View source for 1990 American League Championship Series

{{Short description|22nd edition of Major League Baseball's American League Championship Series}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2013}}
{{Infobox LCS
  | alcs = yes
  | image =1990_ALCS_logo.gif
  | year = 1990
  | champion = [[1990 Oakland Athletics season|Oakland Athletics]] (4)
  | champion_manager = [[Tony La Russa]]
  | champion_games = 103–59, .636, GA: 9
  | runnerup = [[1990 Boston Red Sox season|Boston Red Sox]] (0)
  | runnerup_manager = [[Joe Morgan (manager)|Joe Morgan]]
  | runnerup_games = 88–74, .543, GA: 2
  | date = October 6–10
  | MVP = [[Dave Stewart (baseball)|Dave Stewart]] (Oakland)
  | television = [[Major League Baseball on CBS|CBS]]
  | announcers = [[Dick Stockton]] and [[Jim Kaat]]
  | radio_network = [[Major League Baseball on CBS Radio|CBS]]
  | radio_announcers = [[Jim Hunter (sports broadcaster)|Jim Hunter]] and [[Johnny Bench]]
  | umpires = [[Rich Garcia]] <small>(crew chief)</small><br>[[John Hirschbeck]]<br>[[Jim Evans (umpire)|Jim Evans]]<br>[[Terry Cooney]]<br>[[Vic Voltaggio]]<br>[[Larry McCoy (umpire)|Larry McCoy]]
}}
The '''1990 [[American League Championship Series]]''' was a best-of-seven series in [[Major League Baseball]]'s [[1990 Major League Baseball postseason|1990 postseason]] that matched the [[American League East|East Division]] champion [[1990 Boston Red Sox season|Boston Red Sox]] against the [[American League West|West Division]] champion [[1990 Oakland Athletics season|Oakland Athletics]]. For the second time in three years, the Athletics swept the Red Sox four games to none. The sweep was capped by a [[Roger Clemens]] ejection in Game 4 for arguing balls and strikes. The Athletics would go on to lose to the [[Cincinnati Reds]] in the [[1990 World Series]] in a four-game sweep.

This was the last pennant ever won by the Athletics during their time in Oakland, as the team would move to [[Oakland Athletics relocation to Las Vegas|Las Vegas]].

==Background==
The Athletics finished the regular season with the best record in baseball, at 103–59 (.636), easily winning their third consecutive [[American League West]] division title by nine games over the [[1990 Chicago White Sox season|Chicago White Sox]]. By contrast, the Red Sox ended the season with a record of 88–74 (.543), finishing two games ahead of the [[1990 Toronto Blue Jays season|Toronto Blue Jays]], and claiming their third [[American League East]] division title in five years.

==Summary==

===Boston Red Sox vs. Oakland Athletics===
{{MLB Playoff Summary
| summary =
| winner = Oakland
| score = 4–0
| score1 = '''Oakland Athletics''' – 9, Boston Red Sox – 1
| date1 = October 6
| loc1 = [[Fenway Park]]
| time1 = 3:26
| att1 = 35,192
| ref1 = <ref name="Game1">{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1990/B10060BOS1990.htm|title=1990 ALCS Game 1 - Oakland Athletics vs. Boston Red Sox|access-date=September 13, 2009|publisher=Retrosheet}}</ref>
| score2 = '''Oakland Athletics''' – 4, Boston Red Sox – 1
| date2 = October 7
| loc2 = Fenway Park
| time2 = 3:42
| att2 = 35,070
| ref2 = <ref name="Game2">{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1990/B10070BOS1990.htm|title=1990 ALCS Game 2 - Oakland Athletics vs. Boston Red Sox|access-date=September 13, 2009|publisher=Retrosheet}}</ref>
| score3 = Boston Red Sox – 1, '''Oakland Athletics''' – 4
| date3 = October 9
| loc3 = [[McAfee Coliseum|Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum]]
| time3 = 2:47
| att3 = 49,026
| ref3 = <ref name="Game3">{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1990/B10090OAK1990.htm|title=1990 ALCS Game 3 - Boston Red Sox vs. Oakland Athletics|access-date=September 13, 2009|publisher=Retrosheet}}</ref>
| score4 = Boston Red Sox – 1, '''Oakland Athletics''' – 3
| date4 = October 10
| loc4 = Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
| time4 = 3:02
| att4 = 49,052
| ref4 = <ref name="Game4">{{cite web|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1990/B10100OAK1990.htm|title=1990 ALCS Game 4 - Boston Red Sox vs. Oakland Athletics|access-date=September 13, 2009|publisher=Retrosheet}}</ref>
}}

==Game summaries==
{{editorial|section|date=January 2016}}
===Game 1===
Saturday, October 6, 1990, at [[Fenway Park]] in [[Boston, Massachusetts]]
{{Linescore|
|Road='''Oakland'''|RoadAbr=OAK
|R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=1|R8=1|R9=7|RR=9|RH=13|RE=0
|Home=Boston|HomeAbr=BOS
|H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=1|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=0|HR=1|HH=5|HE=1
|RSP=|HSP=
|WP=[[Dave Stewart (baseball)|Dave Stewart]] (1–0)|LP=[[Larry Andersen]] (0–1)|SV=
|RoadHR=|HomeHR=[[Wade Boggs]] (1)
|}}

The opening game of the series saw a battle of aces, as Oakland sent [[Dave Stewart (baseball)|Dave Stewart]] to the hill against Boston's [[Roger Clemens]]. The game was a scoreless pitchers' duel until the bottom of the fourth, when Red Sox third baseman [[Wade Boggs]] launched a home run off Stewart. Despite mounting scoring threats in each of the next two innings, the Athletics failed to deliver against the "Rocket."

