The Athletics, defending World Series Champions, came into the Series as heavy favorites after cruising through the regular season, then sweeping Boston in the American League Championship Series. But Game 1, matching 22-game winner Dave Stewart against Reds ace Jose Rijo, was no contest, as Rijo and "Nasty Boys" relievers Rob Dibble and Randy Myers teamed up on a nine-hit shutout.

Oakland led 4-2 early in Game 2, only to see Cincinnati tie the game with single runs in the fourth and eighth, and when neither club scored in the ninth, they went to extra innings. In the bottom of the 10th, A's closer Dennis Eckersley retired Eric Davis but was then touched for successive singles by Billy Bates, Chris Sabo and Joe Oliver, Oliver's blow plating Bates with the winning run.

The Series traveled to Oakland for Game 3, but the change of scenery did the Athletics little good. Reds third baseman Chris Sabo opened the scoring with a solo homer in the second inning, and he added a two-run shot in the third. After three innings the Reds led 8-3, and that was the final score.

Game 4 featured a rematch of the Game 1 starters, Stewart and Rijo. The latter allowed a leadoff double to Willie McGee and an RBI single to Carney Lansford in the first inning and not another hit before leaving in the ninth. Stewart wasn't quite as sharp, but he still owned a 1-0 lead after seven frames. In the bottom of the eighth, though, the Reds came up with a pair of runs, one of them unearned, to take a 2-1 lead. With one out in the top of the ninth, Randy Myers replaced Rijo and retired the next two Athletics to clinch the Series. And for the first time since 1938 and 1939, two straight World Series resulted in sweeps.

Path to the World Series
ALCS: Oakland over Boston (4 games to 0)
NLCS: Cincinnati over Pittsburgh (4 games to 2)

Managers: Lou Piniella, CIN; Tony LaRussa, OAK

MVP: Jose Rijo, CIN: 2-0, 0.59 ERA, 15.1 IP, 5 K