ALDS Game 3: A's 7, Yankees 5

GAME 3 - Yankee Stadium
Mark Mulder vs Mike Mussina
A's 7, Yankees 5

Neither Mulder nor the Moose had enough stuff to baffle the hitters from these two potent lineups.  After 4 innings the A's held on to a 4-3 lead.  Oakland threatened to blow it open in the 5th, but Kyle Farnsworth came on mid inning and allowed just one of Moose's runners to score to keep the game within 2 runs.  Oakland tacked on 2 more in the top of the 8th thanks to a Robbie Cano error on Hernandez' weak grounder.  Johnny Damon, an unlikely power source, hit a 2 run shot moments later to put the A's up 7-3.  The fans in the "Big Ball Orchard in the Bronx" began to grow weary and restless as the game was really starting to slip away.  It was time for some "mystique and aura" to take over in the bottom of the 8th.  With 6 outs remaining in their season New York battled back against a tiring Mulder.  Matsui led the inning off with a walk and moved to third on A-Rod's double.  Posada walked to load the bases with nobody out.  Robbie Cano, atoning for his error in the top of the inning, hit a bullet up the middle that was so hard, the runners could only advance one base.  Matsui scored on the play to make it 7-4.  New York's version of Johnny Damon served an opposite field single to left to score A-Rod and make it a 2 run game with nobody out and the bases still full.  Mike Magnante was summoned from the pen to do some damage control and protect a 2 run lead that was looking shakier by the moment.  The "Gee-am-bino" popped out to shallow right. Posada was unable to score on the pop out.  Shelly Duncan then popped out to short for out number 2.  Up stepped the captain, Derek Jeter, with the bases loaded and two out, down by 2.  In the turning point of the game "Jeets" hit a bullet to third that Chavez knocked down then threw to second to force Damon to end the inning.  New York scored two to make it 7-5, but they missed a golden opportunity with the bases loaded and nobody out to turn around their fortunes.  

After a scoreless top of the 9th the Bombers came to the plate needing 2 runs in the bottom of the 9th vs ace closer Jason Isringhausen.  Bobby Abreu led off the inning with a clean single to left that went under Long's glove.  Damon easily pulled into second with nobody out and the heart of the order coming up.  Matsui grounded to short and failed to advance the runner.  A-Rod, being his usual clutch self [sic] fouled out to the catcher for out number 2.  Posada, who has the intensity of category 5 hurricane refused to make the last out and worked out a walk in a 9 pitch at bat.  That left it up to Robbie Cano, who needed an extra base hit to tie it or a homer to win it.  Cano hit and opposite field bullet that Chavez backhanded at third on one hop and threw to second to force Posada for the final out of the game and the series.  Oakland somehow managed to up New York in 3 straight to move on to the LCS.  New York manager Gotay said after the game, "It was a case off too many Damon's & Giambi's with Oakland have the better versions".  Both Oakland and New York's version of Jason Giambi hit homers as did Oakland's Damon.  Izzy continues his hot streak in relief, by saving another game and not giving an earned run up all season.

Oakland wins series 3-0