A's Rajai Davis burns Tigers with his speed

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Sep 9, 2008 | by Joe Stiglich

DETROIT -- Tuesday night was shaping up to be the type of low- scoring defeat the A's have perfected this season.

Then Rajai Davis turned a game against the Detroit Tigers into his own personal track meet, serving as catalyst for a 3-2 victory at Comerica Park. He became the first Athletic to record two triples in a game since Ray Durham did it Aug. 24, 2002.

Davis shot a drive down the right-field line with one out in the sixth and ended up on third. He would score on Daric Barton's ground out to bring the A's within 2-1.

It was his game-tying triple in the eighth that showed the dimension he's brought to the A's since assuming the everyday center field spot. He drove a ball into the left-center gap to score pinch- runner Eric Patterson from second, a ball on which most players would be content coasting in for a double. Davis never took it out of high gear, rounding second and diving into third just ahead of the tag. After an intentional walk to Barton, Emil Brown scored Davis with a sacrifice fly that proved the game-winner.

"I wasn't thinking three," manager Bob Geren said of Davis' hit. "That's great baserunning. When that ball's in front of you, don't let anybody make the decision but yourself."

On most gappers, Davis said he can keep decent vision of the ball and relies on his instincts more than picking up the base coach.

"I have an idea, and I know in my mind I'm going," Davis said. He has a seven-game hitting streak, batting .379 (11-for-29).

High-wire act

Dana Eveland turned in a solid six innings, and the bullpen shut Detroit down over the final three to nail down the victory. Joey Devine (5-1) delivered a scoreless seventh and has gone 16 appearances without allowing an earned run since coming off the disabled list.

Geren made the call for closer Brad Ziegler to relieve Huston Street in the eighth with the bases loaded and two outs, and Ziegler got Matt Joyce swinging on an off-speed pitch.

Ziegler, feeling the effects of a sinus infection, then faced noted A's killer Placido Polanco with runners on the corners in the ninth but handcuffed Polanco for a game-ending strikeout.

Just getting Ziegler into the game was an adventure. When Geren made the call for him to relieve Street, Jerry Blevins misread the signals and began trotting in from center field before making a U- turn. "When I saw Blevins stop and turn around, (bullpen coach) Ron (Romanick) said, 'I think it's you,'"‰" Ziegler said.

Short hops

Bobby Crosby was back at shortstop Tuesday with Cliff Pennington getting a start at second. Geren reiterated that Pennington will see more starts at shortstop but won't take over the everyday role from Crosby. "We're going to give him an opportunity to see what he can do," Geren said. "... Justin Duchscherer (right hip) will begin throwing again during the homestand that begins Thursday, Geren said.

-- Joe Stiglich