Top 25 All-time Blue Jays' Games: #13: Jays Head Back to the World Series, 1993

#13: Jays Go Back to the World Series, 1993

Toronto Blue Jays (6) at Chicago White Sox (3)

ALCS Game 6

Tuesday, October 12, 1993

Comiskey Park II

            Back in 1993, no team had won two consecutive World Series since the New York Yankees in 1977 and 1978. Only the Oakland A’s had been close when they returned in 1990 after winning in 1989, but got swept by the heavy underdog Cincinnati Reds.

            Toronto had gotten off to a bit of a slow start at the beginning of 1993, mainly due to the fact that free agent pitcher Dave Stewart missed the first few weeks with injuries. But after he returned, and Pat Hentgen emerged as a legitimate starting pitcher, the Jays turned their fortunes around. With an offense capable of slugging it would with anyone, they would win their third consecutive American League East title.

            Going into Game 6 of the ALCS, the Toronto Blue Jays were a win away from attempting to defend their title against the Philadelphia Phillies, who had knocked off the Atlanta Braves in six games in the NLCS. Toronto had taken the first two games in Chicago, only to drop the next two at home in SkyDome. They rebounded to take Game 5 by a 5-3 score and now were looking to wrap up the series.

            On the mound for Toronto was Stewart, winner of Game 2 of the series and the owner of a lifetime 7-0 record in nine ALCS games. Chicago would counter with Alex Fernandez, who had lost to Stewart in the second game.

                        After a scoreless first, Toronto mounted the game’s first offensive threat in the top of the second. First baseman John Olerud led off with a walk and designated hitter Paul Molitor was hit by a pitch, after shortstop Tony Fernandez’s sac bunt moved both runners over, third baseman Ed Sprague walked to load the bases.

            This brought up catcher Pat Borders, who singled on the first pitch to right field to score Olerud and Molitor to put Toronto up 2-0. The lead would hold until an inning later when the White Sox would score two runs of their own to tie it up. Frank Thomas walked with the bases loaded and Robin Ventura grounded into a force out to bring in the second run.

            In the top of the fourth, Molitor reached on an error, moved to third on a one-out single by Sprague, then scored when Borders had just enough speed to beat the throw to first on a potential double-play ground ball. Toronto regained their lead at 3-2.

            After that, it was a pitcher’s duel with Stewart and Fernandez settling into grooves and getting out of jams. The Jays had runners on base in the fifth, sixth and seventh but couldn’t add any runs. Chicago had several baserunners but couldn’t muster a rally of any significance.

            With one out in the top of the ninth, Jays’ centre-fielder Devon White smacked a home run over the wall in right field to increase Toronto’s lead to 4-2. One out later, right-fielder Joe Carter singled and Olerud reached on an error. Then Molitor tripled into the gap in right-centre to drive them both in and push the lead to 6-2.

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Cubs: 100 Years at Wrigley: Part V: Cursed

The Cubs at Wrigley 100 Years

Part V: Cursed

                “The Curse of the Billy Goat” has haunted the Chicago Cubs for more than 70 years. After being told to remove his pet goat from Game 4 of the 1945 World Series because of its annoying smell, Billy Sianis cursed the Cubs and said they would never win another World Series. But how much merit is there in a curse? How much effect does it really have on a team’s chances to win a championship?

                Well, the “Curse of the Bambino” prevented the Boston Red Sox from winning a championship…until they won in 2004 (they won another in 2007 and 2013). And the “Curse of the Black Sox” never allowed the Chicago White Sox from winning a World Series…until they did in 2005. What I’m saying is curses mean nothing. If you really believe that a team can’t win a championship because of some hocus pocus, then you should probably be a fan of voodoo and not baseball.

                But sometimes, when looking at the history of the Chicago Cubs over the past 100 years, you can’t help but think that maybe there’s something to this whole billy goat thing.

                We already looked at the 1945 World Series so we won’t be looking at that again, but let’s have a look at other moments in Cubs’ history where you can’t help but think the hex is on the North Siders.

                First, there was 1969, where the “Cubs will shine in ’69” was the slogan. And for most of the season, they did. At the beginning of September, the Cubs held a five game lead over the second place New York Mets (down from an 9 ½ game lead only a few weeks earlier). A little over a week later, after an eight-game losing streak, the Cubs were in second place. While the Cubs were slumping, the Mets reeled off a ten-game winning streak. The Cubs would finish with a 92-70 record, eight games behind the Mets. They had lost 17 ½ games in the standings in a month and a half.

                Then there was 1984. The Cubs won the first two games of the NLCS against the San Diego Padres, both games at Wrigley. But then the series shifted to Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego and that’s where everything started to unravel. The NLCS was a best of five series back in 1984 and the Cubs needed only to win one of the three remaining games. But a 7-1 loss in Game 3, a 7-5 walk-off loss in Game 4 and an error in the seventh inning of the fifth game by first baseman Leon Durham which led to a four run rally and a 6-4 Padres’ win, and the Cubs had been defeated, blowing their two games to none lead.

