Prior to the start of the 2012 season, experts predicted that the Oakland Athletics would finish either third or fourth in the American League West. The players on the other hand, were thinking more about first place.
The team defied expectations when they took the wild-card lead and have continued that trend, pulling into a tie with the Texas for the division lead after defeating the Rangers 3-1 on Tuesday night.
The Rangers now are one game behind the Yankees for the best record in the American League. The Yankees beat the Red Sox 4-3 on Tuesday night and will clinch home field advantage with a win on Wednesday.
"As long as we believe inside this clubhouse and we know we can get it (done), we're going to do it. I honestly believe we're going to win tomorrow," closer Grant Balfour said to the Associated Press. "Nothing is guaranteed, but it's about as good as. I believe we can go out and get it done."
Starter Travis Blackley pitched a stellar game for the Athletics, allowing only one run in six innings while striking out five. Three Oakland relievers combined to allow only two hits over three innings. Balfour came into the game in the ninth and closed it out for his 24th save of the season.
"I just went out there like I had nothing to lose, and it worked out," Blackley said.
The Athletics clinched a playoff spot the previous night, their first trip to the postseason since 2006. According to ESPN, Oakland was 13 games back on June 30th and have taken a share of the division lead for the first time since March.
Texas took an early lead off of a Josh Hamilton double in the third, but couldn't score any more runs for starter Matt Harrison, who fell to 18-11 with the loss. Harrison was solid, but allowed three runs in six innings, including a home run.
The Athletics took the lead in the fifth inning, scoring two runs on a Derek Norris single and an error by outfielder Nelson Cruz. Josh Donaldson scored on the single and Brandon Moss was able to score after Cruz bobbled the ball in right field.
In the next inning, Jonny Gomes smacked a solo home run to push the lead to 3-1, which was all the Athletics would need.
"(Harrison) got two pitches up where he probably didn't want them," Texas manager Ron Washington said. "The one to Donaldson and the other to Moss. They were able to put something together in that inning and put some runs on the board. He fell behind on Gomes and he had to come in with a fastball strike, and Gomes didn't miss it. There's the score right there. We put just one run on the board tonight."
On Wednesday the two teams will play a winner take-all contest for the American League West.
"This isn't Game 7 of the World Series. It's not win or go home," Gomes said. "We're going to play loose. We're going to have fun and just continue to pass the torch. Hopefully tomorrow we get our pitching, defense and homers. That's been it for us."
According to ESPN.com, The Texas Rangers have been alone in first place in the AL West since April 9th, but have gone only 15-13 in September. The Athletics would become the fifth team to win a division after trailing for 13 games if they can win the final game of the season.
Ryan Dempster will start for Texas in Wednesday's must-win game against Oakland's A.J. Griffin.
"No one said it was going to be easy," Ron Washington said. "We started out to play 162 games and now -- tomorrow -- it's 162. And we'll see what happens. We take it no different than we have been approaching it. We just haven't put our game together yet. Tomorrow we have to put it together. If we don't put it together, we still go to the playoffs."
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