Paul Molitor nearly hit for the cycle in two of the contests in 1993. No one has, however, ever hit a single, double, triple and home run in one World Series game. Paul sure came close. He even got the toughest two ones out of the way.
There was concern going into game three of '93. You see, it was at Philadelphia, and Molitor's Toronto Blue Jays would be playing a man down (No DH, Paul's primary position that year). The question for the Blue Jays was, sit a hitter like first basemen John Olerud (.363 batting average in 1993) or Paul Molitor (.332 batting average)?
Well, it was Danny Jackson, a lefty, going for Philly. So Olerud was a lefty hitter. Cito Gaston, the Toronto manager, went with Paul at first base.
First time up, all Molitor did was hit a 2-run triple, and eventually score. Following that three bagger, Jackson put the next nine batters down.
It was still 3-0 Toronto in the top of the third. Molitor was up with two away. He hit a home run to left. 4-0, Blue Jays.
Philly seemed to surrender after that. Danny Jackson actually seemed to settle down, however. He left the bases loaded in the third and got the side 1-2-3 in the fourth and fifth frames. Molitor was retired on a grounder to third.
The teams each scored another run going into the top of the seventh. So Molitor was back up needing a single or double. He drew a walk from new pitcher Ben Rivera (Jackson had left after five innings). He scored his third run on a sac fly from Ed Sprague. It was Toronto's third run of the inning, making the score, 7-1. Paul added a leadoff single in the top of the ninth off Larry Andersen. So he fell a double shy of hitting for the cycle.
Toronto won the game, 10-3. They took game four, 15-14. Philly wasn't losing this at home, sending it back to Toronto with a 2-0 win in the fifth contest.
And Molitor made sure the Phillies didn't shut out the Blue Jays in the sixth game.
One out, bottom of the first. Devon White on via a walk. Molitor, facing Terry Mulholland, tripled to right. 1-0. Joe Carter, who'd be heard from later on in the evening, then plated Paul with a sacrifice fly. The Blue Jays scored still another run on a John Olerud double and Roberto Alomar single.
In the bottom of the third, Mulholland gathered himself. He had a nice 1-2-3 inning, getting Molitor to line out to Milt Thompson in left.
It was 4-1, Blue Jays going into the last of the fifth. Molitor came up with one out and the bases empty. He deposited Mulholland's 1-1 offering over Thompson's head in left, into the stands. 5-1, Toronto.
Terry got the next two batters out, but his night was through. The Phillies seemed done as well. Dave Stewart, the Toronto pitcher, was making it look easy, getting Philadelphia 1-2-3 in the top of the sixth. Molitor would bat in the bottom of the seventh.
Philadelphia had one last offensive output in 'em in the top of the seventh. They actually got Stewart out of the game via a Kevin Stocker walk, a Mickey Morandini single, and a Lenny Dykstra home run. Then, facing reliever Danny Cox and down 5-4, they got a single by Mariano Duncan, who stole second. Dave Hollins tied the game with a single of his own. A walk and an infield single by Jim Eisenreich loaded 'em up. Pinch hitter Pete Incaviglia came up against new pitcher Al Leiter. A sac fly from Pete put the visitors up 6-5.
So Molitor and company were needed for a comeback in the last of the seventh. But that was for later. All Paul could do was line out to centre off reliever Roger Mason.
Toronto looked like they might not need Paul Molitor for a comeback in the eight after they'd thwarted Philly from any more offence in the top of the frame. Amazingly, it also looked like they didn't even need a hit to score a run. So the Blue Jays would win the game without Paul getting another time at the dish? John Olerud drew a one-out walk from Mason. The Phillies turned to Larry Andersen, as they had in game three. But Andersen seemed to have some trouble with his command. Sure, he got Roberto Alomar out on a grounder to first. But then he hit Tony Fernandez. Two on, two out. Ed Sprague, who'd gotten just one hit all series, did the same thing as Olerud and got on via a walk. The bases were loaded!
Pat Borders, who'd gotten two hits so far like Paul Molitor, was at the dish. But he popped out to end the inning. So Toronto would need some ninth inning heroics. Duane Ward slammed the door shut on the Phillies in the top of the frame, so the score was still 6-5.
Ricky Henderson drew a walk off closer Mitch Williams. Molitor was due up third, so maybe he'd have a runner on to work with. Devon White was next, and needed to stay out of the double play. He flew out though. One on. One out.
Molitor singled to centre! But alas, this proved to be his last time up tonight. But guess what? He'd score the game-winning run.
Joe Carter sent Mitch Williams 2-2 pitch over Pete Incaviglia's head in left. Like Molitor's shot earlier that night, it found the bleachers, winning it all for the home team. So Paul would have to settle for another 3-hit game, falling just a double shy again of the cycle. I'm sure he really couldn't have cared less. His big day at the dish had paved the way!
25 years later, in game three of the American League Division Series, Boston Red Sox second basemen Brock Holt hit for the cycle, becoming the first player to ever do that in the postseason. The 2018 World Series awaits. And will someone finally accomplish that in October's Classic? We'll just have to wait and see!
References
1993 World Series. Performance by Len Cariou, Major League Baseball Productions, 1993. DVD.
Bingley, Phil, et al. Another World: the Toronto Stars Tribute To The’ 93 Blue Jays. Toronto Star for Doubleday Canada, 1993. Print.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 10 Oct. 2018.
