Oakland is heading to the playoffs again.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Miguel Tejada was at a loss for words when he tried to talk to the Oakland fans after the Athletics repeated as AL West champions.

He looked down, then back up, and finally spoke.

Tejada, the reigning AL MVP who will become a free agent after the season, has insisted all year that the A’s are a team capable of reaching the World Series, and suddenly they have accomplished the first phase: reaching the playoffs.

“Thank you everybody,” he said, emotion evident. “I’ve appreciated everything you’ve been doing for me and I’m happy for this team and really happy for you guys. We did it for you.”

The A’s clinched the AL West with a dramatic 4-3, 10-inning win over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night, combined with Anaheim’s 2-1 win over second-place Seattle in 11 innings in a game that finished about 20 minutes later.

Then, the party started.

“I hope you guys are ready for us to do something we haven’t done the last couple years, and that’s win a championship,” pitcher Tim Hudson said. “Maybe this is the year we stumble to the finish line and win it all.”

Adam Melhuse singled past shortstop Alex Rodriguez to drive in the winning run for Oakland, which is in the postseason for the fourth straight year. The A’s, who have lost in the first round of the playoffs the past three seasons, trailed Seattle by as many as eight games this year.

Oakland players charged onto the field to surround Melhuse, a late-inning defensive replacement, and then stuck around to watch Seattle’s game, which was tied in extra innings. Anaheim’s Tim Salmon got the second-biggest ovation of the night, behind Melhuse, when he homered in the 11th.

“This was fun,” A’s general manager Billy Beane said. “The night had the right feel to it. It’s pretty special. I’m the biggest Tim Salmon fan right now.”

Most of the crowd of 23,211 had stayed to watch the end of Seattle’s game on the big video screens in the outfield. They got to watch the A’s celebrate in the clubhouse from their seats. Many players eventually came out of the dugout to salute the crowd, doing a victory lap and high-fiving fans.

“We’re going do this a couple more times,” first-year manager Ken Macha said.

Players were sitting in the A’s clubhouse, relaxing and playing cards. When Salmon hit a drive to deep left, they all rose almost in unison. When the ball cleared the fence, the champagne celebration began.

Equipment manager Steve Vucinich hung plastic in the clubhouse two different times to protect the players’ things – not knowing until the very end whether there would be a celebration on this night.

“We’re fighting,” said Tejada, who had a hit and several defensive gems. “We kept fighting to win the game and that’s why we’re here. I’m real proud.”

Jermaine Dye had driven in the tying run for Oakland with a double to the gap in right-center in the ninth after Todd Greene’s solo homer off closer Keith Foulke in the top of the inning put Texas ahead 3-2.

Foulke (9-1) pitched two innings for the win, and Francisco Cordero (5-8) blew his AL-high 10th save.

“Those guys put on an exhibition tonight on how to win a game,” Rodriguez said.

Erubiel Durazo tied his career high with four hits. Durazo set up the winning run with one-out single off the wall in right-center, then stole second, his first steal this season.

Eric Chavez hit an RBI double and Ramon Hernandez singled in the other run for Oakland, which took a 2-0 lead in the fourth before the Rangers came back.

The A’s put runners on first and second with one out in the eighth after Brian Shouse entered and immediately gave up a single to Durazo and a walk to Chavez, but Tejada grounded into a double play.

Beane assured Macha earlier Tuesday that this would be Oakland’s big day.

“I told him at lunch that we were going to do it,” Beane said. “He was getting so wired by waiting.”

Now the A’s have to wait a week to start the season they really care about.

Notes: The A’s won their 13th division title and third in four years. … Texas OF Laynce Nix has a deep bone bruise on his right shin after fouling a ball off his leg Monday night. He is using crutches and doesn’t expect to play again this season. … Drese threw 96 pitches, 62 strikes. He hasn’t won since April 30 at Toronto, a string of seven outings (some in relief). … Durazo also had four hits against Philadelphia on May 17 last year.

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