Give those A’s a Grade A
They oust White Sox, will take on Astros in an AL Division Series
The Oakland Athletics ended 14 years of postseason futility, riding Chad Pinder’s go-ahead, two-run single in the fifth inning and repeated costly walks by Chicago’s relievers to rally past the White Sox 6-4 on Thursday and win the decisive third game of their AL Wild Card Series.
The AL West champions lost the opener, then won on consecutive days and advanced to a Division Series against the rival Houston Astros starting Monday in Los Angeles. The winner of that matchup faces the New York Yankees or Tampa Bay for a spot in the World Series.
Sean Murphy of the A’s hit a two-run homer in the fourth against Codi Heuer.
Oakland stopped a ninegame losing streak in winnertake-all postseason games, a major league record that dated to the 1973 World Series. The A’s had lost six straight playoff series since sweeping Minnesota in the 2006 Division Series only to get swept by Detroit in the Championship Series.
And what a relief for manager Bob Melvin’s slugging, happy-go-lucky A’s bunch that won 97 games each of the past two seasons only to lose the division to Houston and then the AL wild-card game both years.
This one was never comfortable — even after Chicago lost designated hitter Eloy Jimenez
and reliever Garrett Crochet to early injuries.
Lou Trivino allowed the first two batters to reach in the seventh. First baseman Matt Olson ran 98 feet to make a magnificent catch in foul territory for the second out, then Jake Diekman relieved and loaded the bases with a walk to Nomar Mazara before Adam Engel grounded out.
Opening day starter in July, Frankie Montas pitched two innings for the win.
A’s closer Liam Hendriks gave up James Mccann’s leadoff single in the ninth, then retired Mazara on a called third strike to end it.
The low-budget A’s had not captured a winner-take-all postseason game since beating Hall of Famer Willie Mays and
the New York Mets in Game 7 of the 1973 World Series. Oakland had gone 1-15 in potential clinchers since 2000.
Two relievers after Murphy’s homer, Matt Foster walked Mark Canha with the basesloaded to tie it, then Matt Olson’s walk forced in another run that gave Oakland a 4-3 lead. Mazara hit a tying single in the fifth.
Luis Robert homered leading off the second then later added an RBI single for the White Sox, who were led by top MVP candidate Jose Abreu to snap a string of seven consecutive losing seasons to reach the postseason for the first time since 2008. They won the AL Central that year before losing 3-1 to Tampa Bay in the Division Series.