Reds @ Athletics ,
1990 World Series — Game 4
- Date: October 20, 1990
- Location: Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, CA
- Series: Cincinnati Reds led 3–0, needing one more win to complete a stunning upset sweep of the defending champion A’s.
🏟 How the game unfolded
- Early tension:
The game started as a pitchers’ duel between Dave Stewart (A’s) and José Rijo (Reds). Both traded scoreless innings through the early going. - 6th inning:
- Oakland finally broke through. With two outs, Willie McGee singled to right, scoring Carney Lansford to put the A’s ahead 1–0. It was their first lead in any game of the series.
- 8th inning:
- The Reds responded immediately. After two were out and nobody on, Barry Larkin singled and Herm Winningham followed with another single.
- José Rijo, the Reds pitcher, was due up, but manager Lou Piniella sent up pinch-hitter Glenn Braggs, who worked a walk to load the bases.
- Billy Hatcher then came up and drew a critical walk from Stewart to force in the tying run, 1–1.
- Paul O’Neill followed with a sharp grounder that A’s second baseman Mike Gallego couldn’t handle cleanly, allowing Winningham to score, putting the Reds up 2–1.
- 9th inning:
- Randy Myers, the Reds’ tough closer, came on to finish it off.
- With two outs, he faced Carney Lansford, who hit a pop fly to short right. Paul O’Neill settled under it — and caught it for the final out.
🏆 Final score:
Reds 2, Athletics 1
Cincinnati wins the series, 4–0, completing a shocking sweep over the heavily favored A’s.
⭐ Key performances:
- José Rijo: 8 innings, 2 hits, 1 run, 9 strikeouts, dominating a powerful Oakland lineup.
- Randy Myers: Earned the save with a scoreless 9th.
- Billy Hatcher: Capped an incredible World Series by setting a record with 7 consecutive hits earlier in the series and reaching base in this key rally.
