Perisho walked the bases loaded and then surrendered a bases-clearing double to Ben Grieve. His successor, righthander Jeff Zimmerman, allowed a solo homer in his inning of work. We had only one guy who could give us innings tonight, and that was Perisho. Bullpens are fickle beasts, a lesson Oates, if he didn't know it already, is learning this season. First batters faced by the relievers were hitting a brisk .365.
Last year is over.
Especially for him. All-Star, but he then tailed off down the stretch and has been ineffective this season. On May 4 against the Devil Rays, Zimmerman struck out the leadoff hitter in the 11th inning but grooved a slider to Greg Vaughn, who whacked it for a game-winning homer. Against the A's last Friday he retired the first two hitters he faced on five pitches and then left a two-strike slider to Terrence Long hanging over the plate. Zimmerman had given up this season.