The Streak. It was one of the most incredible set of regular season games ever seen before, and it was then touched upon in the film, “Moneyball”. Everyone remembers #20, and we’ll get to that game later on in this countdown but the movie seemed to gloss over the other great wins of the streak. Even with all the great calls of Bill King and Ken Korach that were mixed into a nice montage in the movie, it was not enough to capture the essence of “The Streak.”
This week, we continue our 25 Greatest A's Wins weekly countdown, by returning to September 2, 2002 for win #19 of The Streak. This is one of the games that often gets overlooked but deserves a lot of respect because it showed just how amazing this entire run was. No deficit ever was too much for the A’s in those games. For example, another game that really stands out for me was win #12 in Detroit, where the A’s were down 7-3 in the 8th inning and would score 5 runs in the inning thanks to a home run by Greg Myers to get things going and a big hit from John Mabry to give the A’s the lead. Then Jermaine Dye would provide the dagger in the 9th with a two-run homer and then Billy Koch would nail down the save. See the highlights of that game HERE.
The game on September 2, 2002 was bigger because the A’s knew they were chasing history, and that itself adds to the pressure to comeback in games like that. The A’s ace known as Barry Zito was on the mound that day and Zito starts always seemed to be A’s victories that year, Zito would go onto win the Cy Young Award that season in his best season as a major league player. Zito would be going for win number 20 on this day. For the Royals, the rookie, Runelvys Hernandez would be starting for the Royals. This would be a game that would be a mismatch on paper but of course, the game wouldn’t go according to plan.
The A’s would have the newly acquired, Ray Durham leading off for them as the DH with Mark Ellis at second. To go along with Dye, Long, and Justice in the outfield. Scott Hatteberg would get the start over John Mabry at first. The usual suspects would fill in the rest of the infield with Miguel Tejada and Eric Chavez. And of course, Ramon Hernandez would be behind the plate.
September 2, 2002 was a really hot day in Oakland, 84 degrees to be exact and it was clear from that forecast that the offense was gonna be there.
The 1st inning would go the same for both pitchers, each would tally a strikeout and would get a one-two-three inning. It wasn’t until the top of the 3rd that the action really started, Barry Zito would be a victim of one of the 64 home runs that Neifi Perez hit in his 12 year Major League career to lead off the inning. Then former Oakland A’s catcher, AJ Hinch hit a first pitch solo home run to complete the back to back jacks for the Royals, it was now 2-0 Royals and A’s fans were stunned that Zito was having a rough start to the afternoon.
The Royals would end up getting a first and second situation with one out but Zito would get out of the jam. The Royals’ Hernandez would prove successful in his first go around through the A’s order. Then Zito would continue to face trouble in the 4th, one out singles from Aaron Guiel and Neifi Perez would bring more trouble to the game and then an error from Miguel Tejada on a ground ball from AJ Hinch would make the bases loaded. Luis Ordaz would then hit a deep fly ball to Jermaine Dye that would be deep enough to score the run and make it 3-0 Royals in the form of an unearned run. The next batter would be the Royals best hitter, Carlos Beltran and in his at bat, AJ Hinch would steal second base easily taking away the force and providing more drama to the inning. Then Beltran would provide the big blow by hitting a ground ball up the middle into center field, both runners would score and now the scoreboard read: 5-0 Royals. And it was clear that the A’s were in a world of trouble and their winning streak would be tested once again. Joe Randa would then provide another single in the inning that would send Beltran to third, but Raul Ibanez would ground into a force that would stop the bleeding.
The A’s would continue to show they had no answer for Runelvys Hernandez in the 4th by going down one-two-three. Zito on the other hand would finally have a clean inning in the 5th which would prove to be critical for the A’s and their comeback chances. Leading off the bottom of the 5th for the A’s would be Jermaine Dye who’d lead the inning off with a single in the form of a ground with eyes. Now the A’s had a sign of life. The next batter would be the old veteran, David Justice who’d make that sign of life a lifeline by clubbing 2-0 mistake fastball from Hernandez over the 330 foot sign, down the line in RF for a two-run home run and the crowd was now back in the game. With the way the crowd reacted to the home run, you just knew the A’s were gonna make a game of it, it was just one of those games. That type of belief doesn’t come around often, but when it does, you just know it. Ellis, Long, and Hernandez would all groundout to end that inning but the ballgame was now back on.
