Right Place, Right Time, but It Was More Than That

OAKLAND â€”  The key question for many would seem obvious: How in the world are the Oakland Athletics leading the New York Yankees in this divisional series considering they have gone hitless in 23 at-bats with runners in scoring position?

Johnny Damon, the A’s center fielder, was not in the group asking that question Saturday night.

“The biggest question,� said Damon, advising a group of reporters after the Yankees had defeated the A’s, 1-0, “is what in the world was he doing there.�

Damon referred to Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter, whose phenomenal play as the backup to the backup relay man in the seventh inning cut down the tying run and, in Damon’s view, “saved the Yankee season. I mean, it’s the reason, at least, we’re not still out there playing.�

The box score on Game 3 credits Mariano Rivera with the save for pitching the final two innings in relief of Mike Mussina, wrapping up a six-hit victory that enabled the Yankees to avoid elimination and a three-game sweep. In the A’s clubhouse, however, most of the talk was of the backhand pitch by Jeter, or as the descriptive Damon said: “It was pure instinct. I don’t know of any other shortstop who would even think of backing up the backup. I was amazed he was there and amazed he could make an accurate shovel pass like that with his momentum taking him away from the plate. Maybe he was a high school quarterback.�

One play is always big in a one-run game, always big when a team isn’t getting many offensive chances and not taking advantage of those they get. The Jeter play, however, was the stuff of highlight reels, and it helped shut down the usual roar of the A’s Animal House stereo, muffle the usual playful banter of the inhabitants.

Jeremy Giambi had singled with two outs in the seventh, only the third hit off Mussina. Giambi is among the A’s slowest runners, a family trait, and Manager Art Howe said later he would have run for him if he had been in scoring position but didn’t want to lose his left-handed bat with the likelihood he would face Rivera in the ninth “and he has hit Rivera pretty well.�

The decision would prove costly. Terrence Long rocketed an extra-base hit into the right-field corner, where Shane Spencer retrieved it only to overthrow relay man Alfonso Soriano and backup Tino Martinez. His throw bounced once halfway between first and the plate, and there, all of a sudden (“All I saw was this gray blur racing across the infield,� said Damon) came Jeter to catch it on the bounce and make that backhand flip to catcher Jorge Posada as his momentum carried him across the line in the direction of the Yankee dugout.

Giambi, having received a go-ahead from third base coach Ron Washington, came in standing up and was called out by umpire Kerwin Danley, although a slowed replay showed he may have had his left leg down before Posada’s swipe tag of his left knee.

“It looked like Kerwin was in great position and had a good angle,� Giambi said. “I can’t be critical. I know he tagged the back of my knee. It happened so fast, and I’m not sure whether I had my foot on the plate yet.�

Giambi, of course, is normally in the shadow of his big brother, Jason Giambi. This time, it was his spotlight. “Unless Washington stopped me,� he said of the third base coach, “I was scoring all the way. The mistake I made was that I only picked up Posada instead of [Ramon] Hernandez signaling me to slide [from behind the plate].

“I went in standing because it’s the fastest way and because I was going to try and make contact and knock the ball out if Posada had it. I mean, I really didn’t know where the ball was and I had no idea Jeter made the relay until I saw the replay. How would anyone know when he’s not even supposed to be there? But then that’s the kind of player he is, the kind of presence and instinct he has on the field, and that’s why he’s one of the top three shortstops.�

In a corner of the clubhouse, General Manager Billy Beane concurred.

“A big-time play by a big-time player,� Beane said. “It came down to one pitch and a great play by their shortstop.�

The one pitch was made by Barry Zito in the fifth inning. Posada hit it into the left-field seats, the only run Mussina and Rivera needed in a game that started in the twilight and that Mussina and Zito dominated.

“Arguably,� Beane said, “they were the two best pitchers in baseball the last two months of the season and they maintained that form. The last time Mussina pitched here we scored two runs on two home runs and he almost duplicated that tonight, except for the runs and home runs. We knew what we were facing, and we had no illusions about coming in and rolling over a Mussina or anyone else. I still prefer our position. I still like where we sit.�

That, of course, is what the A’s have to tell themselves now. A sweep against the formidable Yankees was improbable, but how large is that crack they have now exposed? The A’s aren’t hitting with runners in scoring position, but then the Yankees are batting .194 and the teams have combined for 11 runs in three games.

“We need to think about the positive, the fact that we’re still up by a game,� Jeremy Giambi said. “Both teams have to be frustrated by the way they’re hitting, but it’s just reflective of the pitching. We’ve faced three No. 1 caliber starters [Mussina, Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte].�

“Look,� A’s right fielder Jermaine Dye said, “none of us came in thinking we were going to sweep these guys. ... Good pitching stops good hitting, and Mussina was on top of his game tonight. He hit his spots, worked both sides of the plate, came right at us.�

And then there was Jeter, making sure he was in the right place at the right time, not exactly a play “you map out in spring training,� said Beane, who was asked if he’d ever seen a shovel pass quite like that and replied, “Yeah, to a running back.