OAKLAND, Calif. — On a night everything went right for the Yankees, the A’s made a dramatic comeback to beat the Tigers and send the ALDS to a deciding fifth game.
More importantly for the Yankees, the A’s astounding 4-3 win last night means Justin Verlander will have to pitch Game 5 tonight and will not be on the mound against the Yankees; if the Yankees can find a way to win one more game against the Orioles.
Remember, the Yankees couldn’t get past Verlander and the Tigers last year in the ALDS.
If the A’s come away with the ALDS, then the Yankees, if they get there, will have to find a way to beat the A’s young pitching. The A’s swept four games from the Yankees here in July and are playing with incredible emotion.
The A’s entered the ninth inning trailing, 3-1, but Josh Reddick singled against Detroit’s shaky closer Jose Valverde and Josh Donaldson doubled off the left-field wall to put runners on second and third. Seth Smith then doubled in both runs to tie the game and send O.Co Coliseum into a green and gold frenzy.
But the best was yet to come. After Valverde got the next two hitters, Coco Crisp singled to right to score the game-winner. It was an unbelievable scene as the entire A’s dugout rushed out to first and celebrated. The A’s have been masters of the walk-off win all season, but this was the most dramatic. Baseball was reborn in this city at that moment.
“We have a great bunch of guys who never quit,’’ A’s GM Billy Beane said before the game. They never quit. This is baseball with an attitude and now the A’s have won two straight here. The Tigers have not won since Al Alburquerque kissed the baseball back in Comerica Park on Sunday.
Verlander was the winner in Game 1 of the series in Detroit and now will get the chance to carry the Tigers into the ALCS on his back but he will have to beat young Jarrod Parker, one of three A’s rookies that have started post-season games for the A’s this season. The win was the A’s seventh walk-off win in their postseason history.
Ryan Cook got the win in the three hours and 21 minute encounter.
“That’s baseball,’’ said Tigers manager Jim Leyland. “That’s why this is the greatest game in the world. This is like the wild-card situation, we just didn’t close it out.’’
The A’s think they can continue to ride the wave. They have said that the baseball gods are with them ever since the kissing reliever did his thing on Sunday.
The fans cheered and cheered and cheered. It was quite a baseball scene. This is what the playoffs are all about, last-second heroics. This wasn’t as dramatic as Raul Ibanez’s home run, but the A’s believe just like the Yankees believe. It’s a game of 27 outs and both teams fought to the end last night. It will be something if the Yankees and the A’s meet in the ALCS.
“These wins give us a sense we are never out of it until we are done,’’ A’s manager Bob Melvin said.
Now, Verlander’s next.
Verlander’s Game 1 win pushed his postseason record to 4-3 with a 4.96 ERA, but those numbers don’t tell the story. No one ever wants to face Verlander in the postseason or anytime else.
Now the A’s have to find a way to beat Verlander. It will be another big challenge.