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Yankees vs. A's |
Mariners vs. White Sox |
Braves vs. Cardinals |
Mets vs. Giants
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Monday, October 9
Almost A's can't get it done
Associated Press
OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Oakland Athletics took the field for
the first inning of Game 5 Sunday with the advantages of momentum,
youth and home-field comfort.
They left 26 minutes later with a six-run deficit.
The Athletics never recovered from the Yankees' shellacking of
starter Gil Heredia in New York's 7-5 series-deciding victory. Any
momentum from Oakland's 11-1 victory Saturday in Game 4 vanished as
waves of Yankees circled the bases.
After New York put six runs on the board, Oakland began to
outplay the Yankees again -- but New York's bullpen made the A's pay
for their sleepy half-inning. Even a poor outing by Yankees starter
Andy Pettitte wasn't poor enough to get the Athletics back in the
game.
"It takes a lot out of you being six runs down," said Eric
Chavez, who popped out to end it. "Still, we made this game
competitive."
For much of the season, it was the Athletics who made their
living with big innings and big hits, then relied on pitching to
carry them through.
In their final game, the A's got beat at their own game.
"We let them get a running start on us tonight, that's the
difference in the ballgame," A's manager Art Howe said. "We
battled back, got within two."
Oakland's roster is one of the majors' youngest, and
conventional wisdom held that the A's youngsters would better adapt
to the arduous playing schedule forced upon the teams by network
television. Sunday's game began less than 14 hours after the teams
arrived in the Bay Area from an energy-draining transcontinental
flight.
But the first inning proved the Yankees know a thing or two
about big games that the A's -- in the playoffs for the first time
since 1992 -- still haven't learned.
Heredia's performance was only part of Oakland's problems.
Center fielder Terrence Long misjudged two fly balls, including
Tino Martinez's three-run double that did most of the damage in the
first inning.
The ball was easily catchable for the Athletics' star rookie,
but he got a late jump and turned the wrong way as he ran to the
wall, where the ball bounded away from him. Afterward, Long
admitted he "dropped" the ball.
"A lot of people didn't expect us to be back here," Long said.
"I feel a couple of breaks here or there, it would be different."
Oakland chipped back with five runs over the second, third and
fourth innings, but New York relievers Mike Stanton, Jeff Nelson,
Orlando Hernandez and Mariano Rivera allowed just two baserunners
until the ninth inning.
"That's a great ball team on the other side," Yankees reliever
Mike Stanton said. "They never, ever let us take a breath. As soon
as you let up, they're all over you. We were lucky to get out of
here."
After Chavez fouled out to first to end the game, the Athletics
stood in disbelief on the dugout steps as the Yankees celebrated.
The Oakland crowd was briefly silent before giving a warm ovation
to the Athletics as they filed silently to the clubhouse.
"This is the start of something here," general manager Billy
Beane said.
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