mr. smith checks in

The Oakland A’s, who made a habit of the walk-off win (14 of ’em) during a magical regular season, were at it again on Wednesday night. And Jackson’s Seth Smith was right in the thick of things. With the A’s down 3-1 in the bottom of the ninth, Smith ripped a two-run double and then scored himself two outs later on Coco Crisp’s single to even the American League Division Series with Detroit at 2-all. Former Ole Miss star Smith had been fairly quiet as Oakland lost the first two games of this series. But he hit a big home run at O.Co Coliseum — his first in three postseasons — in Tuesday’s 2-0 win. Smith hit just .150 over the last 21 games of the regular season, but A’s manager Bob Melvin has kept the left-handed hitter in the lineup against Detroit’s right-handed starters. “It’s not like Seth Smith’s any slouch,” teammate Jonny Gomes, his frequent platoon partner, told mlb.com. So true. Smith was 4-for-11 in the postseason prior to this year, playing with Colorado in 2007 and 2009. Some remember him for making the last out, a strikeout, against Boston (and Mississippi State alum Jonathan Papelbon) in the ’07 World Series. He’s giving us something else to remember now. … P.S. Kudos to former Mississippi Braves outfielder Gregor Blanco on his first postseason homer on Wednesday, which helped San Francisco even its National League Division Series with Cincinnati at 2-all.