Now, all Oakland has to do is lose the next 3 games and it is business as usual.
A five-time Gold Glove-winning center fielder, Hunter dove for a sinking liner that skipped past him for a tiebreaking two-run inside-the-park homer by Mark Kotsay as the Oakland Athletics claimed a commanding two games to none lead in the American League Division Series with a 5-2 victory over the Twins.
The inside-the-park home run was the second in Oakland's postseason history and it came exactly four years after Ray Durham hit the first against the Twins in the ALDS. Minnesota won that series, three games to two.
But it appears the Athletics are primed to win this series, although they have to shake off the stigma of going 0-9 in games when they could have eliminated their opponents in a playoff series from 2000-03.
Game Three is Friday afternoon at Oakland.
The Athletics were holding a 2-0 lead before Michael Cuddyer and Justin Morneau hit back-to-back homers off Esteban Loaiza to start the bottom of the sixth.
But Oakland quickly reclaimed the lead in the seventh, thanks to Hunter's costly mistake.
Reliever Pat Neshek (0-1) allowed a one-out single to Mark Ellis and Jason Kendall followed by bouncing into a foreceout. Kotsay then hit a liner to center that Hunter probably should have stayed back on and fielded on one hop. Instead, Hunter dove and the ball bounced past his glove and went all the way to the wall. Kendall scored easily and Kotsay circled the bases as well, giving the Athletics a 4-2 lead.
Oakland added a run in the ninth when Nick Swisher doubled, moved to third on a grounder by Ellis and scored on a wild pitch by Joe Nathan.
Kiko Calero (1-0) replaced Loaiza after the back-to-back home runs by Cuddyer and Morneau and pitched a scoreless inning for the win.
Justin Duchscherer tossed two hitless innings before Huston Street earned his second save in as many days.
Street allowed a hit and walked a batter in the ninth inning, but retired Nick Punto on a popout to shortstop to end the game.
Congrats A's! Winning the two on the road. One more and it's on to the Championship Series.
lets go a's!!
Cool. Go A's. Go Dodgers.
Pay the players and they will play.
Thanks a lot Brian Sabean.
Hmmm...I happened to see that 2 run inside the park homer. Since when don't outfielders back each other up? The dude in right must have been daydreaming.
Go 49ers!
A California team playing a Minnesota team. I guess it's too much to hope for that they both lose. ;-p
Maybe the Tigers got the better deal with NY. They could have won game one easily with a couple of timed hits.
I am not a baseball fan but I am willing to support a fellow freeper in his baseball enthusiasm....good luck to your team!!!!!
Remember,you heard it here first.
I want to see the A's in the World Series. And it'll probably end up being with the Dodgers at the rate things are going if the A's manage to get around the Yankees.
BUMP
I am slightly worried given the history of being up 2-0.
Don't count the Twins out yet.
If they can find their bats, they are unbeatable.