Oakland Sure Coulda Used Cespedes Tonight...
Final Score in Oakland:Angels 2 Athletics 0
The sniveling Oakland A's were shut out for the SEVENTH time since trading Yoenis Cespedes at the July 31 trade deadline.
Journeyman Wade LeBlanc, DFAd twice by the Angels this season and once by the Yankees, shut them out through 5.1 innings and the JeDi Bullpen did the rest - Jason Grilli in the sixth, Kevin Jepsen in the seventh - his 65th scoreless appearance of the season, Joe Smith in a shaky but zeroed-in eighth and a quick fu Save from King Kashmir Huston Street.
Erick Aybar ran home while Efren Navarro was pickled in an aborted steal of 2B in the second inning and that was the run that would matter. Gordon Beckham mashed a monster home run to stifle the LF drum section in the few seats that were not tarped over at Oakland Raider Stadium.
Oakland starter Sonny Gray struck out TWELVE Angels - including Mike Trout three times. But Billy Beane traded his offense for more pitching and he became the first pitcher since Brett Saberhagen in 1990 to K a dozen Halos and get a big fat L for his efforts.
That was all the Angels would need and A's get kicked to a tie for the Wild Card spot with the Kansas City Royals. It was delightful kicking their asses in a playoff tuneup. Light up the Halo.