So what was unusual about the A’s-Red Sox game yesterday evening in Oakland?

Not much. The A’s played to their strength bringing on the Boston bullpen at exactly the right time, allowing closer Byung Hyun Kim enough rope to blow the lead, getting a key two out hit by Erubiel Durazo in the ninth, and then shutting down the Boston attack with their own pen, utilizing a great defensive play by Eric Chavez to save the night, and then finally squeezing out two more walks which set up the surprise bunt by Ramon Hernandez which brought an end to the Red Sox’s long frustrating night.

Tim Hudson pitched like the warrior he is, but left too many pitches up in the strike zone. In fact, I have said Hudson hasn’t looked like himself since the September start against Anaheim. However, when the game is on the line and a big pitch is needed, there may be no one better in the league than Hudson who continuously had Manny Ramirez off balance as he faced the .326 hitter with too many runners on base for comfort, for the thin A’s righty.

What’s the skinny after game one?

Keith Foulke proved he can shut the Sox down in any normal save situation. Pedro Martinez is one tough cookie, but he isn’t going nine against the A’s in this series (especially not afte throwing 130 tough, maximum energy pitches Wednesday). The A’s bull pen is superior to Boston’s, and yes, this will be a series of bullpens. The Sox are a gritty, grinding club that is better than the team that was in here in August. Grady Little out thought himself because Mike Timlin proved he can pitch to the A’s (should have stayed in to pitch the ninth). Derek Lowe is a gamer who will be tough if he is ready on Saturday (he won’t be going seven innings either, after pitching hard last night in relief).

Click below for more on this game!So, are the Red sox dead? Absolutely not. They are a good ball club that let a game get away that they should have won in regulation. The series has twists and turns. Boston is capable of winning two at home very easily. Barry Zito needs to go into the seventh today, if he doesn’t Ken Macha will need to bring in Jim Mecir, Chad Harville and a host of others who he does not have much confidence in much too early for the A’s.

Tim Wakefield will need to pitch the game of his life with the weight of New England on his back. I expect to see an offensive game today and it is unclear who will be left standing at the end.

How effective will Hudson be on three days rest if needed on Sunday? Hudson’s body language last night looked frighteningly like last years problems, when he was bending over, stretching his hip on the mound during the Minnesota series.

Forget Martinez on three days rest. He had little control of his changeup last night and frankly never looked comfortable on the hill. He will not start on Sunday unless he absolutely insists on it.

This series is truly up for grabs if Boston wins today, if the A’s continue to win at home which is something they have done better than anyone in the league, unless its deja vu all over again (2000-2002), I think they will win the series, but it will not be easy, the Sox came to play and they can. They just can’t pitch from the seventh inning on.

The Marlins are for real. Sidney Ponson didn’t use his head yesterday and continuosly threw at virtually the same speeds until the Marlins had him timed perfectly driving him from the game after knotting the score 4-4.

The recipe is: good defense, the Giants didn’t do that, good relief pitching, the Giants didn’t do that, and timely hitting, the Giants didn’t do that, missing a chance to blow the game open when they took the 4-1 lead.

On the other side of the coin, the Marlins did all of the above in a game they had to have. Now, they face the lefty they have been waiting to see, Kirk Reuter in game three before 55,000 at home.

Should the Giants worry? Not really because they do have the best pitcher in the playoffs, Jason Schmidt available one more time. They just need to win one in Miami and get the ball back into Schmidt’s hands.

The Braves got into the Cubs pen and pulled out the game last night. Bullpens were the story of the day and will be even more important until the aces are back on the hill. We all know the Cubs pen is shaky and Dave Veres had nothing last night. John Smoltz looks about 85%, but he is such a pro, that it is enough to get the job done. I still say the Braves offense is the best in the game and just might surprise a tired Mark Prior in game three Friday.

The Twins cringe at the sight of a lefty and today will see Andy Pettitte in New York. Can the Twins win this game? Absolutely because they play championship defense, the Yankees don’t, they can get the ball to “Everyday Eddie” with LaTroy Hawkins, the Yankees struggle getting it to Mariano Rivera, and they are not awed by the playoffs ( I like how Ron Gardenhire stalks around in the dugout).

Pressure on the Yanks to get this one, they have been there so many times, that the ghosts of Yankee Stadium will be all over the park tonight.

The game in Oakland is critical to the A’s today with Ted Lilly going on Saturday (who knows how healthy he is). For the Red Sox it isn’t the end of the world if they lose, but if they do lose, it is imporatnt to see how they lose. If their bullpen collapses again, I think it will be another sign of what is to come later on in the series. If the Sox whack the ball around Oakland today, I think that too will be an indication of what to expect for the next few days. In any case, these two teams are like heavyweights fighting in the ring, and the A’s won a tough postseason fight last night against the big knockout artists from New England.

It was one helluva game last night and today’s game should be just as tense!

These two teams can play the game.