ALCS: Did You Know?

The Jays are giving out a lot of "High Fives" after game five of this postseason. But there was very little of that in their history prior to 2015. Toronto was 1-6 in game five's all-time. And the very first one was one they sort of needed.

Toronto was ahead 3-1 in the 1985 ALCS vs. Kansas. Oh wait, wasn't Kansas ahead at one time this year by that score? Sure. But in '85, Toronto had taken game four, 3-1, and could wrap it all up with a win the next game, right there in KC. The pitcher was Jimmy Key.

But in an all-lefty duel with Danny Jackson, it was Toronto being shutout, 2-0. Key gave up single tallies in the first and second inning, but other than that, he was good. The Royals got eight hits off him in 5 1/3 innings, but Jim Acker came in and slammed the door on KC after that. No hits allowed. Toronto also got eight hits, but didn't score a run. 0-1 in game 5's.

In 1989, it was "Do, Or Die!" in game five, as Toronto faced Oakland. It was 3-1 in the ALCS, but it was the A's up. Toronto had put up a tremendous fight in game four, only to lose 6-5. The Blue Jays had routed the Athletics 7-3 in game three behind Key, and were looking for more.

Oakland took a 4-0 lead after seven. The A's, however, had just four hits off Dave Stieb in six innings. Acker came in, and again did the job. The A's didn't get a hit off him. Toronto scored once in the bottom of the eighth, and refused to surrender. Tom Henke came in to pitch the top of the ninth, and Oakland was completely over matched. 1-2-3. George Bell led off the bottom of the ninth for Toronto. And he took Dave Stewart out of the park to make it 4-2. Dennis Eckersley came in, but even he was in for a rough ride. The Blue Jays scored again to make it 4-3, before Junior Felix fanned to end that.

0-2 in game five's.

The Jays of 1991 were awesome, with Roberto Alomar, Devon White and Joe Carter as new arrivals. I was so sure, with that and a team ERA of 3.50, that the Minnesota Twins were doomed. But going into game five, Toronto needed a win.

Sure enough, they took a 5-2 lead after five. I was so happy. But Minnesota had no intentions of going back home to wrap it up. The top of the sixth inning doomed Tom Candiotti and the Jays. Dan Gladden, who'd later drive in the winning run in game seven of the World Series that year, got a run back with a fielder's choice. When Chuck Knoblauch doubled, it was all tied.

Minny scored three more times off Duane Ward in the top of the eighth, and Toronto's bats were silenced. Minnesota won 8-5, taking it in five.

0-3.

Toronto was up 3-1 in the 1992 ALCS vs. Oakland, as they looked to conquer their demons. However, Dave Stewart did them in again. David Cone struggled, and Jimmy Key was needed again. But by the time he got in there, it was too late. The A's won it easily, 6-2.

0-4.

The next round, saw Toronto up 3-1 in the World Series vs. Atlanta. And game five was at home. The teams traded runs through four innings, but the Braves put a "5" on the board in the top of the fifth, four of those runs on a Lonnie Smith grand slam. The Jays hit the ball well against Braves' starter John Smoltz, who went deep into the count again and again. Many of the Jays hard hit balls just found the outfielder's gloves, however. Smoltz was gone after just six innings (He walked Manuel Lee to start the seventh), but got some help from Mike Stanton to preserve a 7-2 win.

0-5. Oh, this is getting ugly!

Toronto actually won their next game five, which was the 1993 ALCS. Good thing they did. The Chicago White Sox took two straight right there at the SkyDome to tie the series at two. An overpowering performance by Juan Guzman in the third tilt at home ended any hopes of a White Sox comeback, however. Guzman retired the first thirteen men to face him. By the time Chicago woke up, it was already 4-0, Jays. Two more runs off Duane Ward in the top of the ninth made it 5-3, but Toronto won.

Finally! 1-5!

They did not, however, win game five that year in the World Series. How did we get to game six and Joe Carter's home run? Two words. Curt Schilling. With his team, the Philadelphia Phillies, down 3-1, he went out and stopped the Toronto Blue Jays cold on just five hits. Juan Guzman, again pitching game five, was pretty good too, sans the six walks. He also allowed just five hits, but took a tough 2-0 loss.

1-6.

So, Toronto had a bad history, eh? This year, they faced elimination in each of the fifth tilts. But this team has found a way, twice.

3-6.

Okay, not that good still. But getting better...


References

Gamester, George, and Gerald Hall. On Top Of The World: The Toronto Star’s Tribute To The ‘92 Blue Jays. Doubleday Canada, 1992. Print.

Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 1992. Print. 

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. (23 Oct., 2015).

Retrosheet  www.retrosheet.org. Web. (23 Oct., 2015).

ALCS: Did You Know?

