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vs.


OAKLAND -- Esteban Loaiza started pitching Friday night just a few hours before Mexico's Independence Day. While his relatives were partying on the streets, Loaiza was having his own little celebration in the center of McAfee Coliseum.

When the fireworks went off in his hometown of Tijuana, Loaiza was painting the corners with his cutters and fastballs during the A's 4-2 victory over the White Sox.

"Mexican Independence Day is a big celebration," said Loaiza, who was decked out in a "Mexico" windbreaker with matching red and green shoes. "I just want to say hi to everybody that I know down there."

Loaiza (10-8) gave up just one blast and limited his former mates to two runs on three hits over seven innings. The A's starter retired 16 out of the first 17 batters he faced, just four batters over the minimum.

Full Article: Oakland Athletics : News : Oakland Athletics News


Huston Street (right) followed Esteban Loaiza and two relievers, tossing a scoreless ninth inning for his 33rd save of the season. (Ben Margot/AP)

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la_faker_81



GO ANGELS

Well he's kind of had it in me ever since i accidentally ran over his dog. Actually, replace "accidentally" with "repeatedly" and replace "dog" with "son".

la_faker_81

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Forget AL Comeback Player of the Year, Frank Thomas is making a case for MVP.

Thomas hit his 37th home run, passed the 100-RBI mark and helped Oakland beat his former team, leading the Athletics over the Chicago White Sox 7-4 Saturday.

"To us he's definitely the MVP," A's second baseman Mark Ellis said. "It's hard to argue with Jermaine [Dye], but as far as importance a team? I think Frank is more important to this team than others are to their teams. Yes, I'd vote for him."

Thomas drove in four runs for the AL West-leading A's, who won their third in a row. Thomas has 485 career homers and has 102 RBI mark the 11th time in his career that he's reached the century mark.

"I never stopped believing in myself," Thomas said. "Everybody else in baseball may have, but I trusted my doctor. He said I would be back. This is very special. I was hitting .175-.180 after two months and to turn it on, I'm proud of myself."

Thomas was limited to 108 games over the past two seasons, hitting a total of 30 homers and driving in 75. After the White Sox let him go, there was some bad blood between him and the organization. He signed an incentive-laden contract with the A's in January

Full Article: ESPN.com - MLB - Recap

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la_faker_81



GO ANGELS

Well he's kind of had it in me ever since i accidentally ran over his dog. Actually, replace "accidentally" with "repeatedly" and replace "dog" with "son".

la_faker_81

OAKLAND -- First Spring Training game, homer. First regular season at-bat, homer. First at-bat against Mike Mussina at Yankee Stadium, homer. First two at-bats back in Chicago, homers. His own bobblehead-doll day, homer.

There seems to be no limit to Frank Thomas' flair for the dramatic in his first season as a member of the A's, and he was at it again Saturday, again against his former White Sox teammates.

On Frank Thomas Mask Day at McAfee Coliseum, with more than 32,000 clutching cardboard cutouts of the Big Hurt's sizeable noggin, Thomas homered and drove in four runs to spark Oakland's rousing 7-4 comeback victory.

His sacrifice fly in the fourth cut Chicago's early lead in half, his two-run blast in the sixth cut a three-run lead down to one, and his bases-loaded walk in the seventh forced home the game-winning run.

Full Article: Oakland Athletics : News : Oakland Athletics News

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la_faker_81



GO ANGELS

Well he's kind of had it in me ever since i accidentally ran over his dog. Actually, replace "accidentally" with "repeatedly" and replace "dog" with "son".

la_faker_81

OAKLAND -- Sunday's giveaway at McAfee Coliseum was an A's-themed poker set, complete with chips, cards and dice.

Fitting in a way, because White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen was in a gambling mood, and Frank Thomas -- again -- cashed in.

Three days after saying he'd pitch around Thomas whenever possible during this three-game series, and a day after calling Thomas one of the best right-handed hitters he's ever seen, Guillen decided to roll the dice and pitch to the Big Hurt with first base open and Chicago nursing a two-run lead in the fourth inning.

The roll came up snake eyes, leaving the A's with a pair of lucky sevens.

Thomas' 38th home run of the year, another of his signature shots into the left-field bleachers above the out-of-town scoreboard, earned him a boisterous curtain call from the announced crowd of 28,806 and gave the A's a lead they never relinquished.

Full Article: Oakland Athletics : News : Oakland Athletics News


Eighteen of Frank Thomas' homers this season have given the A's a lead, and he has three three-run homers in 15 games this month. (Ben Margot/AP)

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la_faker_81



GO ANGELS

Well he's kind of had it in me ever since i accidentally ran over his dog. Actually, replace "accidentally" with "repeatedly" and replace "dog" with "son".