SEATTLE — Within the ninth inning of the ultimate sport within the historical past of the Oakland Athletics, a chant broke out at T-Cellular Park.
It echoed all through the stadium, because the inexperienced and gold clad followers who had come to look at the A’s tackle the Seattle Mariners took their final alternative to do a cheer that has reverberated across the East Bay for many years.
“Let’s Go Oakland.”
After an emotional goodbye to the house followers on Thursday on the Oakland Coliseum, the A’s introduced a large contingent of supporters north to Seattle for the crew’s ultimate sequence with “Oakland” in cursive script written throughout their chest.
On Sunday, they made themselves heard.
“Love it,” supervisor Mark Kotsay stated. “I mean, the emotion of Thursday will never be matched. But today, knowing that last game with the Oakland jersey, and the “Let’s Go Oakland” chants within the ninth inning, as loud as they had been in a visiting stadium, was fairly spectacular.”
The chants didn’t propel the A’s to a victory, because the Mariners earned a 6-4 win to safe a three-game sweep, however the echoing chants nonetheless meant rather a lot to the gamers who helped to shut out the top of an period.
Oakland Athletics’ Tyler Nevin, left, stands on the prime of the dugout with Joey Estes, proper, earlier than a baseball sport in opposition to the Seattle Mariners, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Picture/Lindsey Wasson)
Shortstop Nick Allen, who broke up Seattle starter Logan Gilbert’s excellent sport bid with a two-out single within the sixth inning, appreciated the magnitude of the second within the clubhouse after the sport.
“Ever since I’ve been alive, all I’ve known is Oakland A’s,” Allen stated. “So it’s going to be definitely different after this. But it was truly special to play in the last game with Oakland across the chest. And, you know, I couldn’t be more honored to be in this position. There’s definitely a lot of emotion.”
For the gamers, the possibility to play one ultimate sport as “Oakland” was a particular alternative, and the jerseys they wore on Sunday might be ones they treasure without end.
“I’ll hold on to mine for sure,” Brent Rooker stated. “That’ll be a pretty special thing for me to keep, and to always have. As far as the sentiment around the locker room now, I think it’s just a lot of it’s a lot of pride. It’s a lot of pride in how we’ve improved this year and how we’ve competed, and pride and how we’ve hopefully represented Oakland.”
Kotsay received’t be holding onto his “Oakland” jersey, however he’s acquired a reasonably good purpose for letting it go.
“I’ve been asked to give that jersey up to go to the Hall of Fame,” Kotsay stated. “I’m really honored to be able to do that, to be asked to do that.”
Oakland Athletics supervisor Mark Kotsay appears to be like out to the sphere throughout the first inning of a baseball sport in opposition to the Seattle Mariners, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Picture/Lindsey Wasson)
Although it was unhappy for the A’s to ponder the top of the A’s 57-year stint in Oakland, outfielder Seth Brown is glad that, on the very least, there may be some little bit of readability concerning the A’s future, although their future in Las Vegas continues to be a bit murky.
“The location of the stadium has always been one of those things where that’s above our pay grade,” Brown stated. “It’s above what we do, and those decisions aren’t made with the team, they’re made higher up than that. So I think for us, there’s just finally a decision made.”
Brown additionally plans to maintain his jersey, to recollect the place that has been his skilled dwelling for the previous six seasons.
“When you get to wear the green and gold, it’s a special thing,” Brown stated. “You’ve got to take pride in it every day. For me, it’s been the world for me, and it’s something I’ll hold onto forever.”
On the opposite facet of the diamond, the Mariners had been additionally in a reflective temper.
“It’s a little bit of history passing, in a way,” Mariners supervisor Dan Wilson stated. “I think anybody that’s around the game can appreciate the history of the game, and so when that begins to change, it does change something inside of you, too. So I know there’s going to be some reflection for sure today, as guys realize this is the last day for Oakland as well.”
Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger grew up within the South Bay and attended A’s video games as a child, and has loads of good recollections of his time there as each a fan and a participant.
“Going there as a kid and then being able to play there was a blessing. I just feel bad for the Oakland fan base, because we’d always look forward to playing Oakland,” Haniger stated. “Those fans are really enthusiastic and loyal, and it’s kind of a shame that the team will be leaving.”
Mariners starter Bryan Woo, an Oakland native, was glad that the crew acquired to finish issues fortunately in entrance of the house followers on Thursday.
“For me personally, so many memories there and I know for countless others, people who grew up enjoying baseball there, learning baseball there,” Woo stated. “Definitely glad they were able to go out on a win on a positive note, I think. It means a lot to the city and the fanbase.”
A’s followers acquired a thrill earlier than the sport when Corridor-of-Famer Rickey Henderson threw out the primary pitch, although the A’s legend did obtain some grief from the Oakland dugout for carrying a jersey that was half Oakland and half Mariners, in recognition of the one season Henderson spent with Seattle in 2000.
“It would’ve been cool if he had the Oakland jersey and not the Oakland/Seattle jersey,” Kotsay stated with a smirk. “I mean, he got a little grief from the dugout when he was out there too, which I think was well-deserved.”
One other thrill got here within the late innings, when the A’s rallied. Oakland fell behind 6-0 after Seattle plated 4 runs within the fifth, however scored two on a seventh-inning double from Tyler Nevin. The A’s added two extra within the prime of the ninth on a double from Darell Hernaiz.
However Troy Taylor ended the season and Oakland’s reign by hanging out Kyle McCann and Max Schuemann. Regardless of the loss, A’s followers stood and let unfastened with an emotional and poignant cheer for his or her squad
After the crew had retreated to the clubhouse, dozens of Oakland supporters stood within the stands behind the third-base dugout, soaking within the environment of the ballpark as one other chant echoed from the rafters.
“Let’s go Oakland.”
