by Charlie O. Mallonee

The Oakland Athletics needed a strong pitching performance from Sonny Gray on Sunday versus the Texas Rangers. What they got was a complete game shutout that propelled the A’s into the Wild Card Playoff Game on Tuesday in Kansas City.

Gray looked like the pitcher he was earlier in the season when he would dominate games with his curveball and wins seemed to be automatic. Gray pitched 9.0-innings giving up just six hits while striking out five Ranger hitters. The key to Gray’s performance was he issued no bases on balls in his complete game effort.

Given the availability of closer Sean Doolittle and the common practices of managers in Major League baseball, it was a bit of a surprise that Gray came out of the dugout for the bottom of the ninth-inning. Obviously A’s manager Bob Melvin saw that Gray had that something extra that was needed to go all the way in the game. Melvin’s instincts were right.

Elvis Andrus led off the ninth-inning for the Rangers.Gray induced Andrus to ground out third to first for out number one. Rougned Odor then flied out to left field for the second out. Adrian Beltre took a 1-2 pitch from Gray up the middled for a base hit. With Doolittle in the bullpen, everyone started looking for Melvin to come out of the dugout. Instead, Gray was allowed to stay in the game and face Jake Smolinski. Smolinski hit a 1-1 pitch to deep left field where Sam Fuld hauled it in for the final out  to give Gray the complete game victory.

The A’s generated all of the offense they would need for the win in the top of the second-inning. Brandon Moss led off the inning with a double to center field. Josh Reddick then hit a 1-0 pitch off the center field wall for a RBI-triple to give the A’s a 1-0 lead. Jed Lowrie popped out to second for the first out of inning. Stephen Vogt hit a bloop single to center that allowed Reddick to score. The inning ended with the A’s leading 2-0.

The A’s did not create another serious scoring threat until the ninth-inning. Frankly the way the game was going, a two-run lead did not feel like it would be enough to insure an Oakland victory.

The A’s made an offensive substitution to begin the top of the ninth-inning. Bob Melvin sent in the switch-hitting Alberto Callaspo to face the left-handed throwing Derek Holland. Callaspo reached base safely on a a throwing error by third baseman Adrian Beltre that allowed Callaspo to move up to second base. The speedy Billy Burns was brought in as a pinch-runner for Callaspo. Josh Donaldson flied out to center field. Jonny Gomes then entered the game as a pinch-hitter for Brandon Moss. The Rangers issued an intentional walk to Gomes. Sam Fuld entered the game to pinch run for Gomes. Josh Reddick reached base on a infield single that moved Burns to third and Fuld to second base. Jed Lowrie then hit a single to center that allowed Burns and Fuld to score giving the A’s a 4-0 lead. The two insurance runs are what made it possible for Sonny Gray to come out in the bottom of the ninth and notch the complete game victory.

The A’s left Texas for Kansas City where they will face the Royals in the one-game Wild Card contest on Tuesday night. That game will start at 5:00 PM PDT.