VS.
David Cone started game two, but I was more excited about my boy John Olerud's first World Series game. Carter in left, Winfield in right. The starting first basemen was my favourite. The starting pitcher, meanwhile, joined the Jays in August and pitched well, winning 4 regular season games and another in the ALCS.
For the Braves, one of the their more colourful (and controversial) players, Deion Sanders took over in left for Ron Gant. Sanders, of course was with the NFL's at the time.
But the real story for me early on was the Braves' starter, John Smoltz, pitching like a 10 year veteran. But John had only having played half that time.
And he was making quick work of my Jays: White, Carter, Winfield, Olerud (on a beauty breaking ball) and Gruber, all struck out!
The Jays could do nothing with Smoltz meanwhile. It was getting so bad that Cone, who singled, had gotten the Jays first hit.
After Cone escaped a jam in the bottom of the frame, Alomar tied the game thanks to Smoltz's wildness.
At least that's what I think.
Alomar led off the second with a walk. Robbie made it to second on a wild pitch. A Winfield groundout put Alomar on third.
Finally!
Smoltz's first pitch to my boy, Olerud, isn't handled by Berryhill. The ball bounces 15 feet to Damon's right, Alomar comes charging in...
...Berryhill gets the ball...
...tosses to Smoltz...
...Alomar slides under Smoltz, crosses the plate before the tag...
...this blogger (who was 12 at the time) pumps his fist, 1-1...
...home plate ump Mike Reilly calls him out! Huh? 1-0, still!
The Braves added to the lead in the bottom of the frame as Mark Lemke drove in Bream.
In the top of the 5th, my boy, Olerud pushed Justice way back for a flyball out. Gruber then grounded out.
Something had to be done.
So Cito Gaston trots out of the dugout and complains about this white bandage on Smoltz’s arm.
Hey, so that’s why the Jays have been having all these problems!
Smoltz removes it.
Borders walks.
Lee singles.
Cone makes it 2 for 2 (and becomes the first pitcher since Mickey Lolich in game 2 of the 1968 World Series) with a single to center to cut the lead in half.
White then beats out and infield chopper to score Lee, 2-2!
The fun times don’t last, however.
Deion Sanders, after Otis Nixon struck out, singled off Cone. This continues the two-sports star's mastery on his old National League friend (7 for 13 lifetime at this point). Of course, he stole second. Worse, when Borders’ throw went into center, Sanders was on third. Pendleton walked. First and third.
But not for long as Justice singled Sanders home. 3-2, and Atlanta wasn’t through. Pendleton made it to third on the play. When David Wells (who relived Cone) gave up a single to Brian Hunter, the Braves were back on top by 2!
Wells even walked Jeff Blauser before settling down. Finally getting the Jays out of that inning. Boomer then followed it up with a 1-2-3 6th.
The Jays though, were back on the "Can’t-Solve-Smoltz mode." Guess that bandage wasn’t the only problem!
Borders hit a double in the 7th, and even made it to third on another Smoltz wild pitch. Alas, Maldonado, hitting for Wells, went down on strikes.
After Todd Stottlemyre held the Braves in check in the bottom of the frame, White led off the eight with a fly to fly ball out to center. But then Alomar hit a low Smoltz offering the other way for a double down the left field line.
Carter hit a single, which Alomar had to wait on to make sure it made it out of the infield. Winfield hit a bouncer that made it out of the infield for a single, scoring Alomar and sending Carter to third!
Exit Smoltz, enter Mike Stanton. The big intimidating lefty was in to face Olerud.
Olerud popped out, but Stanton would quickly be replaced by Jeff Reardon.
Reardon, I had watched get a save against the Jays on June 13th of that year. It was career save #341, tying him with Rollie Fingers for the all-time career saves list leader. Two days later against New York, he passed Fingers.
The Braves got him in a one-sided deal on August 30, and Jeff had 27 saves on the season at that time. Reardon also had 354 lifetime saves at the time.
By the time he finished the season, he would have 30 saves on the season and 357 lifetime. He won 3 games for Altanta, as well. He was two saves ahead of Lee Smith, who also passed Fingers and finished that year with 43 saves. Dennis Eckersley, who finished the year with 51 saves, had only 239 career-wise at this point.
What about Rivera, you ask? Mariano Rivera was pitching in the minors for For Lauderdale in 1992, and hadn't reached the majors yet!
But Reardon’s ERA during his tenure with Atlanta was low, 1.15, and in the playoffs, he hadn’t as much given up a hit in 3 innings (3 games) in the NLCS. Hence the name, "The Terminator." Which, by the way, was also Tom Henke's nickname.
I'll have to deal with two closers with the same nickname? This was not going to be easy!
Gruber stepped in with a .500 (6-12) batting average lifetime vs. Reardon.
Reardon threw in inside curve way inside with the count 1-2, Gruber took it.
And was called out on strikes!
After Duane Ward (Brave at one time, traded for Doyle Alexander, who was then traded for Smoltz) pitched a scoreless bottom of the eight, Derek Bell pinch-hit for Lee to lead off the ninth.
After a long plate appearance, Bell drew a walk after fouling off two or Reardon’s 2 strike pitches. Bell appeared to have struck out at one point, but Reilly (Makeup call?) called it a ball.
Next was Ed Sprague, the backup catcher and another pinch hitter (for Ward).
There was something about backup catchers that postseason. Francisco Cabrera had played in only 12 games all year for the Braves, yet knocked in the tying and winning run in game 7 of the NLCS. Oh yeah, it was in the ninth inning, no less. Cabrera’s position? Backup catcher.
Berryhill in game 1, remember, backup catcher!
Ed Sprague had played in just 22 games all year. Backup catcher! See where I’m heading?
Could lightning strike three times in the same place (Yup, Fulton County Stadium)?
Readon’s first pitch was…a batting practice fastball!
Sprague smashed in over Sanders head and into the stands! 5-4 Jays!
So Derek Bell was Sarah Connor and Ed Sprague was Kyle Reese. Or the other way around! In an event, the Jays had stopped the Terminator from putting the Jays down 2-0 in the Series.
But the other Terminator (Guess we gotta call Henke, The T-1000!) was in to say, “Hasta La Vista” to the Braves.
And it would not be without a fight!
Lemke flew out, but Lonnie Smith was hit by a pitch. Ron Gant got into the game and ran for Smith, but Nixon lined out. One out to go!
But Gant again stole second, and Sanders fouled off three two strike pitches before drawing a walk.
Oh no. Terry Pendleton is up.
Pendleton’s batting average with runners in scoring position in the 1992 regular season? .391! Add to that 8 home runs and 86 RBI under those conditions.
First pitch…Pop up in foul territory, Gruber snares it, and adds an explanation mark to this big win.
A mock tomahawk chop!
Series tied 1-1!
Back to my Canadian Flag, which is upright!
References
Gamester, George, and Gerald Hall. On Top Of The World: The Toronto Stars Tribute To The '92 Blue Jays. Doubleday Canada, 1992. Print.
Kostel, Mike and Rich Domich, directors. 1992 World Series. Performance by Lou Carlou, Major League Baseball Productions, 1992. World Series Film. DVD.
Kostel, Mike and Rich Domich, directors. 1992 World Series. Performance by Lou Carlou, Major League Baseball Productions, 1992. World Series Film. DVD.
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Retrosheet. Web. 19 Oct. 2012. <www.retrosheet.org>Sports Reference LLC. "(title of a particular page or blank for general citation)." Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 19 Oct 2012.
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