The Toronto Blue Jays didn't score a run from the 5th to 9th inning of games 1, 5 and 6 in 1992. They still won the Fall Classic. And Joe Carter did all he could.
Facing the Atlanta Braves, Carter hit a home run in the top of the 4th inning of game 1. The contest was a pitcher's duel between Tom Glavine and Jack Morris. Glavine was the Braves' pitcher who surrendered the long bomb. Morris held the Atlanta at bay through five.
But how good was Glavine? Get this: He retired the next 3 batters in the fourth inning, and Toronto did not get another man to 2nd to speak of the rest of the game! Yes, Tommy faced just 18 batters the rest of the game. Glavine got Dave Winfield and Candy Maldonado out on grounders, following Carter's home run. Then Kelly Gruber struck out.
Pat Borders and Manny Lee made quick outs in the fourth, not getting it out of the infield. Then Morris struck out. I'm seeing a pattern here. Carter broke the spell in the sixth when he flied out to left. He'd hit hit solo shot in the fourth there. Joe would fly out to Dave Justice in right to end the game.
When did Toronto finally get a man to first? Why Pat Borders (MVP of the Fall Classic), singled to start the top of the 8th. The Atlanta Braves had scored 3 runs off Jack Morris in the bottom of the sixth at this point, and that was the only scoring they'd get. Manny Lee hit into a double play, and PH Pat Tabler was out on a fly to very short centre. Toronto pitchers David Wells and Todd Stottlemyre held the fort for Toronto the rest of the way. However, while the Jays held Atlanta to four hits, Glavine, going all the way, did the same all by himself!
Don't feel too bad for the Blue Jays. Toronto took gamme 2, 5-4, game 3, 3-2, and game 4, 2-1. Could the Jays become the first team from Canada to win the World Series?
Game 5 was back and forth through four. Atlanta scored in the top of the 1st and 4th, Toronto getting even via Pat Borders' RBIs in the bottom of the 2nd and 4th (Both times, driving in John Olerud). Atlanta seemed to stuff out any World Series parade plans the next inning, however, as they touched home 5 times in inning #5. The last four coming in on Lonnie Smith's grand slam. John Smoltz was clearly getting the better of Jack Morris (Who exited with 2 outs in the 5th after Smith's blast) and now was opposed on the mound by Wells.
Smoltz had a high pitch count on him, but got the Jays out in the 5th, allowing just a 2-out single by Winfield. The 6th inning was easier, as John had a nice 1-2-3 frame. The top of the 7th spelled the end for him, as he walked Manny Lee to start. In hopped in Mike Stanton, the lefty. He got Devon White out, then induced Roberto Alomar to ended the inning with a double play ball to second. Joe Carter singled to start the next inning, but Mike the next three Jays' batters out, leaving Joe at third. The 9th inning was Mike's first 1-2-3 inning (The Braves loaded the bases in the top of the frame, proceeding to run themselves out of that when Mark Lemke tried to score on Terry Pendleton's fly to short left) as Atlanta won, 7-2. Toronto had just 6 hits but also 4 walks. Atlanta had 13 hits alone.
So, it was off to Atlanta four game six. Toronto scored first on a Joe Carter sac fly. Back came Atlanta in the bottom of the 3rd. Candy Maldonado homered of Steve Avery in the top of the fourth. Toronto couldn't be done scoring, could they.
For a while, yes. And that that was crucial, as Atlanta hung on.
Pat Borders doubled and David Cone, the pitcher, walked. Devon White singled to left, only to have Borders nailed at the dish. That ended the fourth. Some insurance was not on the horizon.
Pete Smith came in to pitch the top of the 5th. Joe Carter had a double. Joe was hitting the ball well. 2 home runs to his name, so far. There was only one out, but Dave Winfield and Candy Maldonado couldn't get him home. Manny Lee singled with two out in the sixth, but was stranded.
Roberto Alomar singled in the top of the sixth with one out. He was stranded. Todd Stottlemyre and David Wells continued what Cone had started. They held the Braves at bay. Could Toronto just score 'em a run?
Enter Mike Stanton. Entering to shut out Toronto.
