The A's should know all too well how high the stakes are in Wednesday's AL Wild Card Game. They were, after all, boat-raced by the New York Yankees in last year's winner-take-all contest.
Tuesday's NL Wild Card Game served as yet another reminder.
The Washington Nationals advanced to the NLDS with a 4-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at Nationals Park, thanks to a fielding error from Milwaukee outfielder Trent Grisham. Grisham misplayed Soto's single to right field with the bases loaded, and all three Nationals scored to turn Washington's 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 lead.