                Then came 1989 and another NL East title, but that only led to a five-game loss to the San Francisco Giants in the best-of-seven NLCS. Fast forward to 1998 and Sammy Sosa’s pursuit of the home run record. The Cubs finished tied for the Wild Card spot, beat the Giants in the one-game playoff but were swept by the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS.

                And then came (sigh) 2003 and all signs were pointed to a World Series matchup between the Cubs and the Boston Red Sox, the two teams with the longest World Series Championship drought. The Cubs had won the Wild Card spot again, knocked off the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS and held a three games to on lead over the Florida Marlins in the NLCS.

                After losing Game 5 by a 4-0 score, the Cubs took a 3-0 lead into the eighth inning of Game 6. Yes, that ill-fated eighth inning where the Cubs and their fans would look back at a phantom fan interference call and blame one of their fans for the team’s ineptitude in that inning. For the record, Steve Bartman did nothing wrong. The ball was in the stands and therefore not fan interference. On top of that, he wasn’t part of the pitching staff that allowed eight runs in one inning in the 8-3 loss. He also wasn’t the shortstop who made a critical error on a double play ball that would have ended the inning with only one Marlin run scoring. And he also wasn’t part of the pitching staff that allowed nine runs the following night, negating the six the Cubs had scored in a 9-6 Florida series-clinching win. No, Bartman is not to blame for any of that pathetic play. You might just want to call the Cubs…….cursed.

                The three-game sweeps in the 2007 and 2008 NLDS and the sweep at the hands of the Mets in the NLCS last season are just the epilogue in this sad tale. Perhaps one day, the Cubs will finally win a World Series and all this ridiculous stuff about curses will be laughed at, just like the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox fans are now doing. Until then……….

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Top 25 All-time Blue Jays' Games: #14: Stieb's No-hitter, 1990

#14: Stieb No-hits the Tribe, 1990

Toronto Blue Jays (3) at Cleveland Indians (0)

Sunday, September 2, 1990

Cleveland Municipal Stadium

            I remember having a visit from my aunt, uncle and cousin from Toronto on the Sunday of the Labour Day Weekend back in 1990. I was just a handful of days away from starting high school and not really sure if I was looking forward to it or if I was a bit apprehensive about moving on to something new.

            About 2:30 or 3:00 in the afternoon, after the family formalities had died down, my brother, my cousin Ruth-Anne and myself went to the living room and turned on the TV. The Blue Jays were in Cleveland to play the Indians and we just wanted to watch the game. The bottom of the fifth inning was wrapping up and when the score flashed before going to commercial, we noticed that the Indians had not yet registered a hit.

            At first we got excited, a possibility to see a no-hitter. But then reality set in: Dave Stieb was pitching. For Blue Jays’ fans who remember watching the team in the late 1980s, you will also remember that Stieb was cursed when it came to finishing no-hit bids.

            He had lost two in a row late in the 1988 season, both with two outs in the ninth and one of them in Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Then there was the lost perfect game chance against the Yankees at Exhibition Stadium, also with two out in the ninth. Although I didn’t say anything out loud, I was wondering how far Stieb would get before he “blew” it.

            He didn’t exactly have his best stuff on this particular attempt, having walked the lead off man in the first inning. But then the base runner, Alex Cole, was caught stealing. With two out in the second, Stieb walked his second batter of the day, Carlos Baerga. But Baerga, too, was caught stealing.

            Stieb struck out the side in the third, then watched Jays’ first baseman Fred McGriff smack a solo home run to give Toronto a 1-0 lead. The Indians went one-two-three in the fourth and then the Jays took a 2-0 lead on an RBI double by second baseman Manny Lee.

            We picked up the game just as another one-two-three inning was coming to a close, then started to get even more excited when Stieb struck out the side in the sixth. The Indians went in order again in the seventh, and that’s when we really got excited. We debated briefly about whether running to tell my dad and uncle that Stieb was six outs away from a no-hitter but two things stopped us: the fact that he had gotten closer than this and lost it before, and more importantly, we didn’t want to jinx it. But I’m sure my dad and uncle were watching it on another TV anyway.

            Even though the Jays only had a two-run lead, we were wishing their turn up at bat would pass quickly so we could get nervous, excited and scared again as Stieb came out for another inning. In the bottom of the eighth, he walked the lead-off man, his third walk of the day, but then got three fly ball outs. The fateful ninth was all that was left.

            McGriff popped his second home run of the day to extend the lead to 3-0, but we didn’t care about that. He just wanted to see if Stieb could finally close out a no-hitter.  Again, the question arose: should we tell dad and Uncle Jeff? No, we couldn’t leave our spots.

            The Indians first batter in the ninth was Chris James. Stieb got him to fly out to left-fielder Glenallen Hill. Up next was Candy Maldonado, who would help the Jays win the World Series a couple of years later. Stieb struck him out.

            One out to go. Of course if he was going to lose his bid, it would happen with two out in the ninth. Alex Cole was up again for the Tribe. Stieb walked him, his fourth of the day. It was Jerry Brown’s turn at bat.