The Jays hit only two home runs the first time there. And they were in the same inning. And they lost the game. Nonetheless, it was a positive sign for a franchise in only its ninth season. Toronto, winners of 99 games (Still a franchise record) soon were one win away from the World Series.

Toronto had to face George Brett and the Kansas City Royals. At home in game one, it was Dave Stieb showing the way. He was amazing. The Toronto offence had no problems with Kansas' pitchers, and were on their way to a 6-1 win at home. Game two saw the Blue Jays score another six runs, but Jimmy Key, in his first year as a starter, faltered. Pat Sheridan shut up the Toronto crowd with a game-tying home run off Tom Henke in the top of the ninth.



Kansas moved ahead the next inning. Toronto had to rally. Down 5-4 in the bottom of the tenth, Shaker did hit usual flair and tied it!



The Toronto Blue Jays pulled it out on a dramatic walk-off single by Al Oliver. Lloyd Moseby scored from second. Toronto was up 2-0, and it was on to Missouri. But Toronto had twelve runs without a home run.



Kansas pounced on Toronto starter Doyle Alexander in game three, however. The Royals didn't want to fall behind 3-0. So George Brett made it a point not to let that happen. He hit a solo home run in the bottom of the first to put Kansas City up 1-0. It would have been a 2-run home run, but Willie Wilson was caught stealing.

Alexander had no problem in the bottom of the second, while Toronto put two man on before being retired without a score in the top of the frame. Toronto decided to try and see what Brett could do at third in the third. With Damaso Garcia ninety feet away from tying it, Moseby hit it to Brett. Garcia took off towards home, but Brett made a great play, and nailed Damaso there.



The play was crucial. The Jays seemed to self-destruct as Moseby himself was picked off first. Alexander got 'em 1-2-3 in the bottom of the frame, but Toronto was struggling with Bret Saberhagen. Willie Upshaw hit a double in the top of the fourth, but was stranded. George Brett doubled in the bottom of the inning, eventually scoring on a sac fly to put Kansas up 2-0. Then Toronto erupted.

Ernie Whitt singled to start the fifth. Jesse Barfield blasted a home run. It was all tied and nobody was out. Toronto was not done. Tony Fernandez made the first. But then Garicia hit another double. And nothing Brett could do now could thwart the Toronto onslaught. Moseby singled to score Garcia. 3-2, Toronto. Rance Mulliniks took out of the park to make it 5-2, Jays. Things were looking good!

But Alexander could not hold it. In the bottom of the frame, it was Jimmy Sundberg with a home run of his own to cut the lead to 5-3. Then Toronto's offence seemed to die. Willie Wilson singled to start the sixth for Kansas. Brett, clutch, tied the game with a two-run home run. Dennis Lamp, 11-0 on the season, came in to stop the bleeding. And for a while, he succeeded.

But the Toronto Blue Jays could not stop Brett.

In the bottom of the eighth, the irrepressible third basemen led off with a single off Jim Clancy. A bunt moved Brett to second. A grounder moved him to third. Pat Sheridan was walked intentionally. But the strategy backfired when Steve Balboni dropped one in right around three Jays, scoring Brett. 6-5, Royals.



Toronto didn't seem to let it bother them. A win in game four put them up three games to one. All they needed to do was win one of the last three games. However, Kansas won them all. 2-0, 5-3, and 6-2. It was a heartbreaker.

Toronto didn't hit another home run, either. Toronto looked like the better team, but Kansas had the experience. The Jays hit the ball well all series long, but in the end, the 1985 ALCS belonged to a team that had made it all the way to the Fall Classic five years earlier. Kansas went on to rally from a 3-1 deficit to beat the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. Toronto had to be content with their first division crown. Maybe the 2015 edition of them can comeback from 3-1 down and extract some revenge.


References

Dan Diamond and Associates and Toronto Blue Jays Club. Toronto Blue Jays Official Guide 1987, 1993, 1994. Print.

Gamester, George, and Gerald Hall. On Top Of The World: The Toronto Star’s Tribute To The ‘92 Blue Jays. Doubleday Canada, 1992. Print.

Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 1992. Print.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. (20 Oct. 2015)

Retrosheet.  www.retrosheet.org. Web. (20 Oct. 2015).

Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/. Web. (20 Oct. 2015). 

ALCS: Did You Know?

The Jays are stuck at one win in the first game at Rogers. They did manage to win the first two games at home in the 1985 ALCS vs. Kansas, but Toronto fans know how that ended. The American League Championship Series has never been easy for Toronto, really. At home, especially.

The first year in the SkyDome (As it was called) was 1989, and Toronto clinched the AL East with 89 wins. It was a year to remember. And the new ballpark was one-of-a-kind marvel in '89!



But once the American League Championship Series started, reality set in quick. Oakland beat them in the first two games at the Coliseum. Toronto headed home. Oakland took a quick 3-0 lead.

