Bob Welch pitched in the Fall Classic in three different decades. You are in some pretty good company when you do that. Babe Ruth, Yogi Berra and Willie Mays come to my mind when I think of that. Despite that, Welch failed to win a World Series game.
As a rookie in 1978 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Welch got into game two of that year's World Series against the New York Yankees. And it finished with a legendary pitcher-batter confrontation with Mr. October himself!
Welch came in trying to close out a 4-3 lead for the Dodgers but with only one out and runners on first and second. Thumond Munson was retired on a flyball to right. Neither runner advanced. But up came Reggie Jackson, who had a knack for getting things done in the clutch. This was quite an at-bat.
The win gave Los Angeles a two games to zero lead in the 1978 Fall Classic. But New York won game three at home. So the fourth act would be very important.
In the bottom of the 8th inning, with the score tied 3-3, the Yankees against had runners on second and third. Again, there was just one out. Welch got Lou Pinella and Greg Nettles out to end that.
In the bottom of the 9th, with the score still tied at three, Welch got Chris Chambliss on strikes. Pinch hitter Jim Spencer also went down via the strikeout. Bucky Dent, whose dramatic three-run home run against the Red Sox helped the Yankees get here, was the third out.
With one out in the bottom of the 10th inning, Roy White drew a walk of Bob. When Munson was retired, things looked okay. But Reggie Jackson got his revenge with a single that sent White to second. Then Lou Pinella was the hero as stroked a single to centre to win the game for the Bronx Bombers.
New York took game five 12-2 and took the series lead as well. Welch would pitch game six.
In the top of the sixth inning, with the Yankees up 4-2 and a runner on second, Bob Welch came in in. There were two outs, but it was time for Bucky Dent to get some revenge of his own. His single to left scored a fifth New York run and the Yankees were starting to pull away. The next inning was Welch's last.
Roy White started things out with a walk. Munson fanned, but Jackson delivered again. Only this time, he really delivered. Launching a two-run home run, he effectively put this one out of reach. Welch got the next two batters out, but the game was now hopelessly lost by the Dodgers, 7-2. That would also be the final score as the Yankees won the 1978 World Series, 4 games to 2.
The same two teams would meet in the 1981 World Series. This time, it was the Yankees that won the first two games at home. In game three, Welch's Dodgers squeaked by, 5-4. Game four was again important.
And Welch was on the hill for it.
Bob started the game but got a warm greeting from the Yankees. Willie Randolph opened with a triple. Larry Milbourne's double scored him. Dave Winfield walked. Reggie Jackson singled to load 'em up. 16 pitches. Three hits. One walk. No one out.
Except Bob. His night was over. But Los Angeles came back to win the game 8-7. The 1981 World Series was tied. But with wins in games five and six, the Dodgers and Welch were winners! Interesting way to earn your first right, eh?
Seven years later, Welch was an Oakland Athletic. And the A's were around in October, against Welch's old team, Los Angeles. But going into game three of the 1988 World Series, the Athletics would need an effort from Bob. Having lost game one on Kirk Gibson's dramatic home run and then game two 6-0, they needed a turnaround at home. Welch helped them get the job done.
Steve Sax led off the game for the Dodgers with a single, but Welch bore down and struck out the next four batters. With two down in the second, the ever-so-resilant Dodgers got a hit and a walk, but Welch got out of their without a run scoring. By fanning Alfredo Griffin, Bob had five strikeouts in two innings. Who is he here? Sandy Koufax and Bob Gibson?
Welch then settled down and finally got a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the third. Along the way, he picked up his sixth K. The A's helped out Bob in the bottom of the frame by getting a single, a stolen base and another single by Ron Hassey to score a run.
Now with a 1-0 lead, Welch went back to the K's. He got two in the top of the fourth, but John Shelby singled, and stole second. When Mike Davis flied out with only one out, the Dodgers had a chance to tie it. That's when Welch K'd his second batter of the frame, Mike Scioscia to end the inning. Alas, Bob would not be so lucky the next inning. Tim Leary's pitching was keeping Los Angeles right in the thick of things, and the Dodgers weren't about to go away quietly here.
