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| Victory Selfie from Monday's game. Credit to Ethan Kassel. |
Everyone likes to ask who our rival is? And that always seems to be an interesting discussion. Is it the Angels? They're in our division, they've had some success over the years, and they're close in proximity to us. Certainly 10 years ago, I would definitely say yes. Fast forward to present day and they really aren't our rival since it's been so one-sided with A's dominance and Angels mediocrity. I'm of the belief that a rivalry must have two teams that are good.
Is it the Rangers? They were the team to beat going into 2012 and we've had some instant classics with them over the past few years. I think if you talk to Rangers fans, they'll definitely say that we're their rival. On our side though, they're not. It's been so one-sided, with A's besting the Rangers year in and year out. And I'm aware of the Rangers success prior to 2012, but at that time the A's were mediocre so it's never really been a contest where both teams are at the peak of their powers.
So who is our rival? It's the Giants. I know, we hardly ever play them, but no team is easier to dislike as an A's fan than the Giants. Close proximity and media coverage can do that. That's why winning over the Giants is so great.
So there we were, the first game of the series on Monday night. Our 1989 t-shirts were gleaming in the Coliseum lights and the Lights Out crew had all their K's out, and little did we know that we were in for a treat. Jesse Chavez tied a career high with 9 strikeouts and shutdown the Giants and by the 5th or 6th inning, we knew we were in dreamland. A 5-0 shutout win sent the good guys home, happy!
The next night was supposed to be a pitcher's duel with Bumgarner starting for the Giants and Sonny Gray starting for the A's. Once the A's took a lead early on, it was clear that the Giants were not going to make a comeback. The real story came when Giants Right Fielder Hunter Pence started to taunt all of us in the RF Bleachers. We've had plenty of interactions with opposing RFs over the years and that one was definitely the one that provoked the biggest reaction. Pence went from taunting us one inning to flashing us a heart sign 2 innings later, as if he was conceding defeat. A 6-1 win for Oakland was once again a party like atmosphere at the Coliseum.
The Giants went on to take the next game in a sloppy game, but the next day, Scott Kazmir pitched a wonderful gem to really show why he's an All-Star this season. Later on in the game, it seemed like the A's fans had really taken over the park with the score being all lopsided. It was the second time in two years where the A's fans had completed a sort of "invA'sion" like that and it was beautiful.
The A's won't be home for another week, but beating up on the Giants certainly has left a lot for us to ponder and celebrate going into this Seattle mini-road trip as well as the All-Star Break.
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