Both times the Yankees broke a long dry spell between World Championships, it ended in game six. With two men on. And on a pop-up to the third base side in the top of the ninth. And finally, both times it was after the opposition actually scored a run in the ninth. So New York would gladly take the pop-up for the final out.
But the New York Yankees of 1977 were seeking their first World Series win since 1962. The Yankees had lost in 1963, 1964, and 1976. They were up against the very team that had beaten them in the '63 Fall Classic, the Los Angeles Dodgers. They had Reggie Jackson going in game six. The Yankees were up three games to two and needed just one more win. A good setting was Yankee Stadium for this to happen. They'd be there in game seven if necessary.
Reggie made that not necessary. He walked on four pitches his first time up. Then he swatted three home runs in his next three trips to the plate. Off three different pitchers. And all on the first pitch. His final long ball in the bottom of the eighth off Charlie Hough made it 8-3 for the home team. Three more outs.
Mike Torrez got Ron Cey on a strikeout, as the top of the ninth started out on the right foot. Steve Garvey grounded to short, but beat the throw. Dusty Baker singled to left. The Dodgers still had life. Rick Monday then got a hold of one, and sent right fielder Jackson all the way to the warning track in right. Reggie made the catch, but Steve made it to third. Baker held at first. Two down.
Vic Davalillo was sent up by Tommy Lasorda to pinch hit for Los Angeles. The lefty wasted no time in dropping a perfect bunt down the third base line. Greg Nettles hustled in, and got off the throw to Thurmon Munson the catcher. Too late. Garvey scored. 8-4. Two runners on, two out. Billy Martin, Lasorda's counterpart as skipper of the Yankees, kept Torrez in. Another pinch hitter was sent by Lasorda. Right-handed hitting Lee Lacy batted for Charlie Hough. The count went to 1-1, and Lacy tried a bunt. He got too much under it. It went high in the air to the right of Torrez, who snared it. The Yankees had ended their 15-year drought!
But after winning it all again the next season, New York waited until 1996 to win it all again. In between, the Dodgers had their revenge in the 1981 Fall Classic. The '96 World Series would be against the Atlanta Braves. Atlanta had a World Series win the previous year, and were looking for the repeat.
It sure looked like it as the Braves took games one and two right there at Yankee Stadium. But the Yankees won all three games in Atlanta, and headed home for game six (And perhaps game seven) at the Stadium.
It was a close one. The home team lead 3-1 after eight innings. But soon, trouble emerged. The Braves didn't quit, just as the Dodgers didn't 19 years earlier. John Wettland was going for his fourth straight save for New York.
He started the ninth with a K of Andruw Jones. But then, Ryan Klesko singled. As did Terry Pendleton. Wettland bore down and fanned Luis Polonia for the second out, and John had his second K of the inning. One more out to go.
But any celebratory thoughts were cut short as Marquis Grissom singled. Klesko scored. 3-1. The tying run was at second, and the go-ahead run was at first. Anything that got past the outfielders would put Atlanta ahead.
Mark Lemke, a lefty, was the next batter. Wettland fell behind 2-1, then got him to swing and miss. One more strike. Wettland missed the strike zone on the next pitch, running the count full. Both runners would be off with the pitch. A long single could put the Braves ahead now. Lemke popped it foul to third. Charlie Hayes, a defensive replacement for Wade Boggs at third in the seventh inning, raced over to Atlanta's dugout to try and get it, only to fall into it. The Braves still had life. But not for long.
On another 3-2 pitch, Lemke popped it up, again in foul territory to third. This time, Hayes had a play on it. When he put the long-awaited squeeze on it, New York was on top of the world for the first time since 1978.
Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The World Series: Complete Play-by-play of Every Game, 1903-1989. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1990. Print. pp.365-270.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 04 July. 2016.
Youtube. Web. 04 July. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/>
But the New York Yankees of 1977 were seeking their first World Series win since 1962. The Yankees had lost in 1963, 1964, and 1976. They were up against the very team that had beaten them in the '63 Fall Classic, the Los Angeles Dodgers. They had Reggie Jackson going in game six. The Yankees were up three games to two and needed just one more win. A good setting was Yankee Stadium for this to happen. They'd be there in game seven if necessary.
Reggie made that not necessary. He walked on four pitches his first time up. Then he swatted three home runs in his next three trips to the plate. Off three different pitchers. And all on the first pitch. His final long ball in the bottom of the eighth off Charlie Hough made it 8-3 for the home team. Three more outs.
Mike Torrez got Ron Cey on a strikeout, as the top of the ninth started out on the right foot. Steve Garvey grounded to short, but beat the throw. Dusty Baker singled to left. The Dodgers still had life. Rick Monday then got a hold of one, and sent right fielder Jackson all the way to the warning track in right. Reggie made the catch, but Steve made it to third. Baker held at first. Two down.
Vic Davalillo was sent up by Tommy Lasorda to pinch hit for Los Angeles. The lefty wasted no time in dropping a perfect bunt down the third base line. Greg Nettles hustled in, and got off the throw to Thurmon Munson the catcher. Too late. Garvey scored. 8-4. Two runners on, two out. Billy Martin, Lasorda's counterpart as skipper of the Yankees, kept Torrez in. Another pinch hitter was sent by Lasorda. Right-handed hitting Lee Lacy batted for Charlie Hough. The count went to 1-1, and Lacy tried a bunt. He got too much under it. It went high in the air to the right of Torrez, who snared it. The Yankees had ended their 15-year drought!
But after winning it all again the next season, New York waited until 1996 to win it all again. In between, the Dodgers had their revenge in the 1981 Fall Classic. The '96 World Series would be against the Atlanta Braves. Atlanta had a World Series win the previous year, and were looking for the repeat.
It sure looked like it as the Braves took games one and two right there at Yankee Stadium. But the Yankees won all three games in Atlanta, and headed home for game six (And perhaps game seven) at the Stadium.
It was a close one. The home team lead 3-1 after eight innings. But soon, trouble emerged. The Braves didn't quit, just as the Dodgers didn't 19 years earlier. John Wettland was going for his fourth straight save for New York.
He started the ninth with a K of Andruw Jones. But then, Ryan Klesko singled. As did Terry Pendleton. Wettland bore down and fanned Luis Polonia for the second out, and John had his second K of the inning. One more out to go.
But any celebratory thoughts were cut short as Marquis Grissom singled. Klesko scored. 3-1. The tying run was at second, and the go-ahead run was at first. Anything that got past the outfielders would put Atlanta ahead.
Mark Lemke, a lefty, was the next batter. Wettland fell behind 2-1, then got him to swing and miss. One more strike. Wettland missed the strike zone on the next pitch, running the count full. Both runners would be off with the pitch. A long single could put the Braves ahead now. Lemke popped it foul to third. Charlie Hayes, a defensive replacement for Wade Boggs at third in the seventh inning, raced over to Atlanta's dugout to try and get it, only to fall into it. The Braves still had life. But not for long.
On another 3-2 pitch, Lemke popped it up, again in foul territory to third. This time, Hayes had a play on it. When he put the long-awaited squeeze on it, New York was on top of the world for the first time since 1978.
References
Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The World Series: Complete Play-by-play of Every Game, 1903-1989. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1990. Print. pp.365-270.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 04 July. 2016.
Youtube. Web. 04 July. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/>
No comments:
Post a Comment