In the top of the 5th inning, Jeff Hamilton led off with a single of Bob. Griffin bunted him to second. Steve Sax grounded out, Hamilton staying on second. Welch seemed safe. But a clutch double by Franklin Stubbs tied things. That was all Los Angeles would get off Bob, but the next inning would finish him off for good in the 1988 World Series.
Danny Heep hit a leadoff double on Welch's first pitch of the 6th inning. John Shelby singled through the hole in short, but Heep had to make sure that it made it through. So he only made it to third, but Shelby made it to second. Little to no chance for the double play, now.
And when Mike Davis walked, it was bases loaded with nobody out. It was also the end of the road for Bobby. It looked like Los Angeles was going to get at least a run or two here.
But Greg Cadaret and Gene Nelson somehow combined to pitch Oakland out of the jam. For good measure, the once-inspired Dodgers were left bewildered at the bullpen of the Athletics the rest of the way. Los Angeles managed to hang on until the bottom of the ninth, but Mark McGwire's solo home run off Jay Howell ended the well-pitched affair. The 2-1 Athletic win proved to be the only game Oakland managed to pull out in the 1988 Fall Classic. It would also prove to be the only game Bob pitched in the Fall Classic that year.
The next year, Welch went 17-8 with an ERA of 3.00. And it helped Oakland win the west for another shot at postseason glory. Welch went 1-1 in the ALCS vs. Toronto. The loss in game three proved to be the only blemish on Welch's or Oakland's playoffs that year. They went on to sweep San Francisco in a very one-sided affair. But no one will remember that. What they remember is the quake before game three. The delay (of twelve days) enabled Dave Stewart to pitch again for Oakland. Stew had started game one. Welch never got to pitch in the 1989 World Series, which Oakland won in four straight.
The third straight World Series for Oakland was not the charm. The second one had been. Oakland was back in 1990 and Welch did get to pitch. But the surprising Cincinnatti Reds had some tricks up their sleeves.
Dave Steward took a rare postseason loss in game one. Welch, with a game two win in the ALCS vs. Boston, was hoping to do the same here and square it. For a while it looked like he had it!
Oakland scored once in the top of the first inning, but the Reds scored twice in the bottom of the frame. In the third, the big bats of the A's made their big move!
Jose Canseco blasted a home run to tie it. Shaken by that, Cincy starter Danny Jackson gave up a single to Mark McGwire and a walk to Dave Henderson. Another walk to Willie Randolph and the bases were loaded. There was only one out and Jackson needed a double play. Cincinatti didn't get it. Catcher Ron Hassey lined out to left, but McGwire tagged and scored. Oakland didn't stop there. Mike Gallego singled to score Henderson and the A's were up 4-2. Welch himself was the last out of the inning. But Jackson was out of the game himself.
Cincinatti would not be denied on this day however. Pinch hitter Ron Oester singled to center in the bottom of the fourth to score score catcher Joe Oliver. 4-3, Oakland. Welch though, seemed to settle down after that.
Bill Hatcher singled to start the bottom of the fifth for the Reds, but he was later picked off by Welch, who retired the other two batters of the inning. The sixth inning saw Bob Welch retire Cincy in order. It was more of the same in the seventh as Welch had a 1-2-3 inning.
But Hatcher led off the bottom of the 8th with a triple. Bob walked Paul O'Neill. Eric Davis was retired on a flyball to short right. Hatcher did not score and O'Neill did not make it to second. Welch, though, had faced his last batter. Cincinatti would score that inning to tie it. Three straight singles off Dennis Eckersley in the bottom of the tenth inning made the Reds winners, 5-4.
Cincinatti routed Mike Moore and the A's 8-3 in game three to put Oakland on the brink. They then edged Stewart 2-1 in game four to complete an stunning sweep. Bob Welch would never make it back to the World Series.
With Welch's passing five days ago, it brought with it some great memories of the Fall Classic. From Jackson going down on K's, to McGwire winning it with a walk-off, to Cincinatti's last World Series win. Welch was the common denominator for those. The World Series has had many players that happened to be there for more than one moment, and Welch got to be there for three! While he may not have won a World Series game, he ended his career with two Fall Classic wins with two different teams.
Brenner, Richard J. The World Series: The Great Contests. East End Publishing, 1989. Print.