            On a 1-1 pitch, Brown lofted a line drive fly ball to right field, where Junior Felix glided over to it and closed his mitt around the ball for the final out. While we jumped up and down and screamed “No-hitter! Stieb finally threw a no-hitter!” I looked at the TV and saw the look of exasperated relief on the face of the Toronto hurler. As his teammates mobbed him, I knew he deserved it after all those near-misses.

            Stieb would never again pitch in the post-season for Toronto and was an injured observer when they finally won the World Series in 1992. The no-hitter was pretty much his last hurrah as the best pitcher on the team. His skills would quickly erode, mainly due to the injury troubles. And even though he pitched a handful of games in the 1991 and 1992 seasons, this beautiful, sunny afternoon on the south shore of Lake Erie was Stieb’s Blue Jays swan song.

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Brock Dykxhoorn and the Lancaster JetHawks push for the playoffs

               August had a bit of a rough beginning for Delhi, Ontario’s Brock Dykxhoorn of the Lancaster JetHawks, but the right-hander has picked it up in the second half of the month as he helps his team towards the California League (Advanced-A) postseason. As of Friday, the JetHawks have posted a 37-24 win/loss record, good enough for first place in the South Division, three games ahead of the High Desert Mavericks and the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, who are tied for second.

                The Houston Astros’ affiliate has just over a week to go in the regular season, nine games to be exact, and the season will end on September 5^th. If Lancaster qualifies for the playoffs, Top Of The Third will keep you updated on the progress of the team, or you can check for yourself by clicking here to access the JetHawks’ homepage.

                Getting back to Dykxhoorn, he’s had five starts this month, the first being on August 1^st against the Lake Elsinore Storm. In his 4 1/3 innings pitched, he allowed three runs, all earned, on six hits. He walked three while striking out five and didn’t figure in the decision as a seven-run seventh inning allowed the JetHawks to comeback and defeat the storm by a 7-6 score.

                It was Dykxhoorn’s next start, on August 7^th, that was a bit of a rough one. Against the Modesto Nuts, he surrendered ten earned runs on 11 hits and one walk over five innings, taking the loss. The final score was 12-10 for Modesto.

                August 13^th saw Dykxhoorn pick up his first win of the month, a 16-2 Lancaster drubbing of the San Jose Giants. Brock pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing only two runs of four hits. He walked two while striking out three.

                That was followed by another victory on the 19^th, a 6-3 win against Lake Elsinore. This time against the Storm, he pitched five innings, giving up two runs and struck out four batters. His last game to date was August 25^th, a no-decision in a 6-2 loss to High Desert. In that game, he pitched six innings, giving up two runs while striking out five.

His season stats thus far stand at 9 wins, 4 losses, a 5.32 ERA and 83 strike outs in 116 2/3 innings pitched. The win against Lake Elsinore was the 20^th in his professional career, and in the loss against Modesto, his second strike out of the game was his 200^th.

                On September 10^th, we will have our next update on Dykxhoorn and the playoff progress of the Lancaster JetHawks.

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This Day In Baseball History: August 27, 2000

This Day In Baseball History: August 27, 2000

                It was on this date in 2000 that Anaheim Angels right-fielder, Tim Salmon, hit a home run off of Cleveland Indians pitcher, Chuck Finley, in the fifth inning of the Angels’ 10-9 victory at Edison Field in Anaheim, to give him 30 home runs on the season. This made MLB history in that the Angels became the first team in American League history to have four players hit 30 or more home runs in the same season.

                The season totals would wind up being third baseman Troy Glaus (47), first baseman Mo Vaughn (36), centre-fielder Garrett Anderson (35) and Salmon (34). The Toronto Blue Jays would become the second A.L. team to do it later in the year (Carlos Delgado, Tony Batista, Brad Fullmer and Jose Cruz Jr.), while the Chicago White Sox would do it in 2006 (Jermaine Dye, Jim Thome, Paul Konerko and Joe Crede).

                It has happened in the National League nine times: Los Angeles (1977, 1997), Colorado (1995, 1996, 1997, 1999), Atlanta (1998), Chicago (2004) and Philadelphia (2009).

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Top 25 All-time Blue Jays' Games: #15: Jays Clinch A.L. East, 1989

#15: Jays Win Second A.L. East Title, 1989

Baltimore Orioles (3) at Toronto Blue Jays (4)

Saturday, September 30, 1989

SkyDome

            After the Toronto Blue Jays had suffered a 5-4 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on July 5^th, they fell ten games behind the A.L. East-leading Orioles. They were seven games below .500 at 38-45 and looked like they would be just an on-looker for the rest of the season. However, a three-game sweep of Detroit at Tiger Stadium on the week-end before the All-Star Game, got the team rolling and they would close the gap to Baltimore rather quickly. In fact, they took sole possession of first place on September 1^st, and never relinquished the lead.

            On September 29, they started a three-game series with the second place Orioles on the final weekend of the season. Going into the first game, Toronto held a one-game lead, meaning they would have to win two of the three games to clinch the division. In the first game, they walked off the Orioles in the 11^th inning when centre fielder Lloyd Moseby, hit a line-drive into the gap with the bases loaded, scoring right-fielder Junior Felix giving Toronto a 2-1 win.

