OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 21 (UPI) -- After surrendering a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning, the Oakland Athletics scored twice in the eighth without the benefit of a base hit to clinch their third straight postseason appearance Friday night with a 4-2 victory over the Texas Rangers.
Coupled with Anaheim's victory over Seattle, the Athletics earned at least the American League
wild card. The win marks the fourth time in franchise history that Oakland has made the postseason in three consecutive seasons.
The Athletics, who are three victories away from becoming the 18th team in major league history and first since the 1997-99 Atlanta Braves to post back-to-back 100-win campaigns, lead the Angels by one game in the AL West.
With the game tied, 2-2, the Athletics loaded the bases with one out in the eighth and took the lead on a sacrifice fly by Jermaine Dye that scored Mark Ellis. Two batters later, Randy Velarde drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Miguel Tejada with an insurance run to put Oakland ahead, 4-2.
Jim Mecir (6-3) retired two of the three batters he faced in the eighth to get the victory while Ricardo Rincon tossed a perfect ninth to notch his first save as an Athletic.
Closer Billy Koch was given the night off after
pitching in five straight games.
Danny Kolb (3-5) took the loss, allowing two unearned runs with two walks and a strikeout while retiring just two batters in relief of starter Kenny Rogers, who yielded two runs and six hits in seven innings. Rogers, who owns a 17-game winning streak at Network Associates Coliseum, struck out a season-high eight without giving up a walk. The veteran lefthander has not lost at Oakland since Aug. 7, 1994, a span of 32 games.
Oakland is to a major league-best 47-19 since the All-Star break.