As a rookie in 1978 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Welch got into game two of that year's World Series against the New York Yankees. And it finished with a legendary pitcher-batter confrontation with Mr. October himself!
Welch came in trying to close out a 4-3 lead for the Dodgers but with only one out and runners on first and second. Thumond Munson was retired on a flyball to right. Neither runner advanced. But up came Reggie Jackson, who had a knack for getting things done in the clutch. This was quite an at-bat.
The win gave Los Angeles a two games to zero lead in the 1978 Fall Classic. But New York won game three at home. So the fourth act would be very important.
In the bottom of the 8th inning, with the score tied 3-3, the Yankees against had runners on second and third. Again, there was just one out. Welch got Lou Pinella and Greg Nettles out to end that.
In the bottom of the 9th, with the score still tied at three, Welch got Chris Chambliss on strikes. Pinch hitter Jim Spencer also went down via the strikeout. Bucky Dent, whose dramatic three-run home run against the Red Sox helped the Yankees get here, was the third out.
With one out in the bottom of the 10th inning, Roy White drew a walk of Bob. When Munson was retired, things looked okay. But Reggie Jackson got his revenge with a single that sent White to second. Then Lou Pinella was the hero as stroked a single to centre to win the game for the Bronx Bombers.
New York took game five 12-2 and took the series lead as well. Welch would pitch game six.
In the top of the sixth inning, with the Yankees up 4-2 and a runner on second, Bob Welch came in in. There were two outs, but it was time for Bucky Dent to get some revenge of his own. His single to left scored a fifth New York run and the Yankees were starting to pull away. The next inning was Welch's last.
Roy White started things out with a walk. Munson fanned, but Jackson delivered again. Only this time, he really delivered. Launching a two-run home run, he effectively put this one out of reach. Welch got the next two batters out, but the game was now hopelessly lost by the Dodgers, 7-2. That would also be the final score as the Yankees won the 1978 World Series, 4 games to 2.
The same two teams would meet in the 1981 World Series. This time, it was the Yankees that won the first two games at home. In game three, Welch's Dodgers squeaked by, 5-4. Game four was again important.
And Welch was on the hill for it.
Bob started the game but got a warm greeting from the Yankees. Willie Randolph opened with a triple. Larry Milbourne's double scored him. Dave Winfield walked. Reggie Jackson singled to load 'em up. 16 pitches. Three hits. One walk. No one out.
Except Bob. His night was over. But Los Angeles came back to win the game 8-7. The 1981 World Series was tied. But with wins in games five and six, the Dodgers and Welch were winners! Interesting way to earn your first right, eh?
Seven years later, Welch was an Oakland Athletic. And the A's were around in October, against Welch's old team, Los Angeles. But going into game three of the 1988 World Series, the Athletics would need an effort from Bob. Having lost game one on Kirk Gibson's dramatic home run and then game two 6-0, they needed a turnaround at home. Welch helped them get the job done.
Steve Sax led off the game for the Dodgers with a single, but Welch bore down and struck out the next four batters. With two down in the second, the ever-so-resilant Dodgers got a hit and a walk, but Welch got out of their without a run scoring. By fanning Alfredo Griffin, Bob had five strikeouts in two innings. Who is he here? Sandy Koufax and Bob Gibson?
Welch then settled down and finally got a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the third. Along the way, he picked up his sixth K. The A's helped out Bob in the bottom of the frame by getting a single, a stolen base and another single by Ron Hassey to score a run.
Now with a 1-0 lead, Welch went back to the K's. He got two in the top of the fourth, but John Shelby singled, and stole second. When Mike Davis flied out with only one out, the Dodgers had a chance to tie it. That's when Welch K'd his second batter of the frame, Mike Scioscia to end the inning. Alas, Bob would not be so lucky the next inning. Tim Leary's pitching was keeping Los Angeles right in the thick of things, and the Dodgers weren't about to go away quietly here.
In the top of the 5th inning, Jeff Hamilton led off with a single of Bob. Griffin bunted him to second. Steve Sax grounded out, Hamilton staying on second. Welch seemed safe. But a clutch double by Franklin Stubbs tied things. That was all Los Angeles would get off Bob, but the next inning would finish him off for good in the 1988 World Series.