But Blue Jay starter Jimmy Key settled down and shutout Oakland the rest of the way. And the Toronto bats came alive. They just kept strafing the Athletics' pitchers. Storm Davis was nailed for four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning alone. The Jays had all the scoring they would need. But they did not let up and won it, going away, 7-3.

Toronto continued their assault on Oakland's pitching the rest of the series. However, it was Jose Canseco's mammoth fifth deck shot off Mike Flanagan in game four that was the talk of the town. Oakland also won the game, 6-5. Toronto has a furious ninth inning in game five, as they tried to send it back to Oakland for games six and possibly seven. Down 4-0, after 7 1/2, they scored once in the eighth inning. But it looked over as the ninth began, and Stew was on the hill. Bell hit a home run. Dennis Eckersley came in, and was nailed for a run to make it 4-3, before the Jays finally surrendered.





In 1991, Toronto got the split with Minnesota in games one and two in Minny. And they jumped out to a 2-0 lead in game three thanks to a Joe Carter home run and Candy Maldonado two-bagger. The Twins, however, would not be denied and stormed back to win it in extras. Mike Pagliarulo hit a dramatic pinch hit home run off Mike Timlin to win the game for Minny.



Toronto then dropped games four and five. Minny scored 17 runs those two games. Tough times to be a Blue Jay fan!



Even when they finally pulled through in '92, it wasn't easy. Game one was at home, and Oakland's Dave Stewart got ahead 3-0 before Toronto mounted a comeback. Home runs by Pat Borders and Dave Winfield made it 3-2, and John Olerud singled to centre in the bottom of the eighth. The A's were startled by all this, but won the game in the top of the ninth inning on a solo home run by Harold Baines. Toronto though, won game two thanks to a home run and a double by Kelly Gruber. David Cone pitched well. Taking two of three in Oakland, the Jays were poised for the breakthrough in game six.



A stellar performance from Juan Guzman and their big bats made Toronto 9-2 winners. And as we all know, the Blue Jays won it all over Atlanta in six.



Toronto looked poised for the sweep of Chicago in the ALCS the next year. Perhaps they took a cue from Micheal Jordan, who threw out the first pitch. Just the kind of inspiration the Jays needed. By this point, the Blue Jays had clutch hitters all-around the lineup, and were basically a team of guys who always came through when it mattered, just like Jordan. A sweep? Why not?



Juan Guzman and Dave Stewart (Now a Jay and 7-0 in the ALCS at this point), put Toronto up 2-0 as the Blue Jays won twice on the road. The White Sox however, got a great performance from Wilson Alvarez to win game three in Toronto, 6-1. Todd Stottelmyre tried to right the ship in game four, and carried a 3-2 into the top of the sixth. Here's where future Jay Frank Thomas sent a rocked to centre to tie it. Then Lance Johnson got it just past Devon White in centre for a triple to scored two more. The Jays got a run back to make it 5-4 in the bottom of the frame, but when Roberto Alomar tried to score on Joe Carter single, he was gunned out at the dish. The White Sox added two more runs the rest of the way to Toronto's zero and won, 7-4.



Fortunately, Juan was wonderful in game five at home. He retired the first thirteen men to face him, and Toronto build up a quick 4-0 lead after four. The White Sox first hit was a long one off Juan, as Ellis Burks took him out of the park. Toronto added another run to make it 5-1 after seven, but Chicago felt good at the SkyDome. So good that, after Tony Castillo got 'em 1-2-3 in the top of the eighth, they still had a lot of fight in them. Robin Ventura took the Jays bullpen ace, Duane Ward, deep for a two-run shot to make it a 5-3 game. There were two outs, but the Sox got the tying run to the dish as Burks walked on a full count. Ward fanned Bo Jackson to end it.



Dave Stewart pushed his postseason record to 8-0 as the Blue Jays won game six in Chicago, 6-3. Ward gave up another ninth-inning home run, this time to Warren Newson. It just wasn't easy. But Joe Carter, who'd become a household name among baseball fans everywhere in a matter of weeks, put the squeeze on it in right to end it.





Somehow, I think Toronto was glad they weren't heading home until game one of the Fall Classic that year. No more room for ALCS debacles at home.


References

Bingley, Phil, et al. Another World: The Toronto Stars Tribute To The’ 93 Blue Jays. Toronto Star for Doubleday Canada, 1993. Print.

Dan Diamond and Associates & Toronto Blue Jays Club. Toronto Blue Jays Official Guide 1987, 1993, 1994. Print.

Gamester, George, and Gerald Hall. On Top of the World: The Toronto Stars Tribute To The '92 Blue Jays. Doubleday Canada, 1992. Print.

Major League Baseball. World Series Official Programs 1992 & 1993. Print.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 7 Oct. 2015.

Retrosheet. Web. 7 Oct. 2015. <http://www.retrosheet.org/>.

YouTube. Web. 7 Oct. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com>.