October 15, 1988: 1988 World Series, Game 1: Oakland Athletics 4 at Los Angeles Dodgers 5, F -- The Dodgers, already serious underdogs against the A's and Bash Brothers Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire, are given even less of a chance with injured star Kirk Gibson on the shelf. Canseco's second-inning grand slam gives Oakland a 4-3 lead until the bottom of the ninth, when dominating closer Dennis Eckersley comes on to finish it up. But with the tying run on first, Gibson limps up to pinch hit and makes World Series history with a spine-tingling, game-winning two-run homer in his only at-bat of the Series. watch
October 7, 1989: 1989 ALCS, Game 4: Oakland A's 6 at Toronto Blue Jays 5, F -- With the A's leading the Series 3-1, Game 4's pitching match-up pitted a former Cy Young winner, Mike Flanagan (1979) against a future one (1990), Bob Welch. Rickey Henderson continued his sizzling series offense early (3 for 8 with four walks, five runs scored, and seven stolen bases) by drilling a two-run homer in the third, but Jose Conseco's moonshot later that inning really caused a buzz it was the first ball ever hit into the fifth-tier upper deck of SkyDome. In the stunned silence of the Dome, fans wondered if they had witnessed a 500-foot blast; in the end the official measurement was 480 feet. No matter; Oakland was handed a 3-0 lead. Henderson hit another two-run shot to make it 5-1, elevating his series average to .500. The Blue Jays continued to battle back through the eighth, but closer and future Hall-of-Famer Dennis Eckersley shut the door and the A's took a commanding 3-1 series lead. watch
October 5, 1996: 1996 NLDS, Game 3: St. Louis Cardinals 7 at San Diego Padres 5, F -- MVP Ken Caminiti does his best to keep San Diego alive, blasting two homers and making a run-saving play in the field. But Brian Jordan steals the show with some sparkling defense of his own, followed by a game-winning blast off Padres closer Trevor Hoffman. Dennis Eckersley slams the door for his third save of the series as the Cardinals finish the sweep of the Padres. watch
