The A’s topped the Chicago White Sox 6-4 at the Coliseum on Friday morning (Australian time) to complete a comeback 2-1 series win – their first in the playoffs since 2006 – in the best-of-three AL Wild Card matchup.
West Australian Hendriks allowed a lead-off single to James McCann to start the ninth before striking out the next three batters.
He nabbed Yoan Moancada, rookie Luis Robert and then Nomar Mazara to collect his first postseason save in his seventh outing.
Hendriks hit 100 mph a day after a taxing 49-pitch, five strikeout, outing in game two.
Oakland trailed 3-0 after three as it looked to snap a nine-game losing streak in winner-take-all playoff games dating back to game five of the 2000 ALDS against the New York Yankees.
Sean Murphy got the A’s offence going with a towering two-run homer in the fourth.
Oakland loaded the bases later in the inning and scored two runs on back-to-back walks to complete a four-run inning and take the lead.
Mazara hit a game-tying single for the White Sox in the fifth.
The A’s recaptured the lead on Chad Pinder’s tie-breaking two-run single in the fifth inning and Oakland’s bullpen did the rest.
J.B. Wendelken, Lou Trivino, Jake Diekman, Joakim Soria and Hendriks combined for four scoreless innings of relief to end the game for the A’s.
Oakland will now play the Astros in the ALDS at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles
Game one is set for Tuesday morning.
The time of first pitch is yet to be announced.
From baseball.com.au.
