ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- In a precautionary move made as Hurricane Gordon took aim on Florida's Gulf Coast, Sunday's game between the Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Devil Rays was postponed.

The Athletics left town by charter flight soon after Saturday's 5-2 victory over Tampa Bay. The main impact of the storm was supposed to hit early Sunday, with forecasters predicting maybe more than 10 inches or rain.

If necessary, the Athletics-Devil Rays game was to be made up Oct. 2, the day after the regular season was scheduled to end. Oakland is tied with Cleveland for the AL wild-card spot.

"We thought from the safety standpoint, this was the smartest thing to do," Oakland general manager Billy Beane said. "We didn't want to be in a situation where we play tomorrow, get stuck here and miss Monday. We figured we might as well get out of here while we can. From the safety perspective, we didn't have much of a choice."

The decision to postpone the game was made by Devil Rays officials after consulting with representatives from the Pinellas County Emergency Services Operations Center, the commissioner's office and the Athletics.

The Athletics immediately left for a four-game series in Baltimore that starts Monday.

"I knew there was a good chance this was going to happen from everything I heard before the game," Oakland manager Art Howe said. "Now, it's have a safe flight to Baltimore and play."

The sudden change of plans was OK with Oakland DH Matt Stairs.

"I don't think it's going to hurt the team," Stairs said. "We played two good games here. That's fine. We'll go to Baltimore and have a day off. Some guys are banged up and need the rest."

Last September, the Athletics had two games at Baltimore postponed because of Hurricane Floyd.

"Two years in a row, that's unbelievable," Howe said.

After those two off-days, the Athletics won just four times in their next 11 games.

"Rest wise, yes (it's good)," Howe said. "But flow, no. When you got a good flow going, you really don't want them. Sometimes it turns you out of synch a little bit. You just have to be ready to go."

Oakland has won 10 of 13.

Tampa Bay has dropped a season-high seven straight games.

"It's probably a well-needed break right know," Tampa Bay manager Larry Rothschild said. "It certainly can't hurt. Hopefully some guys get some rest, come back and get our minds on what we need to do to finish up."

It's not the first time a major league game scheduled at a domed stadium has been postponed by weather.

Houston's game against Pittsburgh was called at the Astrodome on June 15, 1976, when the area was hit with as much as 10 inches of rain.

Howe, incidentally, said he was sent to the minors by the Astros the day of the so-called rain-in at the Astrodome.

"I'll always remember that day," Howe said.