So the A’s hate my birthday. It’s official. I think of the Birthday Curse every single year at this time, since every single major milestone birthday ends in tears when the A’s are in the postseason.
Let’s examine the evidence, shall we?
October 14, 1992
The series came back to Toronto for Game 6, with Guzmán going against Moore. In the bottom of the first, the Jays took a lead they would never relinquish, as White reached on an error by Henderson and scored on a homer by Carter, making it 2-0. In the third, Olerud lashed an RBI double and Maldonado followed with a three-run shot, extending the advantage to 6-0. McGwire put Oakland on the board in the sixth with a single that scored Sierra, but the A's could only manage another run against the Jays. In the ninth, Henke took the mound and induced a flyout from Sierra to end a 9-2 win, making Toronto the first non-U.S.-based team to win a pennant in Major League history.
The A’s lost the game and the series that day. I turned sixteen.
October 14, 2001
The day was disastrous for the young A's, who lost their fourth consecutive home playoff game to the Yankees. What's more, cleanup hitter Jermaine Dye broke his leg on a foul ball in the third inning and was lost for the rest of the postseason.
The A’s lost the game and would go on to lose the series. I turned twenty-five.
October 14, 2006
Ordonez hit his second homer of the game, connecting for a three-run shot with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning that lifted Leyland's team over the Oakland Athletics 6-3 for a startling four-game sweep of the AL championship series.
The A’s lost the game and the series. I turned thirty.
Just thought I'd share for anyone still following the playoffs on AN. As much as I wish that the A’s were still playing, I still must admit how much I like the playoffs so far. The Rockies have captivated my attention in a way that no NL team ever has before, and I surprised myself with how hard I cheered for Cleveland during bonus baseball last night. Two extra inning games out of four played so far. We’re getting our money’s worth.
The ALCS picks up again on Monday night in Cleveland, but the NLCS goes to game three tonight in Colorado, where barring a comeback by the Diamondbacks, the Rockies are rolling all the way to the World Series.
Game time is at 5:37pm
