Wyatt Langford and Adolis García hit home runs to lead the Texas Rangers to a 5-1 victory over the Oakland Athletics, marking the last scheduled night game at the Oakland Coliseum on Wednesday.
A lively crowd of 35,270 attended on a chilly late September evening, frequently chanting “Sell the team!” to owner John Fisher. The A’s have played at the Coliseum since 1968 and are set to move to Sacramento for at least three seasons while waiting for a new stadium planned in Las Vegas.
Before the game, a tribute video to the Coliseum played on the big screen, and the grounds crew wrote “Thank You Oakland” in the outfield grass for the final series.
Fireworks went off in the parking lot after the game as fans stayed inside as long as they could, enjoying the music and wanting to hold on to this special venue.
Oakland manager Mark Kotsay and his wife Jamie walked together to the outfield, where he once played for the A’s. He waved and tipped his cap to the remaining fans, hugged grounds crew members, took photos, and signed autographs.
Security will be increased for Thursday afternoon’s sold-out finale. Kotsay felt there was no need for a public speech, choosing instead to let the team’s performance honor the fans.
Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, who has a long history in San Francisco, appreciated the nostalgic atmosphere.
“It’s going to be crazy out here, sold out,” Bochy said. “And tonight, you saw the noise and the banging of the drums. This is what I’m used to coming here. It’s a fun environment. I think the guys are enjoying it.”