            They were now two games ahead with two to play. Jimmy Key would start on the mound for Toronto while Baltimore would counter with a little-known pitcher named Dave Johnson, who found out only a few hours before the game that he would start.

            The Jays would hit the scoreboard during their first trip to the plate. Moseby led off with a walk and would move to third on ground outs by left-fielder Mookie Wilson and first baseman Fred McGriff. Designated hitter, George Bell, came to the plate and showing how much of a clutch hitter he always was, singled to right field to drive in Moseby: Toronto-1, Baltimore-0.

            After a scoreless second, the Orioles would plate two in the top of the third to take a 2-1 lead. With one out, Phil Bradley would get an infield hit (replays showed he may have been out). One out later, Cal Ripken doubled, scoring Bradley. A single by Randy Milligan allowed Ripken to dent the dish and give the O’s the lead.

            Baltimore added a third run in the fourth, when another infield single by Bradley scored Mike Devereaux and the Orioles had a 3-1 lead. Key was done after the fourth inning, replaced by long-reliever Frank Wills. Meanwhile, Johnson was pitching a gem for Baltimore. After surrendering the first inning run, he retired the Jays in order in the second, third, fourth and sixth, while allowing only one hit in the fifth and a walk in the seventh.

            Wills, in relief, pitched magnificently out of the pen for Toronto, giving up only one hit in the four innings he pitched after taking over for Key. As the Blue Jays came to bat in the bottom of the eighth, they were still down 3-1, but were about to take advantage of a tiring Johnson.

            Second baseman, Nelson Liriano, led off with a walk. Manny Lee, pinch hitting for Felix, also walked, with outfielder Rob Ducey pinch-running for Lee. Johnson was removed from the game and was replaced by Ken Hickey. The first batter Hickey faced, Moseby, dropped down a perfect sacrifice bunt (one of only 19 sac bunts on the year by Toronto) to put runners on second and third with only one out.

            Mookie Wilson singled to left scoring Liriano and moving Ducey (the game-tying run) to third. American League home run-champion, Fred McGriff, came to the plate. But McGriff had been slumping all of September. Despite winning the home run title, he had not hit one since September 3^rd. He came through this time, however, with a solid base hit into right field. Ducey scored to tie the game at three and Wilson, who had been running on the pitch made it to third.

            The go-ahead run was now at third, with still only one out and Bell coming to the plate. On the second pitch of the at bat, Bell lifted a high fly ball to deep right field that was caught by Steve Finley. But Mookie, tagging on the play, easily scored, giving Toronto a 4-3 lead and putting them three defensive outs away from a trip to the postseason.

            For the ninth, they turned to closer Tom Henke, who had been the pitcher of record and picked up the win the night before. The first hitter, Mickey Tettleton, struck out looking on a 3-2 pitch. Up next was Joe Orsulak, who grounded out to third baseman, Kelly Gruber.

            Needing only one out to go, Henke faced pinch-hitter Larry Sheets. Henke got ahead in the count 1-2 and then threw Sheets a forkball that started in the middle of the plate. As Sheets started his swing, the bottom dropped out of the pitch and missed Sheets’ bat. The Jays had won the game, 4-3, and with it their second division title. Frank Wills picked up the win after yielding only one hit in his four innings of work.

            It was a remarkable comeback in the game and for the entire season. Of the six division titles that the team has won in their history, the deficit overcome in 1989 was larger than any gap that had faced them in the other five seasons (although 2015’s eight-game comeback to win by six was impressive as well).

            Although Toronto would lose to the powerful Oakland A’s in five games in the American League Championship Series, it was still a year to remember. And for many Jays’ players (Bell, Moseby, Mookie, Liriano, Ducey, catcher Ernie Whitt) it was their last hurrah as they would all be gone before the Jays’ next postseason appearance in 1991.

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This Day In Baseball History: August 25, 1946

This Day in Baseball History: August 25, 1946

                It was on this date in 1946 that the New York Yankees became the first team in MLB history to draw two million fans in a season. The total attendance of 42,908 fans who watched the Yankees drop a 7-2 decision to the Detroit Tigers, pushed the season total at Yankee Stadium to 2,027,087. The Yankees would finish the season having drawn 2,265,512 paying customers up from 881,845 in 1945, and smashing the American League record of 1,289,422 fans the Yankees drew in 1920 when playing at the Polo Grounds.

                But those numbers dwarf in comparison to the attendance records that stand today. Nine times a team has drawn over 4 million with the record being set by the Colorado Rockies who played in Mile High Stadium (a football facility) when they first came into the league in 1993. That year they drew 4,483,350. The New York Yankees have drawn 4 million four times (2005-2008), the Toronto Blue Jays three times (1991-93) and the New York Mets once (2008).

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This Day In Blue Jays' History: August 24, 1983

               It was on this day in 1983 that the Toronto Blue Jays suffered the humiliating indignity of having three runners picked off of first base in the same inning. In a late August game at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, both teams were still in the thick of the division race. The Milwaukee Brewers were in first place, followed by the Orioles who were a half-game out. The Jays were tied with the Tigers for third, only 1 ½ back.

