ATHLETICS DOUBLE UP TIGERS IN OPENING DAY VICTORY
Eternal Baseball Press
OAKLAND – The left side of Oakland’s infield had all the right stuff on Opening Day.
Athletics third baseman Jimmie Foxx and shortstop Jimmy Dykes had three hits apiece in Oakland’s season-opening 6-3 win over Detroit. The A’s got rolling early, scoring two first-inning runs off an Al Simmons double and a Mark McGwire single. Jimmy Dykes added an RBI single in the second inning and Oakland pulled ahead 3-0. Jimmie Foxx’s RBI triple scored Jimmy Dykes in the fourth inning to stretch the lead to 4-0.
A’s starter Rube Waddell ran into some trouble in the fifth inning, allowing a single to Charlie Gehringer, then walking Harry Heilmann. Miguel Cabrera followed with a sharp single to right field that scored Gehringer and got the Tigers on the board, still trailing 4-1.
The teams slogged through uneventful middle innings until Norm Cash made it rain in the eighth inning with a titanic 2-run homer off Waddell. That trimmed the lead to 4-3 and became Waddell’s last batter of the evening. Dave Stewart came in for Oakland and walked Bill Freehan before getting Gehringer to fly out to center field to end the inning.
Trouble mounted for Detroit starter Ed Killian in the eighth inning. Speedster Rickey Henderson hit an apparent single to right field but never stopped running, sliding into second base just ahead of Nick Castellanos’ throw. Jimmy Dykes worked an eight-pitch walk, and both runners surprised the tiring Killian with a double steal. Jimmie Foxx lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, as Al Kaline’s throw had no chance to nail Henderson at the plate. Oakland’s lead was now 5-3 when Mike Henneman came into the game for the Tigers. Al Simmons flew out to center field, but Jason Giambi followed with an RBI single to right field to extend Oakland’s lead to 6-3.
A’s closer Dennis Eckersley worked around a Hank Greenberg double to finish the game and notch the save. Rube Waddell (1-0) claimed the in for Oakland (7.2 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 3 K) while Ed Killian shouldered the loss for Detroit (7.1 IP, 6 ER, 4 BB, 1 K).
Game two of this three-game set is tomorrow night, Oakland sends right-hander Chief Bender to the mound to face Detroit right-hander Bill Donovan. First pitch from O. Co Coliseum is at 7:05 PM PST.
Photo Credit: A’s vs Royals by May Wong
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