by Michael Duca

OAKLAND–The game between the Oakland A’s and Minnesota Twins was a nail biter right down to the end and the A’s got contriubtions up and down the line up. The A’s won two straight and A’s pitchers Luke Gregerson has given up only one run in his first game and Sean Doolittle everytime he’s come out he has produced some ridiculous numbers his ERA is at 2.33.

Doolittle has an A’s record for saves by a lefthander at 18 and Friday night set a franchise record for consecutive scoreless innings at 28 2/3 innings the previous record was at 27 2/3 set in June 1998. The A’s improved their lead in the American League West at 3 1/2 games.

One thing that surprised me after A’s manager Bob Melvin picked up his 800th career win on Friday night was that they did not hire a clown to celebrate the win knowing how much Melvin has a fear of clowns and that no one came in with a big red nose and got up and came in and congratulated Melvin. As Melvin said himself after the game it was just another round number after 799.

When you think of how many baseball games have been played and how many managers that have achieved 800 it’s not a bad thing to be in the top 100 manager in wins, “each and every year. I thnk you take a little bit of stock in what you need to do to get better and how to relate to the players, kind of change with the times, more than anything else.” said Melvin

Giants update: The Kansas City Royals who have won five straight and have won 13 of their last 16 games and are 2 1/2 games behind the Detroit Tigers in the A.L. Central. Which means their challenging the Angels, A’s and Tigers for a spot in the playoffs and the Royals are also bidding for 66-77 wins in that range. They have 61 wins as of Saturday.

The Royals are a very good ball club and in particular everybody in the San Francisco knows how good the Giants pitching is and everybody in the Oakland knows how great the A’s bull pen has been well either team can hold a candle to Kansas City. The Royals might be the best yet that I’ve ever seen, they’ve got seven, eight, nine, inning guys average throwing 90 MPH.

They’ve got pitching from guys who can rush it up there at 102 MPH and they can throw a diving two seam sinker at 95 MPH and they can throw a wicked change up besides. The Royals pitcher Wade Davis a reliever has an ERA going into Saturday’s game of 0.95 and is 6-2. Then the Royals closer has off the charts numbers 1-2 with an wicked ERA of 1.81. So if your behind the Royals you are in deep, deep trouble and the Giants made a mistake of getting behind in the seventh inning on Friday night in their loss to the Royals 4-2 coughing up two runs.

Brandon Belt concussion update: Belt seems to be directly in the spotlight of the most star crossed player in baseball this year. Were talking about a player who suffers a fracture and then rehabs and getting ready to come back and was taking extra infield and had a player throw a ball to him at the same time a coach hit a ball to him and the batted ball bounced up to him and hit him in the face and rang his bell.

Belt tried to make a comeback on Wednesday night in Milwaukee but struck out four times and was reshelved again. He was diognoised with post concussion syndrome by Dr.Anthony Saglimbeni who tested Belt for concussion syndrome and Belt failed each of the tests administered and was flown back to San Francisco.

Michael Duca does A’s and Giants commentary each week for http://www.sportsradioservice.com