PROGRAMMING NOTE: NBC Sports California is looking back at the A's 50 Memorable Moments since the franchise relocated to Oakland in 1968. Below are the next two moments you can vote on. Tune into A's Pregame Live tonight at 4:30pm to watch highlights of the two moments. After the A's and Astros conclude, tune into A's Postgame Live to see which moment will move on to the next round!
Editor's Note: Due to a tie in the initial poll, we asked fans to vote again on these two moments:
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1. Ramon Hernandez's walk-off bunt in 12th inning of Game 1 of 2003 ALDS (Three-time winner -- Defeated Matt Chapman makes catch, jumps over Gatorade jug into A's dugout)
Nobody in the entire stadium saw it coming. How could they? With two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 12th inning of a 4-4 game, A's catcher Ramon Hernandez laid down a perfect bunt to beat the Red Sox in Game 1 of the 2003 American League Division Series.
“The element of surprise reigns supreme!” longtime A's announcer Bill King exclaimed. The walk-off bunt capped a thrilling comeback victory for Oakland, which tied the game in the bottom of the ninth on a two-out RBI single by Erubiel Durazo.
At 4 hours and 37 minutes, the game became the longest in Oakland's postseason history. The A's would also win Game 2, 5-1, but the Red Sox stormed back with three straight victories to take the series in five games.
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2. Grant Balfour converts 41st consecutive save, breaking Dennis Eckersley's record for 40 straight
Oakland Athletics
On July 8, 2013, Grant Balfour etched his name in Oakland A's history. The Australian closer set down the Pittsburgh Pirates in order to record his 41st consecutive save, passing the great Dennis Eckersley for the A's all-time record.
Balfour's save streak would eventually end at 44, ranking sixth in MLB history. Eric Gagne still holds the all-time record with 84 straight saves converted for the Dodgers from 2002-04.
Balfour became a fan favorite in Oakland, due in large part to his fierce intensity on the mound, also known as "Balfour Rage." He finished his career with 84 saves, 64 of them coming with the A's.
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