                Both teams scored a run on a sacrifice fly in the third and the Jays would add to their total when they scored on an error in the fifth and another sac fly in the eighth. Toronto held a 3-1 lead going to the bottom of the ninth but, as was usually the case in 1983, not having a legitimate closer in the bullpen cost Toronto the lead. The Orioles scored two runs forcing extra innings. If the bullpen had held the lead, the embarrassment that would be the tenth would have never happened.

                Designated hitter Cliff Johnson led off the inning and he put the Jays ahead 4-3 with a solo shot. Next up was left-fielder Bobby Bonnell and he singled to centre field. Baltimore closer, Tippy Martinez, came out of the Orioles bullpen to keep the Jays from scoring any more runs. Bonnell, eager to steal second, took off as Martinez started his throw to first. Eddie Murray, playing first base for Baltimore, ran down Bonnell and tagged him out. One.

                Dave Collins then reached first on a walk. He took too big a lead and when Martinez threw over to first base, Collins was too far away from the bag and he was picked off. Two.

                First baseman Willie Upshaw then got an infield hit to keep a potential rally going. Again, Upshaw strayed off first base, Martinez threw over, Upshaw couldn’t make it back in time. Three. Embarrassing.

                Still, the Jays had a 4-3 lead going into the bottom of the tenth. Joey McLaughlin, Toronto’s closer (ahem) was on the hill. He promptly gave up a game-tying home run to Cal Ripken. After a walk, a ground out and an intentional walk, McLaughlin was replaced by Randy Moffatt. After Moffatt struck out the first batter he faced, he surrendered a game-winning three-run home run to Lenny Sakata. Baltimore won the game 7-4.

                The Orioles would surge ahead to capture the division title, while the Jays would slump back into fourth place and finish nine games behind Baltimore.

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Cubs: 100 Years At Wrigley: Part IV: The 1945 World Series

The Cubs at Wrigley 100 Years

Part IV: The 1945 World Series

                The 1945 season saw the Chicago Cubs in the World Series for the sixth time since they began play at Wrigley Field in 1916, but fans were hoping for better results after seeing their team lose in 1918, 1928, 1932, 1935 and 1938. Chicago had finished the regular season as National League Champions with 98 wins, 56 losses and three games separating them from the second place St. Louis Cardinals.

                The Cubs were led offensively by outfielders Andy Pafko (.298 batting average, 12 home runs and 110 RBIs), Peanuts Lowrey (.283, 7, 89) and Bill Nicholson (.243, 13, 88) and first baseman Phil Cavarretta (.355, 6, 97).

                As for pitching, the Cubs had among their starters, Hank Wyse (22-10 win/loss record, 2.68 ERA and 77 strike outs), Claude Passeau (17-9, 2.46, 98) and Paul Derringer (16-11, 3.45, 86), while the bullpen was led by Paul Erickson (7-4, 3.32, 53 and three saves).

                The opposition for the Cubs would come from the Detroit Tigers led by Hank Greenberg, Rudy York and Roy Cullenbine at the plate, and Hal Newhouser, Dizzy Trout and Al Benton on the mound.

                Even though World War 2 had ended, travel restrictions were still in effect and thus the schedule would have the first three games in Detroit’s Briggs Stadium with the final four games (if all were necessary) to be played in Wrigley.

                The Cubs got off to a great start in Game 1 with a four-run first inning hi-lighted by a two-run double by Nicholson. They followed that up with three runs in the third, knocking Detroit’s 25-game winner Newhouser out of the game. Another two runs in the seventh culminated in a 9-0 Cubs win.

                Game 2 started out much the same way as the first game for the Detroit batters as they were unable to score any runs. Tigers’ pitcher Virgil Trucks allowed only one run in the Cubs fourth and that was all Chicago got the entire game. Detroit’s bats finally woke up in the bottom of the fifth as Greenberg’s three-run homer hi-lighted a four run rally as the Tigers evened up the series with a 4-1 victory.

                The final game of the Series in Detroit, Game 3, saw the Tigers’ bats fall silent again. Not only did they not score a run off of Cubs’ hurler Claude Passeau, they managed only one hit, that coming in the second inning. Chicago managed to score two runs in the fourth and another in the seventh for a 3-0 victory and a two games to one lead in the series.

                As the Series moved to Chicago, the Cubs were in good position, needing only to salvage a split in the four games to become champions for the first time since 1908, but the team was unprepared for what would happen in the stands during Game 3. The accounts of what happened before the game differ depending on the source, but legend has it that Billy Sianis, owner of the Billy Goat Tavern, decided to bring his pet goat to the game as a good luck charm for the Cubs.

                However, due to the smell of the goat bothering other fans, Sianis was asked to leave the game. As he left Wrigley, he shouted in a rage, “Them Cubs, they ain’t gonna win no more.” There have been claims that after the game, he sent a telegram to team owner Philip Wrigley that stated, “You are going to lose this World Series and you are never going to win another World Series again. You are never going to win a World Series again because you insulted my goat.”

