You knew that a pitcher with 11 K/9 facing a free swingin' team like the A's was a recipe for many whiffs. A whiff casserole. Whiff stroganoff. Pineapple upside-down whiff cake. And many other delicacies.
Through five innings Max Scherzer has fanned a total of eight batters and retired 12 in a row before a Seth Smith walk. A Derek Norris snorter down the right field line put runners on the corners before Cliff Pennington swung and missed badly. For those counting — and I guess that's only me — Oakland batters have swung and missed 16 times tonight.