Oakland finished the 1992 season with a 96–66 record (.593), clinching their fourth American League West title in five years by six games over the Minnesota Twins.
Although they were not playing that day, the Twins' 9–4 loss to the Chicago White Sox at home eliminated Minnesota from contention and gave the A's the crown.
Under the postseason format in effect since 1985, in cases where the division champions had identical records the determination of home field advantage reverted to the method used from 1969 through 1984.
A's closer Dennis Eckersley then shut down the Jays in the bottom half of the inning to preserve a 4–3 victory and give the Athletics a 1–0 lead in the series.
The A's avoided a shutout in the top of the ninth, when Rubén Sierra tripled and scored on a single by Baines, but that was all they could muster against Toronto closer Tom Henke.
Toronto struck in the second, when Winfield reached on an error by Athletics' third baseman Carney Lansford, moved to third on a wild pitch by Darling, and scored on a single by Candy Maldonado.
However, the very next inning, Maldonado hit a homer, and after Oakland manager Tony La Russa gave Darling the hook in the seventh, the Jays added two unearned runs due to an error by Lance Blankenship and a triple by Lee, making it a 5–2 game.
However, the Athletics came back in a big way with a five-run third and tacked on another run in the sixth when Sierra doubled Rickey Henderson home, giving Oakland a seemingly secure 6–1 advantage.
After the Jays had scored one run and had two men on base, La Russa sent in his closer, Dennis Eckersley, in hopes of preventing a huge rally by Toronto.
Roberto Alomar hit a high line drive to right field that disappeared behind the wall for a game-tying two-run home run.
In the third inning an error by Cone on a pickoff attempt proved costly, as Henderson advanced to 3rd and then scored on a single by Jerry Browne.
Toronto managed only one more run in the seventh when White singled Gruber home, and Stewart went the distance as the Athletics took a 6–2 victory and cut the Jays' advantage in the series to 3–2.
Locally, the series was called on CJCL-AM in Toronto by Tom Cheek and Jerry Howarth and KSFO-AM in Oakland by Bill King, Lon Simmons, and Ray Fosse.
Toronto signed Dave Stewart as a free agent from the Athletics during the offseason; he went 12–8 and was the American League Championship Series MVP the next year.