Oakland spent the last two nights coming from behind and beating the Rays by one run, so it's only fair that Tampa pulled that trick on the A's tonight. A catalog of disappointments:

• David Price threw more than forty pitches in the first inning and still lasted six, though getting four runs in six innings against Price is an accomplishment.
• The A's had a 4-2 lead with two outs in the eighth. Ugh. The Ivy League proves itself overrated once again.
• Kevin Kouzmanoff flailed his way to three strikeouts in three at-bats (and one sac fly), chasing the kinds of pitches he's been chasing all year long. Solid defense and power that would look more impressive if he weren't a righty hitting in Oakland mean he's not a total disaster as a baseball player, but the guy has a .292 on-base percentage and the way he gets there is infuriating to watch. Kurt Suzuki's numbers are basically the same (identical SLG, lower BA by .010, higher OBP by .012), but there's something about the aesthetic of his swing that doesn't make me get nearly as angry at him for his failures.
• Steve Tolleson started at shortstop and went 0-3. Cliff Pennington is a goddamn good luck charm, Bob Geren. You start him until he gets malaria and begs out of the lineup.
• Travis Buck's entire career.

Let me also add a point about strategy and lineups: Cliff Pennington typically hits in the bottom of the order, and Kevin Kouzmanoff in the top. Cliff Pennington's line: 262/336/381. Kevin Kouzmanoff's line: 256/292/383. Explain this.

And while I'm here, Jack Cust hit seventh tonight. I know David Price is a tough lefty, but you can't hit Rajai Davis and Mark Ellis ahead of Cust. You can't do that.