Youtube. Youtube. Web. 10 Oct. 2018. <https://www.youtube.com/>.
There was concern going into game three of '93. You see, it was at Philadelphia, and Molitor's Toronto Blue Jays would be playing a man down (No DH, Paul's primary position that year). The question for the Blue Jays was, sit a hitter like first basemen John Olerud (.363 batting average in 1993) or Paul Molitor (.332 batting average)?
Well, it was Danny Jackson, a lefty, going for Philly. So Olerud was a lefty hitter. Cito Gaston, the Toronto manager, went with Paul at first base.
First time up, all Molitor did was hit a 2-run triple, and eventually score. Following that three bagger, Jackson put the next nine batters down.
It was still 3-0 Toronto in the top of the third. Molitor was up with two away. He hit a home run to left. 4-0, Blue Jays.
Philly seemed to surrender after that. Danny Jackson actually seemed to settle down, however. He left the bases loaded in the third and got the side 1-2-3 in the fourth and fifth frames. Molitor was retired on a grounder to third.
The teams each scored another run going into the top of the seventh. So Molitor was back up needing a single or double. He drew a walk from new pitcher Ben Rivera (Jackson had left after five innings). He scored his third run on a sac fly from Ed Sprague. It was Toronto's third run of the inning, making the score, 7-1. Paul added a leadoff single in the top of the ninth off Larry Andersen. So he fell a double shy of hitting for the cycle.
Toronto won the game, 10-3. They took game four, 15-14. Philly wasn't losing this at home, sending it back to Toronto with a 2-0 win in the fifth contest.
And Molitor made sure the Phillies didn't shut out the Blue Jays in the sixth game.
One out, bottom of the first. Devon White on via a walk. Molitor, facing Terry Mulholland, tripled to right. 1-0. Joe Carter, who'd be heard from later on in the evening, then plated Paul with a sacrifice fly. The Blue Jays scored still another run on a John Olerud double and Roberto Alomar single.
In the bottom of the third, Mulholland gathered himself. He had a nice 1-2-3 inning, getting Molitor to line out to Milt Thompson in left.
It was 4-1, Blue Jays going into the last of the fifth. Molitor came up with one out and the bases empty. He deposited Mulholland's 1-1 offering over Thompson's head in left, into the stands. 5-1, Toronto.
Terry got the next two batters out, but his night was through. The Phillies seemed done as well. Dave Stewart, the Toronto pitcher, was making it look easy, getting Philadelphia 1-2-3 in the top of the sixth. Molitor would bat in the bottom of the seventh.
Philadelphia had one last offensive output in 'em in the top of the seventh. They actually got Stewart out of the game via a Kevin Stocker walk, a Mickey Morandini single, and a Lenny Dykstra home run. Then, facing reliever Danny Cox and down 5-4, they got a single by Mariano Duncan, who stole second. Dave Hollins tied the game with a single of his own. A walk and an infield single by Jim Eisenreich loaded 'em up. Pinch hitter Pete Incaviglia came up against new pitcher Al Leiter. A sac fly from Pete put the visitors up 6-5.
So Molitor and company were needed for a comeback in the last of the seventh. But that was for later. All Paul could do was line out to centre off reliever Roger Mason.
Toronto looked like they might not need Paul Molitor for a comeback in the eight after they'd thwarted Philly from any more offence in the top of the frame. Amazingly, it also looked like they didn't even need a hit to score a run. So the Blue Jays would win the game without Paul getting another time at the dish? John Olerud drew a one-out walk from Mason. The Phillies turned to Larry Andersen, as they had in game three. But Andersen seemed to have some trouble with his command. Sure, he got Roberto Alomar out on a grounder to first. But then he hit Tony Fernandez. Two on, two out. Ed Sprague, who'd gotten just one hit all series, did the same thing as Olerud and got on via a walk. The bases were loaded!
Pat Borders, who'd gotten two hits so far like Paul Molitor, was at the dish. But he popped out to end the inning. So Toronto would need some ninth inning heroics. Duane Ward slammed the door shut on the Phillies in the top of the frame, so the score was still 6-5.
Ricky Henderson drew a walk off closer Mitch Williams. Molitor was due up third, so maybe he'd have a runner on to work with. Devon White was next, and needed to stay out of the double play. He flew out though. One on. One out.
Molitor singled to centre! But alas, this proved to be his last time up tonight. But guess what? He'd score the game-winning run.
Joe Carter sent Mitch Williams 2-2 pitch over Pete Incaviglia's head in left. Like Molitor's shot earlier that night, it found the bleachers, winning it all for the home team. So Paul would have to settle for another 3-hit game, falling just a double shy again of the cycle. I'm sure he really couldn't have cared less. His big day at the dish had paved the way!
25 years later, in game three of the American League Division Series, Boston Red Sox second basemen Brock Holt hit for the cycle, becoming the first player to ever do that in the postseason. The 2018 World Series awaits. And will someone finally accomplish that in October's Classic? We'll just have to wait and see!
References
1993 World Series. Performance by Len Cariou, Major League Baseball Productions, 1993. DVD.
Bingley, Phil, et al. Another World: the Toronto Stars Tribute To The’ 93 Blue Jays. Toronto Star for Doubleday Canada, 1993. Print.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 10 Oct. 2018.
Youtube. Youtube. Web. 10 Oct. 2018. <https://www.youtube.com/>.
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