Sox tie it in fifth

OAKLAND - The Sox have tied it up in the fifth on Jacoby Ellsbury's single to right on which Kevin Youkilis just barely beat a rifle of a throw to the plate by Travis Buck.

A's catcher Kurt Suzuki was blocking the plate on Youkilis, but the Sox first baseman went right through the block, then came back feeling he hadn't touched the plate. But umpire Wally Bell had called Youkilis safe before Youk went back. Suzuki throught he blocked the plate as well, but replays showed the catcher never really tagged Youkilis.

The Sox left the bases loaded when David Ortiz, extended his season-starting slump to 0-for-10 by grounding out to first base to end the rally.

Youkilis started the inning with a single after Blanton had retired eight straight.

It's funny how things trigger your memory. First baseman Daric Barton had Mike Lowell's foul pop hit him off the shoulder in the fourth inning. That's how badly he missed it. Blanton was able to retire Lowell on a called third strike.

But it made me think of the first Roger Clemens 20 strikeout game in April of 1986 when Don Baylor, who got a rare start at first base that night (while Bill Buckner DH'd) dropped Gorman Thomas' pop up that would have ended the fourth. Instead, Clemens came back and struck out Thomas for the final out of the fourth to add to his strikeout total.

The A's have made some nice plays in this game. Buck, who made the great throw, robbed Jason Varitek of extra bases with a leaping grab at the Wall in right in the fifth.