Barry Zito would end his afternoon in the 6th inning by working around a leadoff single from Neifi Perez who had had Zito’s number all afternoon. Zito would get Luis Ordaz to line out and get Beltran to groundout. It was a quality start for Barry Zito because 3 of the 5 runs he gave up were unearned but it was not a good start from him, nevertheless.
The bottom of the 6th would be the inning that would show the incredible magic that the 2002 A’s were providing. A leadoff walk from Ray Durham suggested that Hernandez’s stuff was starting to waver, and Scott Hatteberg would make that a reality. The Royals outfield alignment showed no respect to the hitting abilities of Hatteberg and he made them pay by hitting a drive to the gap in right-center and with the speed of Ray Durham, he’d score standing up and now it was a 5-3 ballgame with Hatteberg standing up at second and nobody out. Then Miguel Tejada would continue his amazing run of form by lining a base hit to left, Ron Washington would hold Hatteberg at third and now the A’s really were in business. Royals manager Tony Pena would come out to make the pitching change and bring in Scott Mullen in to face the rest of the A’s dangerous middle of the order.
First, Mullen would face Eric Chavez and this is when the A’s really tee-d off. Being extra aggressive, Eric Chavez swung at the first pitch and grounded a ball up the middle into centerfield that would allow Hatteberg to walk home to make it 5-4 and now the A’s had first and second and still there were nobody out. Jermaine Dye would then fly out to right for the first out of the inning but that would not stifle the rally, the next batter would be David Justice. And the A’s would provide my favorite play in all of baseball, the double steal. Chavez and Tejada took off for second and third, respectively and made it easily. The dynamite was now in place, and on a 3-2 pitch, David Justice hit the detonator by lining a 3-2 off speed pitch into right field and the crowd in Oakland burst into a state of euphoria. The fans somehow got even louder when the ball would go through the legs of Royals right fielder, Aaron Guiel. Tejada and Chavez scored on the play and David Justice ended up at second thanks to the error from Guiel. Now it was 6-5 A’s. The A’s had come all the way back from being down 5-0 like it was nothing, and the “washed up” David Justice had 4 RBIs in the game.
Mullen would then intentionally walk Mark Ellis and then Mullen would strikeout Terrence Long and get Ramon Hernandez to stop the bleeding but the damage had certainly been done and the Oakland A’s fans were savoring the moment of another magical 2002 A’s moment.
It would be the submarine reliever, Chad Bradford who’d come in for the A’s in the 7th. Bradford would be facing the Royals middle of the order. In typical Chad Bradford form, he’d get Joe Randa to hit a soft ground ball for the first out of the inning. Raul Ibanez would not be as kind as he’d get a sharp single and an error from Mark Ellis (I know, I’m shocked too) would provide some raised eyebrows. It was now first and second with one out, and Art Howe came out of the dugout to bring in the prized lefty, Ricardo Rincon. Rincon would face Michael Tucker and he’d get Tucker to foul out near the A’s bullpen for the second out of the inning. Tony Pena would pinch hit with the dangerous, Mike Sweeney and Art Howe would counter by bringing in Jeff Tam. Tam would get Sweeney to fly out to center and now the A’s were 6 outs away from number 19.
Jeremy Affeldt the current Giants reliever would come in for the Royals and he’d have no trouble with the A’s top of the order by getting a one-two three inning.
In the top of the 8th, Jeff Tam would stay in the game and Neifi Perez would be leading off trying to make himself 4 for 4 on the day. He’d bunt for a hit on Tam’s first pitch and Perez would beat the throw. Pena would pinch hit with Brent Mayne for AJ Hinch. Mayne would add to the collective blood pressure by hitting a ground ball that would get into the 3.5 hole and with Perez’s speed he would be able to motor on over to third and make it first and third with nobody out. That base running would prove to be huge for the Royals in the next at bat. Luis Ordaz would come up and then he’d hit a sharp ground ball to Miguel Tejada who’d flip to Mark Ellis, who fired to first to complete the 6-4-3 double play. The A’s had conceded the run that would tie the game but they had done so by stifling the Royals rally.
