner to third with Uribe on base. Unfrotunatley it was right at Chavez.
The Sox also got in on the defensive action with a great play of their own in the third. With Melhuse on second base with no outs, Jose Uribe field a grounder at second. But instead of getting the out at first, Uribe used his strong arm to nail Melhuse at third.
The play was probably unecessarily risky as the tag just barely beat Melhuse to the bag. Withou a perfect throw the A's have runners on the corners with no out. But it was a perfect throw and an exciting play.