Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!!!!!!

Note: This was from Tuesday night but like an idiot I never actually posted it until Thursday morning!!!!

We expect Grant Balfour to get it done in crunch time by now. After all, the hard-throwing right-hander from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (try fitting that address on your letter Down Under). Since August, he's now 17-for-17 in save opportunities since he snatched back the closer role he once lost to All-Star Ryan Cook -hint, he's still a big factor too- so that Balfour was throwing smoke in a 1-2-3 ninth inning that finished off the Rangers again on Tuesday night.

But Balfour's Aussie countryman Travis Blackley (Melbourne, Victoria)? A's fans had to be unsure what they'd get out of Blackley, whose last two starts that featured eight earned runs and 10 hits in all of three innings, were frankly unacceptable for a playoff hopeful team. But like much of the A's unlikely season, Blackley surprised everyone who just hoped he could hold down what was expected to be a motivated Texas lineup aching to finally put away the Athletics and clinch a third consecutive AL West championship. The pitcher whose recent resume includes stops in Korea and just across the Bay Bridge with the Giants gave the A's everything they needed to get one step closer to a division title. Blackley was brilliant given the circumstances and what was at stake. His six solid innings were enough to depart with a 3-1 lead. Then Bob Melvin hit the repeat the bullpen cycle button from Monday's game: Sean Doolittle for an inning, then Cook for another and finally Balfour in a flawless ninth to send a a crowd of 30,660 -A's fans showing up in bunches when it matters most- into a frenzy.

Is more magic in store in the regular-season finale? The good news is, win or lose, Western Division champs or the wild card, there will be postseason baseball for the Athletics.