With a record of 9-2, The Oakland A’s are off to their best start since 1992 and have the best record in the American League. In an attempt to surpass Billy Martin’s 1981 Athletics’ eleven game win streak, the A’s must win their next three games, two of which are against the Detroit Tigers.
The Tigers beat the A’s in last year’s American League Division Series and stopped them from advancing to the American League Championship Series, but this season the A’s are singing an entirely different story while remaining realistic about their early season success.
“ You’ve got to focus on each and every game and play your best baseball,” Melvin tells the Chicago Tribune. “Try to prepare to play well every game, and we did. Our offense continues to flourish, and it takes some pressure off the rest of your game.”
The Tigers had an opportunity on Friday to snap Oakland’s win streak, but the Athletics refused to be defeated. After coming back from a 3-1 deficit, the A’s won the game 4-3; they now lead the three game series. Josh Donaldson’s last minute home run in the 12th inning represents how challenging this series is for the A’s.
“It’s a very good team, like we played in Anaheim,” said Bob Melvin. “The American League champs. Same three pitchers we got in the playoffs; their best three. So it doesn’t make it any easier, but this is just another series in the season. We’re playing well, and we’d like to think we can go out at home and play well again, but you’ve got to play your best baseball to beat that team. They’re one of the best in all of baseball.”
Challenges aside, years of terrible season starts for the A’s are now dreadful memories of the past as they look to the future with six straight road wins under their belt.
“[Six straight road wins are] pretty remarkable,” Melvin told MLB.com. “I don’t come up with those things, but I do hear about them from time to time. You go on the road and you hope to play over .500. You expect to win every game but to actually go 6-0 is terrific.”
The Athletics will face the Tigers in Oakland on Saturday and Sunday to conclude the three game series. If the A’s win both games they will be one step closer to breaking their 2002 twenty game win streak.