Affeldt would stay in the game for the Royals in the bottom of the 8th, and he’d put in another strong inning of work. Jermaine Dye would get on base thanks to an error by Kit Pellow and Dye would even make it to second thanks to a wild pitch, but the A’s would fail to score.
A’s closer, Billy Koch would be the man the A’s would lean on in the 9th inning. He’d give up a lead off single to Raul Ibanez to start the inning. Luis Alicea would pinch hit for Kit Pellow and to make matters worse, Koch would walk Alicea on four pitches. First and second with nobody out, and now there were some nervous groans in the stands. Pena would order Michael Tucker to put down a sac bunt and he’d oblige. The bunt was good enough to move Ibanez and Alicea to second and third. With the Royals slugger, Mike Sweeney coming to the plate, Koch would intentionally walk him and take their chances with Neifi Perez despite his 4 for 4 day at the plate. Perez stayed aggressive, he swung at Koch’s first pitch and it was a ground ball right at Miguel Tejada next to second base. Miggy stepped on second and fired to Scott Hattberg and the A’s had pulled a Houdini to keep the game tied.
Jason Grimsley would come in to replace Affeldt in the 9th, Grimsley would make news a few years later for the wrong reasons. In 2006, federal agents would raid Grimsley’s house and find that he was distributing PEDs. His team, the Arizona Diamondbacks would release him the day after it was reported and he’d never play again. On this day in September 2002, he’d be tasked with trying to make sure that Miguel Tejada would not get to the plate to bat. And right away, Grimsley would find trouble. It would be Terrence Long leading off the inning, and in a five pitch battle, Long would launch the early fireworks in the inning. He’d line a pitch down the left field line and it would land in the outfield. It was clear that T-Long was gonna get extra bases, but then Long rounded second and he’d make it to third for a leadoff triple.
The A’s had their winning run 90 feet away. And because of it, Royals manager decided to take evasive action. Greg Myers would pinch hit for Ramon Hernandez and Myers wouldn’t get an opportunity to get the bat off his shoulder as Pena ordered Grimsley to intentionally walk him. Next up was Ray Durham, and Pena would repeat the same order to Grimsley. The bases were loaded for Scott Hatteberg with Miguel Tejada waiting in the on deck circle, the Royals at this point, were almost guaranteed to face Miggy. Scott Hatteberg wanted to do it himself though, and Pena would make another interesting decision. Pena would order one of his outfielders to come into the infield to make it difficult for the A’s to win on any ground ball. Just any fly ball to the outfield to the medium depth would certainly end the game. Easier said then done, Hatteberg would battle with Grimsley and on the 6th pitch of the at bat he’d hit a ground ball to Luis Ordaz the second baseman. Ordaz fired the ball to home for the first out of the inning but Hatteberg would make it to first base, and the bases were still loaded.
There was a momentary groan from the crowd but that groan would quickly dissipate after the next batter’s name was announced. It was Miguel Tejada, and quickly, the crowd standing as one, started chanting, “MVP! MVP! MVP!” thanks to Tejada’s heroics in win #18 (more on that later) to go along with the tremendous season he was having. And on the first pitch from Grimsley, Miggy rewarded the fans with a line drive up the middle that didn’t have a chance of being caught! The ball easily touched down in the outfield and Long touched home, the A’s had won!
It was number 19 and now they were tied with the 1947 New York Yankees for the American League record of the longest winning streak ever. The crowd broke into a state of euphoria, Art Howe and the rest of the A’s bench stormed onto the field to mob their hero.
It was number 19 and now they were tied with the 1947 New York Yankees for the American League record of the longest winning streak ever. The crowd broke into a state of euphoria, Art Howe and the rest of the A’s bench stormed onto the field to mob their hero.
Another incredible win from an incredible team that simply could do no wrong. To see highlights from this great game, click HERE. This was one of Miguel Tejada’s best moments from the season, and he’d end up with the 2002 American League MVP after the year was done.
And this win set up for a shot at history in the game on September 4, 2002, which we’ll talk about later in this countdown.
Next up is #8, stay tuned!
-- Wes
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