Well, Maldonado greeted him with a line shot to left of a single. Kelly Gruber bunted him to second. Borders was walked intentionally. With runners on 1st and 2nd, it was time for Mike to bear down.
He sure did.
Stanton had defused many a Toronto rally in this 1992 World Series. And he did again here.
Lee popped to 1st. Derek Bell batted for Wells and grounded out. Phew!
Top of the 9th, 2-1 Toronto. A two quick outs by Stanton. One more out to give Atlanta a chance in the bottom of the frame. Joe Carter put a pause on those thoughts with a 2-out double. There's the showers, Mike. So Mark Wohlers came in, and got Dave Winfield to ground out.
The excellent bullpen work for the 2nd straight game paid off! Otis Nixon singled home the tying run with two away in the last of the ninth. Charlie Leibrandt got Maldonaldo to ground out to start the 10th frame. Gruber singled...Uh oh.
Borders flied to left. Leibrandt then caught PH Pat Tabler's liner. To the bottom of the 10th. And all that happened there was a 1-2-3 inning via Tom Henke and Jimmy Key.
Key was forced to bat for himself to start the 11th, and Leibrandt got him to pop to first.
And then the wheels came off the chariot.
White was hit by a pitch. Alomar singled. Carter was out on a fly to centre. Dave Winfield ended the suspense with a double to left. Both runners scored. Atlanta got one back in the last of the 11th, but Nixon was retired with the tying run at third.
A grand show, really, both bullpens in this Fall Classic. Both teams had great starters, and with Jack Morris' recent Hall Of Fame induction, let's take a look:
Smoltz, HOF
Glavine, HOF
Cone, 190 + wins
Key, 180 + wins
But as good as all those above were (Plus Steve Avery and Juan Guzman won 90 + games, too...That's 3 pitchers on each team, 4 in Toronto's case...) where would they be without a healthy bullpen? The Braves were able to stay alive and be in every game because of the 'pen.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. (16 Dec. 2017).
Retrosheet. <www.retrosheet.org>. Web. (16 Dec. 2017).
Youtube. <https://www.youtube.com/>. Web. (16 Dec. 2017).
Facing the Atlanta Braves, Carter hit a home run in the top of the 4th inning of game 1. The contest was a pitcher's duel between Tom Glavine and Jack Morris. Glavine was the Braves' pitcher who surrendered the long bomb. Morris held the Atlanta at bay through five.
But how good was Glavine? Get this: He retired the next 3 batters in the fourth inning, and Toronto did not get another man to 2nd to speak of the rest of the game! Yes, Tommy faced just 18 batters the rest of the game. Glavine got Dave Winfield and Candy Maldonado out on grounders, following Carter's home run. Then Kelly Gruber struck out.
Pat Borders and Manny Lee made quick outs in the fourth, not getting it out of the infield. Then Morris struck out. I'm seeing a pattern here. Carter broke the spell in the sixth when he flied out to left. He'd hit hit solo shot in the fourth there. Joe would fly out to Dave Justice in right to end the game.
When did Toronto finally get a man to first? Why Pat Borders (MVP of the Fall Classic), singled to start the top of the 8th. The Atlanta Braves had scored 3 runs off Jack Morris in the bottom of the sixth at this point, and that was the only scoring they'd get. Manny Lee hit into a double play, and PH Pat Tabler was out on a fly to very short centre. Toronto pitchers David Wells and Todd Stottlemyre held the fort for Toronto the rest of the way. However, while the Jays held Atlanta to four hits, Glavine, going all the way, did the same all by himself!
Don't feel too bad for the Blue Jays. Toronto took gamme 2, 5-4, game 3, 3-2, and game 4, 2-1. Could the Jays become the first team from Canada to win the World Series?
Game 5 was back and forth through four. Atlanta scored in the top of the 1st and 4th, Toronto getting even via Pat Borders' RBIs in the bottom of the 2nd and 4th (Both times, driving in John Olerud). Atlanta seemed to stuff out any World Series parade plans the next inning, however, as they touched home 5 times in inning #5. The last four coming in on Lonnie Smith's grand slam. John Smoltz was clearly getting the better of Jack Morris (Who exited with 2 outs in the 5th after Smith's blast) and now was opposed on the mound by Wells.
