Angels show up Cubs (new ways to lose).

[Brian]

Just when we feel confident that the Cubs have found every single way to lose a game in one season, the Angels find one that the Cubs haven't done (yet).

 

When Francisco Rodriguez dropped a simple return throw from his catcher, the Oakland Athletics sneaked into first place all by themselves with perhaps the strangest win anyone had seen in years.

 

Jason Kendall alertly dashed home from third base with the winning run when Los Angeles' miffed closer flubbed the easy toss, and the A's took sole possession of first in the AL West with a 5-4 come-from-behind victory on Thursday.

 

Eric Chavez hit a tying three-run homer in the seventh for the A's, who rallied from a four-run deficit. They took two of three to stand alone in first place for the first time this season -- but not even the freewheeling A's could have predicted this finish.

 

Chavez was at the plate again in the ninth with two runners on and two out. After Rodriguez's first pitch was called a ball, the right-hander stared in and nonchalantly stuck out his glove for catcher Jose Molina's throw -- but it glanced away.

 

Kendall, watching at third, sprinted home and beat the throw, sending the A's roaring from the dugout to celebrate. The victory caps a surge of 20 wins in 23 games since the A's trailed Los Angeles by 8 1/2 games on July 18.

[Uber]

Just saw the replay during the Braves game, simply A-mazing. har har.

[Chris]

ha ha, that replay is hilarious :lol:

[E.J.]

Haha. I remember doing that in little league. It's good seeing other teams lose in hilarious fashion.

[CubfaninCA]

Watch them go on an 8 game skid now. K-Rod = Barrett

[shnsajax]

was it 2 years ago when the A's won 20 in a row?

[frostwyrm]

I don't remember seeing that one even in little league.

[Balsa]

Wow. I'm kinda surprised we haven't done that yet.

[Garwilly]

was it 2 years ago when the A's won 20 in a row?

 

2002

[BleedCubbieBlue81]

He had a legitimate beef, that was a strike. But you can't drop the ball like that and allow the run to score. That's just idiotic. You didn't get the call, move on and focus on the next pitch.

 

But yeah, I'm really amazed we haven't had that happen to us yet. Have we balked in the winning run yet this year?

[David]

was it 2 years ago when the A's won 20 in a row?

 

2002

 

I wonder if 20 wins in a row would be enough to solve all of our non-Dusty problems and save the season... :-k