Danny Heep hit a leadoff double on Welch's first pitch of the 6th inning. John Shelby singled through the hole in short, but Heep had to make sure that it made it through. So he only made it to third, but Shelby made it to second. Little to no chance for the double play, now.
And when Mike Davis walked, it was bases loaded with nobody out. It was also the end of the road for Bobby. It looked like Los Angeles was going to get at least a run or two here.
But Greg Cadaret and Gene Nelson somehow combined to pitch Oakland out of the jam. For good measure, the once-inspired Dodgers were left bewildered at the bullpen of the Athletics the rest of the way. Los Angeles managed to hang on until the bottom of the ninth, but Mark McGwire's solo home run off Jay Howell ended the well-pitched affair. The 2-1 Athletic win proved to be the only game Oakland managed to pull out in the 1988 Fall Classic. It would also prove to be the only game Bob pitched in the Fall Classic that year.
The next year, Welch went 17-8 with an ERA of 3.00. And it helped Oakland win the west for another shot at postseason glory. Welch went 1-1 in the ALCS vs. Toronto. The loss in game three proved to be the only blemish on Welch's or Oakland's playoffs that year. They went on to sweep San Francisco in a very one-sided affair. But no one will remember that. What they remember is the quake before game three. The delay (of twelve days) enabled Dave Stewart to pitch again for Oakland. Stew had started game one. Welch never got to pitch in the 1989 World Series, which Oakland won in four straight.
The third straight World Series for Oakland was not the charm. The second one had been. Oakland was back in 1990 and Welch did get to pitch. But the surprising Cincinnatti Reds had some tricks up their sleeves.
Dave Steward took a rare postseason loss in game one. Welch, with a game two win in the ALCS vs. Boston, was hoping to do the same here and square it. For a while it looked like he had it!
Oakland scored once in the top of the first inning, but the Reds scored twice in the bottom of the frame. In the third, the big bats of the A's made their big move!
Jose Canseco blasted a home run to tie it. Shaken by that, Cincy starter Danny Jackson gave up a single to Mark McGwire and a walk to Dave Henderson. Another walk to Willie Randolph and the bases were loaded. There was only one out and Jackson needed a double play. Cincinatti didn't get it. Catcher Ron Hassey lined out to left, but McGwire tagged and scored. Oakland didn't stop there. Mike Gallego singled to score Henderson and the A's were up 4-2. Welch himself was the last out of the inning. But Jackson was out of the game himself.
Cincinatti would not be denied on this day however. Pinch hitter Ron Oester singled to center in the bottom of the fourth to score score catcher Joe Oliver. 4-3, Oakland. Welch though, seemed to settle down after that.
Bill Hatcher singled to start the bottom of the fifth for the Reds, but he was later picked off by Welch, who retired the other two batters of the inning. The sixth inning saw Bob Welch retire Cincy in order. It was more of the same in the seventh as Welch had a 1-2-3 inning.
But Hatcher led off the bottom of the 8th with a triple. Bob walked Paul O'Neill. Eric Davis was retired on a flyball to short right. Hatcher did not score and O'Neill did not make it to second. Welch, though, had faced his last batter. Cincinatti would score that inning to tie it. Three straight singles off Dennis Eckersley in the bottom of the tenth inning made the Reds winners, 5-4.
Cincinatti routed Mike Moore and the A's 8-3 in game three to put Oakland on the brink. They then edged Stewart 2-1 in game four to complete an stunning sweep. Bob Welch would never make it back to the World Series.
With Welch's passing five days ago, it brought with it some great memories of the Fall Classic. From Jackson going down on K's, to McGwire winning it with a walk-off, to Cincinatti's last World Series win. Welch was the common denominator for those. The World Series has had many players that happened to be there for more than one moment, and Welch got to be there for three! While he may not have won a World Series game, he ended his career with two Fall Classic wins with two different teams.
References
Brenner, Richard J. The World Series: The Great Contests. East End Publishing, 1989. Print.
Enders, Eric. 100 years of the World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.
Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. Print.
Nemec, David et all. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-by-year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's Edition. Lincolnwood, Ill: Publications International, 1993. Print.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 14 Jun. 2014.
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