Smoltz had a high pitch count on him, but got the Jays out in the 5th, allowing just a 2-out single by Winfield. The 6th inning was easier, as John had a nice 1-2-3 frame. The top of the 7th spelled the end for him, as he walked Manny Lee to start. In hopped in Mike Stanton, the lefty. He got Devon White out, then induced Roberto Alomar to ended the inning with a double play ball to second. Joe Carter singled to start the next inning, but Mike the next three Jays' batters out, leaving Joe at third. The 9th inning was Mike's first 1-2-3 inning (The Braves loaded the bases in the top of the frame, proceeding to run themselves out of that when Mark Lemke tried to score on Terry Pendleton's fly to short left) as Atlanta won, 7-2. Toronto had just 6 hits but also 4 walks. Atlanta had 13 hits alone.
So, it was off to Atlanta four game six. Toronto scored first on a Joe Carter sac fly. Back came Atlanta in the bottom of the 3rd. Candy Maldonado homered of Steve Avery in the top of the fourth. Toronto couldn't be done scoring, could they.
For a while, yes. And that that was crucial, as Atlanta hung on.
Pat Borders doubled and David Cone, the pitcher, walked. Devon White singled to left, only to have Borders nailed at the dish. That ended the fourth. Some insurance was not on the horizon.
Pete Smith came in to pitch the top of the 5th. Joe Carter had a double. Joe was hitting the ball well. 2 home runs to his name, so far. There was only one out, but Dave Winfield and Candy Maldonado couldn't get him home. Manny Lee singled with two out in the sixth, but was stranded.
Roberto Alomar singled in the top of the sixth with one out. He was stranded. Todd Stottlemyre and David Wells continued what Cone had started. They held the Braves at bay. Could Toronto just score 'em a run?
Enter Mike Stanton. Entering to shut out Toronto.
Well, Maldonado greeted him with a line shot to left of a single. Kelly Gruber bunted him to second. Borders was walked intentionally. With runners on 1st and 2nd, it was time for Mike to bear down.
He sure did.
Stanton had defused many a Toronto rally in this 1992 World Series. And he did again here.
Lee popped to 1st. Derek Bell batted for Wells and grounded out. Phew!
Top of the 9th, 2-1 Toronto. A two quick outs by Stanton. One more out to give Atlanta a chance in the bottom of the frame. Joe Carter put a pause on those thoughts with a 2-out double. There's the showers, Mike. So Mark Wohlers came in, and got Dave Winfield to ground out.
The excellent bullpen work for the 2nd straight game paid off! Otis Nixon singled home the tying run with two away in the last of the ninth. Charlie Leibrandt got Maldonaldo to ground out to start the 10th frame. Gruber singled...Uh oh.
Borders flied to left. Leibrandt then caught PH Pat Tabler's liner. To the bottom of the 10th. And all that happened there was a 1-2-3 inning via Tom Henke and Jimmy Key.
Key was forced to bat for himself to start the 11th, and Leibrandt got him to pop to first.
And then the wheels came off the chariot.
White was hit by a pitch. Alomar singled. Carter was out on a fly to centre. Dave Winfield ended the suspense with a double to left. Both runners scored. Atlanta got one back in the last of the 11th, but Nixon was retired with the tying run at third.
A grand show, really, both bullpens in this Fall Classic. Both teams had great starters, and with Jack Morris' recent Hall Of Fame induction, let's take a look:
Smoltz, HOF
Glavine, HOF
Cone, 190 + wins
Key, 180 + wins
But as good as all those above were (Plus Steve Avery and Juan Guzman won 90 + games, too...That's 3 pitchers on each team, 4 in Toronto's case...) where would they be without a healthy bullpen? The Braves were able to stay alive and be in every game because of the 'pen.
References
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. (16 Dec. 2017).
Retrosheet. <www.retrosheet.org>. Web. (16 Dec. 2017).
Youtube. <https://www.youtube.com/>. Web. (16 Dec. 2017).
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