Breaking Down Games 1-3 Of The 2012 ALDS
Apr 8, 2020, 12:53 PM | Updated: 12:53 pm
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Heading into Game 4 against the Detroit Tigers, Oakland was backed into a corner, facing a 2-1 deficit and elimination
This week on Sports 1140 KHTK, we’re taking a look at the 2012 Oakland Athletics, a team that defied the odds and clinched the American League West.
Thursday night, tune in to 1140 AM to catch Game 4 of the 2012 ALDS between the A’s and Detroit Tigers, starting at 5:00 PM.
Rough Start
The 2012 postseason did not get off to a good start for the Oakland Athletics.
Heading to the Motor City to face the Detroit Tigers, the A’s sent Jarrod Parker out to face Cy Young Award and MVP winner Justin Verlander.
Coco Crisp got things started off in a hurry, hitting a leadoff solo home run off of Verlander to give the A’s a 1-0 lead before Tigers fans could even get settled into their seats.
That would be all that Oakland would get in Game 1 however, as Verlander would shut the Athletics down, hurling seven innings of one-run ball with 11 strikeouts. Athletics starter Jarrod Parker had a decent game, allowing two earned runs over 6.1 innings while striking out five batters.
The Tigers would score a few runs off of small ball, and catcher Alex Avila tacked on an insurance run with a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to give Detroit the lead–and eventual final score–of 3-1.
Game 2 was one that the A’s fans would like to forget.
With a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, Athletics reliever Ryan Cook was one out away from handing the ball over to closer Grant Balfour with a one run lead in the ninth inning.
Cook let a pitch get away from him, allowing the Tigers to score from third on the wild pitch, tying the game at 4-4.
The A’s would not score in the ninth, sending Balfour out to try and send the game into extra innings.
After striking out the first batter, Balfour would allow back to back singles, then would have to intentionally walk Prince Fielder to put the force out in play. The Tigers had the bases loaded with one out, and outfielder Don Kelly put the finishing touches on Game 2 with a walk-off sacrifice fly.
Oakland was heading back to the Coliseum with an 0-2 deficit, staring elimination in the face.
Battling Back
Behind a raucous crowd in Oakland, the Athletics delivered their biggest win of the season.
Seth Smith hit a solo home run, Yoenis Cespedes delivered an RBI single and that is all that the Athletics would need in Game 3 to knock off Anibal Sanchez and the Detroit Tigers.
Brett Anderson pitched six shutout innings, striking out six batters and only allowing two hits in the win.
Coco Crisp had one of the most amazing plays of the entire season, bringing a home run from Prince Fielder back over the fence in the second inning.
The stage was set for Game 4. Max Scherzer vs A.J. Griffin. Sellout at the Coliseum.
Tune in to Sports 1140 KHTK this Thursday night at 5:00pm to relive the magic that was Game 4 of the 2012 ALDS.
