Fifteen years ago from Sunday, the Oakland Athletics notched their first of 20 wins in a row, the longest streak in the history of the AL.
The 2002 season, as a whole, was a fairy tale come true. Eric Chavez cemented himself as one of the game’s best third basemen, clobbering 34 HRs and winning his second Gold Glove. Free agent additions David Justice and Scott Hatteberg were a pleasant surprise to the A’s lineup.
The “Big Three,” of course, dominated from the mound, combining for an ERA of 3.05. Barry Zito, deservingly, won the Cy Young after finishing with an AL-best 23 wins and 2.75 ERA. Relievers Billy Koch and Chad Bradford anchored the bullpen, totaling 169 innings in relief.
Meanwhile, MVP Miguel Tejada did anything and everything a team could ask from their shortstop.
That aside, what the 2002 squad will always be remembered for is their ability to go three weeks without losing a single game.
The Streak
After losing to Toronto on August 12, 2002, the A’s found themselves 4.5 games behind the Angels in the AL West. Sitting at 68-51 and third in their division, the club needed to make a run.
The next day, Jermaine Dye‘s four RBI gave Barry Zito the W over future Cy Young Winner Chris Carpenter. Eric Chavez’s three-run HR in the first inning of the next game was enough for the A’s to take two of three from the Blue Jays. The club then went on a tear, sweeping the White Sox, Inidans, Tigers, Royals, Twins, and Royals (again) in that order.
Over the 20-game stretch, the A’s dominated competition, outscoring opponents 141-59. Oakland bats hit for a .299/.367/.529 slash line with 30 long balls and 47 doubles. David Justice and Eric Chavez led the way offensively, each posting an OPS over 1.000 and a wRC+ over 160.
Equally impressive was the pitching. The A’s staff posted a combined ERA of 2.65 over the span. In his four starts, Cory Lidle allowed only one ER and held opposing hitters to a batting average of .126. Barry Zito and closer Billy Koch were also stellar, each posting an ERA under 2.00 during the streak.
Simply put, the A’s got hot at the right time. After their 20th win, the club led the AL West by 3.5 games.
Let’s take a look at some of the best moments of the streak:
GAME 18
Of all the games during the streak (besides game 20), game 18 may have been the most exciting.
Heading into the top of the eighth, the A’s were up 4-2 against Minnesota. Mark Mulder had pitched a gem allowing only two runs on three hits through eight. Sensibly, Art Howe sent him back to the mound to start the ninth.
The A’s starter quickly gave up back-to-back solo shots to Matt LeCroy and Corey Koskie to tie it up. Seeing enough, Howe made the move to the pen. Mulder’s night was over; out came the A’s closer.
After retiring the first two batters he faced, Billy Koch gave up a homer of his own to put the Twins in front 5-4.
In the bottom of the ninth, Ramon Hernandez drew a lead-off walk. Ray Durham followed with a single to right field. After an Olmedo Saenz strikeout, All-Star shortstop Miguel Tejada was due up.
With a 1-2 count, Miggy elevated a fastball high into left field.
“Tejada to left field. Well struck, Miguel Tejada has done it. Miguel Tejada has a three-run walk off homer to win the game! 18 in a row!”
Twins closer Eddie Guardado knew it was gone, didn’t even turn around. The A’s walked it off, 7-5.
GAME 19
Once again, the A’s fell behind early. After four innings, Howe’s squad was behind 5-0. Oakland ace Barry Zito had been rocked in the third, giving up back-to-back HRs before allowing three more in the fourth.
In the bottom of the fifth, the A’s cut the lead to three with a David Justice two-run blast to right.
The sixth inning is where Oakland mounted their comeback. Durham led off with a walk. Hatteberg doubled to right-center. Tejada and Chavez both singled, before pulling off a double steal.
Later that inning, Justice drove a hanging breaking ball to right field for a single, scoring both Tejada and Chavez.
“3-2… David Justice… a base hit to right field! Tejada scores. Chavez coming in, the ball gets past Guiel. Barry Zito’s gonna get a shot at win number 20! The A’s from 5-nothing down now lead 6 to 5!”
No scoring in the seventh and the eighth, the game headed into the top of the last. With men on first and third, reliever Jeff Tam escaped a jam but had allowed the Royals to tie it up.
In the bottom of the ninth, Terrance Long led off with a triple. The Royals then set a force at every base, intentionally walking Greg Myers and Ray Durham. Scott Hatteberg would ground into a fielders choice, leaving it all up to Miguel Tejada.
With a Coliseum crowd chanting “MVP, MVP!” the star shortstop singled up the middle to get his second consecutive walk off.
In a season full of big moments for Tejada, he had delivered once again.
GAME 20
Unlike game 19 of the streak, the A’s wouldn’t start this contest behind. Thanks to a barrage of hits, Oakland scored 6 in the first, 1 in the second, and 4 runs in the third.
Up 11-0 with the Royals batting in the top of the fourth, Tim Hudson gave up five runs on five hits and an error. Nonetheless, the A’s still held a 6-run cushion.
Things would turn for the worse in the eighth. Thanks to an abysmal start to the inning by Chad Bradford, the top of the Royals lineup came up with the bases loaded and no outs. Ricardo Rincon limited the damage with a strikeout and sac fly. Then the A’s made another switch.
Against the first batter he faced, Jeff Tam gave up a three-run shot to slugger Mike Sweeney. Suddenly, the Royals had cut the lead to one.
Looking to close out the game, Billy Koch faced Luis Alicea in the top of the ninth with a man on second and two outs. With two strikes, Alicea singled to left; Brynes’s throw to the plate was late. The game was tied, 11 all. Since the third inning, everything that could possibly go wrong went wrong for the A’s.
And then it happened: With one away in the bottom of the ninth, Scott Hatteberg pinch-hit for LF Eric Brynes. The ex-catcher took Jason Grimsley‘s first pitch for a ball. He stepped out the batter’s box, regrouped, and crushed a hanging slider into the right-center seats.
“That one is gone! And it’s 20 consecutive victories for the Oakland Athletics on an unbelievable night when they lost an 11 to nothing lead and now they win it!” — Bill King
The Coliseum erupted.
The Oakland Athletics had walked it off for a third consecutive game, holding the record for the longest winning streak in the history of the American League.
After six painful innings, A’s fans finally had something to cheer about.