OAKLAND, Calif. — The Oakland Athletics played flawless defense to back their impeccable pitching. They were smart on the basepaths, with none of the blunders that so defined all of the club's first-round flops from earlier this decade.

The balanced roster that general manager Billy Beane upgraded last winter to contend this year is headed to the AL championship series — and the A's sure made it look easy with a sweep of the Minnesota Twins.

Milton Bradley homered and threw out Torii Hunter in a disputed play at the plate as the A's snapped a stretch of nine straight losses in potential playoff clinchers, beating Minnesota 8-3 Friday to reach the ALCS for the first time in 14 years.

Oakland never trailed in finishing off the Twins in three games and will face either the Detroit Tigers or New York Yankees starting Tuesday night.

"It's not only that we were having trouble doing it, we haven't done it," Beane said of getting past the first round. "The best team in the league, the New York Yankees, won the most games but even they have to start over in the playoffs."

Marco Scutaro doubled twice and tied an A's postseason record with four RBIs and Eric Chavez homered as Oakland won a playoff series for the first time since 1990.

Dan Haren escaped two early jams to win in his first postseason start and the A's avoided all of the gaffes that led to their previous postseason problems. And when closer Huston Street got Luis Castillo to fly out to end it, they rushed onto the field for a big group hug.

"Whoever said we couldn't get to the next level, they ain't celebrating here like we are," first baseman Nick Swisher said.

Minnesota, meanwhile, again had trouble — even the usually reliable Hunter, a five-time Gold Glove winner.

After his ill-advised dive led to Mark Kotsay's tiebreaking, inside-the-park homer in Game 2, Hunter got thrown out in a key sixth-inning play Friday.

Down 4-1, the Twins were rallying when Rondell White hit an RBI single — Minnesota's only clutch hit of the series. The speedy Hunter also tried to score on the play and Bradley made a strong throw home. Hunter attempted to avoid catcher Jason Kendall's tag and reach the plate with his left hand, but plate umpire Mike Everitt called him out.

Hunter and Twins manager Ron Gardenhire argued to no avail, leaving the Twins trailing 4-2. Hunter said afterward that Kendall never tagged him.

"It was tough to swallow watching those guys celebrate," Hunter said. "We got outplayed. Simple as that. When I saw them jumping up and down it was tough but they deserved it. They outplayed us. I hate it. We hate it. It stunk."

Tigers 6, Yankees 0

DETROIT — They're both on the brink.

On one side, there's the Detroit Tigers. With a win on Saturday they would pack up their bats and head to Oakland for the AL championship series, an unexpected step in an unexpected season.

On the other, the New York Yankees. A loss in Game 4 and baseball's $200 million super squad, with its 21st century Murderers' Row and All-Stars all over the diamond, would be done for the year, embarrassed by a team it figured to steamroll on its way to winning another World Series.

For one, October holds more promise. The other's days are numbered.

"(Saturday) is the whole season," said Alex Rodriguez, the Yankees' slumping third baseman. "Nothing else matters. We have to go out and win a game."

The Tigers, just a few seasons removed from 119 losses, have the same attitude.

"A lot of people may have had us like David versus Goliath or whatever," said Game 3 winner Kenny Rogers. "But I think we all felt like we had a chance."

On Friday night, Rogers gave the Tigers hope and the game of his postseason life, throwing 7 2/3 shutout innings to lead the Tigers to a 6-0 win over New York and a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series.