2002 Twins-A's ALDS recap

If you watched the movie "Moneyball," then you know how this one ends.

Oakland set the American League record by winning 20 straight games down the stretch, defying all expectations and finishing with 103 wins with a small payroll and few big names. They did it through breakthrough statistical analysis and value-based transactions. But at the end of the day, it was the third year in a four-year run of ALDS appearances that ended before the next step.

In Game 1 at Oakland, A's starter Tim Hudson couldn't hold a 5-1 lead he was given in the first two innings, and Minnesota secured a 7-5 comeback win. The Twins couldn't solve Mark Mulder the next day, though, and the series moved to the Twin Cities tied at a game apiece.

The Twins had been 11-1 in postseason games at the Metrodome, with their last loss back in 1991 against Toronto in the ALCS. Oakland spread out four homers in Game 3, though, and took the series lead with a 6-3 win behind starter Barry Zito.

Faced with elimination, Minnesota blew Game 4 open with a seven-run fourth inning, another disappointing outing for Hudson resulting in an 11-2 Twins blowout. Back in Oakland for the decisive game, it was a pitcher's duel between Brad Radke of Minnesota and Mulder. The Twins scored three runs in the top of the ninth, and Eddie Guardado came out of the bullpen to protect a 5-1 lead.

Mark Ellis hit a three-run homer, and the A's were within 5-4 and seemed capable of the kind of drama they had shown in the 20-game streak. But cue the scene in "Moneyball," the camera shot from the outfield, showing Ray Durham fouling out with one on and two out, ending another A's season. It was not the way A's general manager Billy Beane saw this one ending, yet people were noticing.

Red Sox owner John Henry says to Beane toward the end of the movie: "For forty-one million, you built a playoff team. You lost Damon, Giambi, Isringhausen, Pena and you won more games without them than you did with them. You won the exact same number of games that the Yankees won, but the Yankees spent one point four million per win and you paid two hundred and sixty thousand."

Path to the ALDS: Minnesota (94-67) won the AL Central by 13.5 games; Oakland (103-59) won the AL West by four games

Managers: Ron Gardenhire, MIN; Art Howe, OAK