MATCH GAME

                1  2  3   4  5  6   7  8  9    R  H  E
                -  -  -   -  -  -   -  -  -    -  -  -
Mariners        0  0  0   0  0  0   0  0  0    0  4  2
Athletics       0  1  0   0  0  0   0  0  X    1  3  0

So, we were sitting in the sun watching the fog turn the cool morning into overcast to sunny afternoon. This guy comes out and a lot of onlookers stood and began clapping. I mean, it's a guy, not working, but a guy getting ready to go to work. Anyway, he goes about his business and then disappears for a few minutes.

About 45 minutes after making his first appearance this guy wanders over to the mound and drops a bucket equal parts grit and determination. He seemingly works some laundry to do list in his head for a few minutes and gets to it.

Two and a half hours and a shade above pink, but pre-red, later we had watched a great performance by two guys. Both had the same occupation but worked with dissimilar, if different tools.

The end result never seemed in much doubt. One worked repetitively and worked well with the cast of characters behind them. The other, had his crew let him down, but only himself to blame for the outcome.

Jamie Moyer has a fastball clocked around 88, what Curt Schilling uses as an off-speed pitch. His curveball clocks in around 67-69 and his change-up in the low 80's. For most of the day Moyer was in no danger of having the California Highway patrol pull any of his pitches over for speeding. In fact, Moyer never touched 89, the ticket speed in California (well known fact; you really need to go out of your way to get a ticket on California freeways, however when you do get pulled over: cover your head and assume a fetal position repeating, "thank you sir, may I have another").

Anyway.

Hudson was brilliant, and I mean that in reference to Tim Hudson. We'll save the total breakdown for the Pitching Staff Report due Monday prior to the Anaheim series.

In reality, once the A's loaded the bases in the first, it really seemed like the A's were playing possum. Waiting for the Mariners to crest one last time and sink out of sight for good. Indeed, when Manager Lou Pinella dragged his sorry, unshaven-saggy ass off the field in the 4th after arguing the tail end of a 4-6-3 double play, it seemed Seattle was just a city in the Northwest and not a MLB power.

The rest of the way Hudson retired 17 straight. The oddity being that Huddy got 4-6-3 DP's in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th innings. Ray Durham looked smooth at second and very polished after several weeks of just DH'ing. Of course, with Durham at second base, it gave David 'the Butcher' Justice an opportunity to give his stones, er, hands, a break from not fielding, er fielding, balls.

A near riot erupted in the bottom of the second when Ramon Hernandez struck out bunting foul with runners on 1st and 2nd courtesy of consecutive errors by John Olerud and Carlos Guillen. The Elephants in Oakland Staff nearly charged the dugout. We didn't pay $7 to watch a .230 hitter try to lay down a bunt. We came to watch a .230 hitter try to breakout and not give outs away. If Ramon is hurting so bad he can't take normal swings, just have him take every damn pitch. If Ramon is hurting that bad he shouldn't be on the field.

Now, if Art Howe gave the sign to bunt he should be flogged. If Ramon did it on his own, it's time to get Cody McKay acquainted with Ted Lilly, Aaron Harang and Corey Lidle. Go with split catcher duty down the stretch if need be. Otherwise we suspect there's a problem with Greg Myers we don't know about.