OAKLAND — Throughout this entire week, A’s manager Bob Melvin has refused to even entertain the idea of potentially clinching a playoff berth at home until the exact day presented itself. That day is now here.
Stephen Piscotty’s mad dash to home to score the game-winning run on a walk-off wild pitch from Trevor Hildenberger in Saturday’s 3-2 victory shrunk the A’s magic number to one. This means the A’s can clinch a playoff berth in front of their home fans at the Coliseum Sunday with a win or loss by the Tampa Bay Rays, who will begin their game three hours before.