The shot by Boggs turned out to be the only home run in the 1990 ALCS.

Oakland finally came through in the seventh, when [[Larry Andersen]] replaced Clemens on the mound. Andersen walked [[Mark McGwire]], who then was [[force play|forced out]] at second by the next batter, [[Walt Weiss]]. A single by pinch-hitter [[Jamie Quirk]] moved Weiss to third, and he came home on a [[sacrifice fly]] by [[Rickey Henderson]]. In the eighth, the A's took the lead via [[small ball (baseball)|small ball]], as [[José Canseco]] singled, was [[sacrifice bunt|sacrificed]] over to second by [[Harold Baines]], stole third, and then plated on a single by [[Carney Lansford]].

In the ninth, the wheels came off for the Red Sox bullpen, as Oakland blew the game wide open by erupting for seven runs, a historic distinction done only twice before in the postseason and the first in [[1970 American League Championship Series#Game 2|twenty years]]. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/astros-seven-run-9th-inning-in-2021-alcs-game-4|title=Wild stats from Astros' 7-run 9th in Game 4|website=[[MLB.com]] }}</ref> Henderson led the way with a two-run single and a stolen base, [[Terry Steinbach]] and [[Willie Randolph]] added RBI base hits, and Canseco chipped in with a sacrifice fly. With the game now far from a save situation, A's closer [[Dennis Eckersley]] shut Boston down in the bottom half of the inning. giving Oakland a 9–1 victory and a 1–0 series lead.

===Game 2===
Sunday, October 7, 1990, at [[Fenway Park]] in [[Boston, Massachusetts]]
{{Linescore|
|Road='''Oakland'''|RoadAbr=OAK
|R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=1|R5=0|R6=0|R7=1|R8=0|R9=2|RR=4|RH=13|RE=1
|Home=Boston|HomeAbr=BOS
|H1=0|H2=0|H3=1|H4=0|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=0|HR=1|HH=6|HE=0
|RSP=|HSP=
|WP=[[Bob Welch (baseball)|Bob Welch]] (1–0)|LP=[[Greg A. Harris|Greg Harris]] (0–1)|SV=[[Dennis Eckersley]] (1)
|RoadHR=|HomeHR=
|}}

Game 2 saw the A's [[Bob Welch (baseball)|Bob Welch]], the eventual 1990 American League [[Cy Young Award]] winner, take on Boston's [[Dana Kiecker]]. The Red Sox struck against Welch in the third, as [[Luis Rivera (infielder)|Luis Rivera]] doubled, took third on a [[Jody Reed]] grounder, and scored on a sacrifice fly by [[Carlos Quintana (baseball)|Carlos Quintana]]. Oakland got the run back the very next half-inning, however, as [[Willie McGee]] doubled and scored on a single by Baines.

In the sixth, Boston manager [[Joe Morgan (manager)|Joe Morgan]] pulled Kiecker in favor of the bullpen, and as they had in Game 1, the A's went to work. [[Mike Gallego]] and Rickey Henderson ripped consecutive singles, and McGee forced Henderson, moving Gallego to third. He came home on a groundout by Baines, giving the A's a 2–1 advantage. In the ninth, the Athletics extended their lead to three runs, courtesy of an RBI double by Baines and a run-scoring single by McGwire. Eckersley worked a 1–2–3 ninth to secure his first save of the series, and Oakland carried a 2–0 ALCS lead back to the [[McAfee Coliseum|Coliseum]].

===Game 3===
Tuesday, October 9, 1990, at [[McAfee Coliseum|Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum]] in [[Oakland, California]]
{{Linescore|
|Road=Boston|RoadAbr=BOS
|R1=0|R2=1|R3=0|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|RR=1|RH=8|RE=3
|Home='''Oakland'''|HomeAbr=OAK
|H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=2|H5=0|H6=2|H7=0|H8=0|H9=X|HR=4|HH=6|HE=0
|RSP=|HSP=
|WP=[[Mike Moore (baseball)|Mike Moore]] (1–0)|LP=[[Mike Boddicker]] (0–1)|SV=[[Dennis Eckersley]] (2)
|RoadHR=|HomeHR=
|}}

For Game 3 in Oakland, the Red Sox threw [[Mike Boddicker]], who had been the [[1983 American League Championship Series|1983 ALCS]] MVP with the [[Baltimore Orioles]], against the Athletics' [[Mike Moore (baseball)|Mike Moore]]. In the second, the Red Sox drew first blood when [[Mike Greenwell]] walked, moved up to third on a single by [[Dwight Evans (Baseball)|Dwight Evans]], and came home on a sacrifice fly by [[Tom Brunansky]]. Boston continued to lead until the bottom of the fourth, when the A's struck for two runs. Canseco and Baines both got on base and then executed a double steal, enabling Canseco to subsequently score on a [[Dave Henderson]] sacrifice fly and Baines to eventually plate on a single by Randolph.

