Well, Brett Anderson lasted only six innings for the A's in Game 3 of this Division Series.

Considering a) he hadn't pitched in a game since the 19th of September, and b) tonight he pitched six shutout innings, the A's will take those six innings and feel like they're ahead of the game.

And they are ahead, though by just one run. And not even that, except for Coco Crisp stealing a home run from Prince Fielder.

But after those six shutout innings and only 80 pitches, Anderson was finished. The first man out of the bullpen was rookie and erstwhile closer Ryan Cook, and the first batter in the seventh was Prince Fielder and ... well, maybe this just isn't Prince Fielder's night ...

Two potentially game-changing drives, and two spectacular catches; this time it was Yoenis Cespedes -- by the way, he drove in the A's only run -- who victimized the big first baseman.

Cook struck out Delmon Young. Jhonny Peralta poked a seeing-eye grounder into center field for a single, but Cook retired Andy Dirks on a (routine!) fly to left field to add another zero to the scoreboard.

So in the seventh inning stretch, the Athletics still own the smallest of leads.