                As for the game, the Tigers scored four runs in the fourth and the Cubs only managed one of their own in the sixth. The Tigers had even the series with a 4-1 win. They followed that up with their bats exploding for eight runs in Game 5 as they took the lead in the series with an 8-4 victory. Detroit was only one win away from the World Championship.

                Facing elimination in Game 6, the Cubs surrendered a run to Detroit in the second inning, but then rallied for four runs in the fifth, one in the sixth and two more in the sixth to take a 7-3 lead going to the seventh inning. But signs of the curse being legitimate started to appear as the Tigers put up four runs to tie the game at seven. After both teams failed to score in the ninth, the game headed for extra innings.

                The tenth and eleventh were fruitless. The Tigers also went scoreless in the 12^th giving the Cubs a chance to win the game. With one out, Frank Secory came through with a single, Bill Schuster coming in to pinch-run for him. Next up was Stan Hack who slammed the ball into the gap in left field. Schuster raced all the way from first to score the winning run. The Cubs prevailed 8-7 and the World Series was tied.

                Whatever momentum the Cubs received from the walk-off win was quickly forgotten when the Tigers scored five runs in the top of the first inning of Game 7. Both teams traded two runs over the next six innings before the Tigers added another pair in the eighth. While the Cubs managed a run in their half of the eight, they never got any closer and the Tigers won the seventh game and the 1945 World Series with a 9-3 victory.

                The Cubs only managed one win in their four home games. Whether the Curse of the Billy Goat was the reason for their loss or not has been up for debate for more than 70 years. But one thing remains fact: the Cubs have not been back to the World Series since.

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Top 25 All-time Blue Jays' Games: #16: Tulo's Double Helps Keeps Jays' Hopes Alive, 2015

#16: Jays Stave Off ALCS Elimination, Game 5, 2015

Kansas City Royals (1) at Toronto Blue Jays (7)

2015 American League Championship Series Game 5

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Rogers Centre

            Down three games to one to the Kansas City Royals in the 2015 American League Championship Series, the Toronto Blue Jays had their backs against the wall. But that was nothing new to this team in this postseason. They had fallen behind the Texas Rangers two games to none in the ALDS and had rebounded and won three straight games when facing elimination.

            But this was different. They had dropped the first two games of the series in Kansas City, the second one after blowing a 3-0 lead in the latter innings. After winning game three, they had been absolutely crushed by the Royals in the fourth game, 14-2. The air had been let out of the Jays’ balloon, so to speak, after being pummelled in front of their home crowd. With KC playing unbelievable baseball, it was all but a foregone conclusion that the Jays would be eliminated, especially after having looked so bad the previous day.

            Edinson Volquez was on the mound for Kansas City, his second start of the series after having shut out Toronto for six innings in Game 1. Toronto countered with Marco Estrada, the losing pitcher of that first game, giving up three of KC’s five runs in his 5 1/3 innings of work.

            Estrada retired the Royals in order for the first two innings, striking out three KC batters. Volquez got the Jays one-two-three in the first, but with one out in the second, Toronto first baseman Chris Colabello hit a home run over the left-centre field wall to give the Jays an early 1-0 lead.

            Estrada would face the minimum over the next three innings, giving up one hit but having it erased on a double play ball. Volquez would surrender two hits over those same innings but keep Toronto off the board. Another perfect inning followed for Estrada in the top of the sixth, but in the bottom half of the inning, the Jays knocked Volquez out of the game.

            Left fielder Ben Revere led off the inning with a walk, moved to second when third baseman Josh Donaldson was hit by a pitch, then advanced to third on a walk to right fielder Jose Bautista. Bases loaded, none out. Designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion then walked giving the Jays a run without the benefit of a hit: 2-0 Blue Jays.

            Volquez was replaced by Kelvin Herrera and he struck out the first batter he faced, Colabello. The next Toronto batter, Troy Tulowitzki, would lift the roof of the Rogers Centre when he swung at the first pitch he saw from Herrera and drilled a double over the head of centre fielder Lorenzo Cain that would clear the bases and give the Jays a 5-0 lead.

            Toronto would pad the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning when Bautista doubled, scoring Donaldson after he had doubled. Kansas City would finally get on the board in the eighth on a solo home run from catcher Salvador Perez, but the Jays would get that run right back in the bottom of the inning when centre fielder Kevin Pillar doubled home Tulowitzki to make the score 7-1.

            Toronto closer, Roberto Osuna would pitch a perfect ninth, getting all three of the outs on ground balls and giving the fifth game to the Jays, keeping their World Series dreams alive, for at least one night. While the Jays and their fans had their hopes buoyed by the amazing victory, and thoughts of another comeback started to rise, we all know how it ended: a heart-breaking Game 6 loss when the Jays’ batters went 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position.

            But for Game 5, the victory proved the Jays were not willing to go quietly.

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This Day In Baseball History: August 21, 2010

This Day In Baseball History: August 21, 2010

                It was on this date in 2010 that Matt Stairs of the San Diego Padres, hit a pinch-hit home run off of Ernesto Frieri of the Milwaukee Brewers in the eighth inning of a 6-5 Brewers win in Milwaukee’s Miller Park. It was the 21^st pinch-hit home run of Stairs’ career, breaking the record for pinch-hit homers that was set by Cliff Johnson while he was a member of the Toronto Blue Jays in 1984.