In the sixth, Oakland added a pair of runs to their lead thanks to some shoddy fielding by the Red Sox. An error by Rivera on a ground ball allowed Baines to reach base, take second on a fly out by McGwire, then move to third when Dave Henderson was forced out by Steinbach. An RBI single by Randolph scored Baines and moved Steinbach to third. Steinbach then boldly tried to steal home and was gunned down, but an error by his Boston counterpart [[Tony Peña]] resulted in another run. In the ninth, Eckersley picked up his second save as the A's took a 3–0 stranglehold on the series.

===Game 4===
Wednesday, October 10, 1990, at [[McAfee Coliseum|Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum]] in [[Oakland, California]]
{{Linescore|
|Road=Boston|RoadAbr=BOS
|R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=1|RR=1|RH=4|RE=1
|Home='''Oakland'''|HomeAbr=OAK
|H1=0|H2=3|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=X|HR=3|HH=6|HE=0
|RSP=|HSP=
|WP=[[Dave Stewart (baseball)|Dave Stewart]] (2–0)|LP=[[Roger Clemens]] (0–1)|SV=[[Rick Honeycutt]] (1)
|RoadHR=|HomeHR=
|}}

The fourth game was a pitching rematch of Game 1, as Stewart again faced Clemens. In the bottom of the second, the "Rocket" gave up consecutive singles to Lansford and Steinbach, and both advanced one base due to a throwing error by Greenwell. McGwire then forced Steinbach, driving in Lansford with the first run of the game.

Randolph was the next batter, and when home plate umpire [[Terry Cooney]] adjudged Clemens' fifth pitch to him to be ball four, the Red Sox ace lost his composure, letting loose a stream of profanities. Although Clemens later claimed he was talking to his glove, Cooney assumed the comments were directed at him and promptly ejected Clemens from the game.  Video evidence posted on YouTube shows [[Clemens]] looking at and talking directly to Cooney.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtQoEA6GpPA  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/wtQoEA6GpPA |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Roger Clemens ejected from playoff game 1990 |date=August 6, 2015 |access-date=October 22, 2018 |website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Boston manager [[Joe Morgan (manager)|Joe Morgan]] and Clemens fiercely argued the call. The Red Sox bench also exploded, with Clemens' teammates hurling water coolers and litter onto the field. In the end, Clemens and [[Marty Barrett (second baseman)|Marty Barrett]] were thrown out; an angry Barrett was ejected by throwing things onto the field.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE2DD103FF932A25753C1A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1|title=The Playoffs: Sox Complain as Clemens Is Biggest Out|date=October 11, 1990|access-date=February 14, 2008|work=The New York Times|author=Smith, Claire}}</ref>

The ejection proved to be the turning point of the game, as Gallego proceeded to belt a double to center field off Clemens' replacement, [[Tom Bolton (baseball)|Tom Bolton]], scoring both McGwire and Randolph. The Red Sox briefly mounted a last-ditch rally in the top of the ninth, scoring a single run courtesy of an [[Ellis Burks]] double and a single by [[Jody Reed]], but Athletics reliever [[Rick Honeycutt]] got Greenwell to ground out, handing Oakland its third straight American League pennant. 

This was Oakland's last postseason series win until [[2006 Major League Baseball postseason|2006]]. This was also the last pennant ever won by the Athletics during their time in Oakland, as the team would move to [[Oakland Athletics relocation to Las Vegas|Las Vegas]].

==Composite box==
1990 ALCS '''(4–0): [[Oakland Athletics]]''' over [[Boston Red Sox]]
{{Linescore
|Road='''[[Oakland Athletics]]'''
|R1=0|R2=3|R3=0|R4=3|R5=0|R6=2|R7=2|R8=1|R9=9|RR=20|RH=38|RE=1
|Home='''[[Boston Red Sox]]'''
|H1=0|H2=1|H3=1|H4=1|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=1|HR=4|HH=23|HE=5
|TotalAttendance=168,340 |AveAttendance=42,085
}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1990_ALCS.shtml 1990 ALCS at Baseball-Reference]

{{1990 MLB Playoffs navbox}}
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[[Category:American League Championship Series]]
[[Category:1990 Major League Baseball season|American League Championship Series]]
[[Category:Oakland Athletics postseason]]
[[Category:Boston Red Sox postseason]]
[[Category:1990 in sports in California|American League Championship Series]]
[[Category:1990 in sports in Massachusetts|American League Championship Series]]
[[Category:1990 in Boston|American League Championship Series]]
[[Category:Baseball competitions in Boston]]
[[Category:1990s in Oakland, California]]
[[Category:October 1990 sports events in the United States|American League Championship Series]]
[[Category:Baseball competitions in Oakland, California]]