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 today at 6:30 p.m. to watch highlights of the two moments. After the A's and Angels conclude, tune into A's Postgame Live to see which moment will move on to the next round!
1. A's winning 2012 AL West title on final day of the season (Four-time winner -- Defeated Coco Crisp's walk-off single against Tigers in Game 4 of the 2012 ALDS)
(From A's play-by-play broadcaster Glen Kuiper)
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On the morning of Sept. 25, 2012, the A's trailed the first place Texas Rangers by five games with nine to play. My thought, oh well, Wild Card game here we come.
Six games later, the A's were two back with three to play. And the Rangers were coming to town for a season-ending three-game series. My thought, forget that Wild Card game, lets win this thing.
The A's win the first two games of the series to catch the Rangers for 1st place. Then on Oct. 1, Game 162, all hell broke lose at the Coliseum.
Getting ready to do the game that morning, I remember feeling nervousness, tension, but most of all excitement. Be at your best, don't screw anything up, don't start screaming in the 1st inning, and just enjoy the moment. The A's trailed 5-1 going to the bottom of the 4th inning, and I was concerned. I should have known better. That A's team had no intention of losing that day. Forget the Wild Card game, this division is ours. The A's scored six runs in the 4th inning, the final two runs scoring on a dropped fly ball in CF by Josh Hamilton. When something like that happens, you just know it is your teams' day. With the crowd going nuts the rest of the game, the Coliseum turned into a party zone. The A's won the game 12-5, and won the Division.
Oakland Athletics
It was by far the most fun series I have ever announced, capped of by Game 162. I had a sore throat for two weeks from yelling during our broadcasts, but it was well worth it.
VS.
2. Marco Scutaro's bases-clearing double in Game 3 of the 2006 ALDS against the Twins
(From Ben Ross)
Leading two games to none, and up 5-2 in the seventh inning, the A's were one swing away from burying the Minnesota Twins. Marco Scutaro provided that swing.
With the bases loaded and two outs, and more than 35,000 fans at the Coliseum chanting his name, Scutaro went opposite field for a three-run double to put the A's up 8-2, and all but clinch a spot in the American League Championship Series.
The A's went on to win Game 3, 8-3, to finish the sweep of the Twins. However, they ran into a buzzsaw in the ALCS, getting swept by the Detroit Tigers.
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