                Stairs, who was born in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada and played two seasons for the Blue Jays (2007 and 2008) would finish his career with 23 pinch-hit dingers when he retired following the 2011 season. He would play 1895 games in his 19-year career, that included stints with the Montreal Expos, Boston Red Sox, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Toronto, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego and finally the Washington Nationals.

                He would accumulate 1366 base hits, a .262 batting average, 265 home runs, 899 RBIs and even steal 30 bases. He would help the Phillies win the World Series in 2008. The only award he ever won was a Player of the Week honour in July of 1997 while with the Athletics.

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This Day In Baseball History: August 20, 1998

This Day In Baseball History: August 20, 1998

                It was on this date in 1998 that St. Louis Cardinals’ first baseman, Mark McGwire, became the first player in MLB history to hit 50 or more home runs in three consecutive seasons. The dinger was a solo shot that came on the tail end of back-to-back home runs with Brian Jordan against the New York Mets’ Willie Blair in the seventh inning of a 2-0 St. Louis victory at Shea Stadium in New York. It was the first game of a double-header.

                McGwire hit 52 home runs while a member of the Oakland Athletics in 1996, smacked a combined total of 58 in 1997 while splitting time with Oakland (34) and St. Louis (24) and then hit his record-breaking 70 in 1998. He would add a fourth consecutive year in 1999 when he drilled 65 over the wall. Other than those four seasons, McGwire never had another 50-home run season during his career, with the 49 he had as a rookie in 1987 being the closest he would get.

                Chicago Cubs’ slugger Sammy Sosa would tie that record of four 50-homer seasons in a row with 66 in 1998, 63 in 1999, 50 in 2000 and 64 in 2001. He would fall one short (49) in 2002 of making it five seasons in a row.

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Top 25 All-time Blue Jays' Games: #17: Bell Slugs Three on Opening Day

#17: Bell Blasts Three On Opening Day, 1988

Toronto Blue Jays (5) at Kansas City Royals (3)

Monday, April 4, 1988

Royals Stadium

            The Toronto Blue Jays finished 1987 in a rather disappointing fashion, having dropped their last seven games of the season, and surrendering a 3 ½ game lead to lose the American League East to the Detroit Tigers on the last day of the regular season. However, for Jays’ left-fielder George Bell, 1987 was his career year, having hit 47 home runs and adding 134 RBIs in earning the American League’s MVP Award.

            But both the Jays and Bell were entering 1988 on a rather bitter note. Bell was unhappy with Toronto manager, Jimy Williams, who now planned on using Bell primarily as a designated hitter, rather than playing in the outfield. A young Jays’ rookie, Sylvestre Campusano, was going to play centre field, while Lloyd Moseby would be moving from centre to left. Never one to take a decision against him lightly, while also priding himself on his defensive play as well as his bat, Bell voiced his frustrations over his reduced role.

            Many fans and media, and possibly some of the Blue Jays’ players, were wondering if this internal feud might destroy the whole season before it even got started. But on Opening Day, Bell proved that he wouldn’t let off-the-field distractions affect his play by smashing three home runs, the first time in Major League Baseball history that had happened to kick off a season.

            After the Blue Jays went in order in the top of the first, George Brett put the Royals ahead 2-0 when he hit a two-run homer off of Jays’ starter Jimmy Key. But Bell was leading off the top of the second and he quickly deposited Bret Saberhagen’s first pitch of the inning over the wall in left field to cut the lead to 2-1. Home run #1.

            In the fourth, after Jays’ “new” left-fielder Moseby reached base on an error and shortstop Tony Fernandez flew out, Bell came to the plate to face Saberhagen again. This time it was a 2-2 pitch that Bell slammed over the left-centre field wall to give Toronto a 3-2 lead. Home run #2.

            Later in the inning, right-fielder Jesse Barfield would hit a sacrifice fly scoring third baseman Rance Mulliniks to give the Jays a 4-2 lead.

            Bell would come up again in the sixth, but this time fly out on a line drive to left field. Meanwhile, Key had settled down since the Brett home run and didn’t allow the Royals to score again during his six innings of work. In the seventh, Key was replaced by another left-hander, David Wells, who yielded a run to Kansas City on a sacrifice fly by Kevin Seitzer.

            Saberhagen went back to the mound in the eighth and got Moseby and Fernandez out before Bell ripped into another one of his pitches (this time on a 2-1 count) down the left-field line and over the wall. The Jays led 5-3 and Bell had home run #3.

            For the day, Bell was 3 for 4, scored three runs and had four RBIs. Youngster, Campusano, also managed to get a hit in his debut, but proved he wasn’t good enough to be an everyday player in the Majors. Bell was back in left field before too much of the season had gone by.

            As for the pitching, Key picked up the win while Saberhagen suffered the loss, and Jays’ closer Tom Henke pitched two perfect innings to pick up his first save of the season.

            It was just another display of Bell coming through when the pressure was on, something he did on a regular basis for the Blue Jays. Unfortunately, the team didn’t have nearly as good a season as 1987 and finished in fourth place, two games back of the first-place Boston Red Sox.

