The Oakland Athletics used another late-season surge to win their second straight AL West title.
They trailed Seattle by as many as eight games this season, key players had a hard time hitting and driving in runs during stretches, and star pitcher Mark Mulder got hurt and was likely lost for the year.
And the team's two big award winners from 2002 -- AL MVP Miguel Tejada and Cy Young Award winner Barry Zito -- both have struggled at times.
The A's got through it in remarkable fashion. They're becoming known for their sensational play in the second half.
"We've overcome a ton, losing guys to injury, guys having slow starts, guys having to play hurt, and still were able to win it," first baseman Scott Hatteberg said. "We have a lot of confidence we can win those kind of games."
Now, the A's will have to show the baseball world they are good enough to make it out of the first round -- they have lost in the division series the past three seasons.
The A's used a dramatic 4-3, 10-inning win over Texas to clinch their second straight AL West title, receiving help from second-place Seattle when the Mariners lost 2-1 in 11 innings at Anaheim.
There was plenty of relief when the champagne finally started flowing. Equipment manager Steve Vucinich had hung the plastic in the clubhouse to protect players' things from the bubbly, then took it down and put it back up again, unsure if there would be a party on this night.
The last thing Oakland wanted was to have to clinch in its final series of the season this weekend in Seattle. The Mariners took two of three from the A's at the Coliseum last weekend.
"That first bottle of champagne is always nice," Zito said.
Adam Melhuse delivered the big hit Tuesday, singling past shortstop Alex Rodriguez to score Erubiel Durazo for the winning run for Oakland, which is in the postseason for the fourth straight year.
A's players charged onto the field to surround Melhuse, a late-inning defensive replacement, and then stuck around to watch Seattle's game.
Melhuse was a non-roster invitee to spring training who didn't come up until May 24.
"It just makes it special because I helped the team win the division," Melhuse said. "This blows everything else away."
Left fielder Jose Guillen had similar feelings. He is going to the playoffs for the first time.
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