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This Day In Baseball History: August 18, 1989

This Day In Baseball History: August 18, 1989

                It was on this date in 1989 that Dallas Green was fired as manager by the New York Yankees and replaced by former Yankee shortstop, Bucky Dent. This was the 17^th managerial changed in 17 seasons since George Steinbrenner took over ownership of the Yankees. When George took over the Yankees in 1973, Ralph Houk was the bench boss and had been since 1966. After the 1973 season, Houk resigned, and speculation was that Steinbrenner’s interference was the reason for the resignation.

                After Houk, there was Bill Virdon (1974-75), Billy Martin (1975-78), Dick Howser (one game in 1978), Bob Lemon (1978-79), Billy Martin (1979), Dick Howser (1980), Gene Michael (1981), Bob Lemon (1981-82), Gene Michael (1982), Clyde King (1982), Billy Martin (1983), Yogi Berra (1984-85), Billy Martin (1985), Lou Pinella (1986-88), Billy Martin (1988), Lou Pinella (1988), and then Dallas Green (1989) and Bucky Dent (1989-90).

                Steinbrenner was banned from operating the Yankees in 1991 after hiring a gambler to dig up dirt on Yankees’ slugger Dave Winfield. The ban lasted two years and when Steinbrenner was re-instated in 1993, he wasn’t as big a tyrant when it came to managers. Buck Showalter served four years as the skipper from 1992-95 and Joe Torre lasted an amazing 12 years (1996-2007) and won four World Championships.

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This Day In Blue Jays' History: August 17, 2001

                It was on this day in 2001 that Toronto Blue Jays’ third baseman, Jeff Frye, became only the second player in club history to hit for the cycle (single, double, triple and home run in the same game). Frye accomplished the feat in an 11-3 victory over the Texas Rangers at SkyDome in Toronto.

                The Rangers scored two runs in the top of the first on back-to-back home runs by Ivan Rodriguez and Rafael Palmeiro. The Jays responded with two runs in their half of the inning on an RBI single by Carlos Delgado and a sacrifice fly by Brad Fulmer.

                Frye came to the plate for the first time in the second inning and tripled to right on the second pitch of the at bat, but was stranded on third. He was up again in the fifth inning and doubled to right and later scored on a single by Shannon Stewart, giving the Jays a 3-2 lead.

                The Jays would score seven runs in the sixth inning to take a 10-3 lead. Frye’s third trip to the plate, which came in the sixth, would result in a two-run home run, leaving him just a single shy of the cycle. With two out and a runner on first in the seventh, Frye lined a pitch into the gap in right-centre field that should have been a double. But Frye looked at first base coach, Garth Iorg, as he rounded first and didn’t attempt to try for second base. He was content with the RBI single and received a standing ovation from the 22,384 fans in attendance

                Besides the cycle, the Jays also made some franchise history when they hit four home runs in the sixth inning. As well as Frye, Toronto got dingers from Jose Cruz Jr, Stewart and Delgado.

                Frye only played the one season with Toronto and appeared in 74 games. He collected 43 hits for a .246 batting average, hit two home runs and had 15 RBIs. He retired after that season, having played a total of eight years in the Big Leagues, spending time with Texas, Boston and Colorado.

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Cubs: 100 Years at Wrigley: Part III: The Games

The Cubs at Wrigley 100 Years

Part III: The Games

                Obviously when a team has been around since the 19^th Century and has played 100 years in one ball park, there will be a slew of memorable games. For the third part of our Cubs at Wrigley series, we will look at five memorable games of the past 40 years. These aren’t necessarily the biggest wins, or the most exciting games but rather five games that any Cubs’ fan who witnessed them will always remember. Enjoy.

May 17, 1979

Cubs vs Philadelphia Phillies

“Slugfest at Wrigley”

                This was a wild and wacky affair (love that term) in which the Phillies defeated the Cubs by a score of 23-22. This game was featured back in May on one of my “This Day In Baseball History” posts which you can read here.

                Briefly, this was a game whose score would be more reminiscent of a Bear/Eagles games. The teams combined for 45 runs, 50 hits and used a total of 11 pitchers. The Cubs rallied from behind to tie the score at 22 in the eighth inning, only for the Phils to re-take the lead in the top of the tenth on a Mike Schmidt solo home run.

                This game can be seen in its entire on YouTube by clicking here.

October 2, 1984

Cubs vs San Diego Padres

NLCS Game 1

                The Cubs were in the postseason for the first time since 1948, having won their first National League East title since divisional play started in 1969. Their opponent from the West Division was the San Diego Padres led by Steve Garvey, Graig Nettles and Tony Gwynn.

                Rick Sutcliffe started on the hill for the Cubs while the Padres countered with Eric Show. The Cubs wasted no time giving the Chicago fans something to cheer about when they struck for two in the bottom of the first on home runs by leadoff man Bob Dernier, and Gary Matthews. Three more runs would follow in the third, the first on a solo home run by Sutcliffe. An RBI single by Leon Durham and a sac fly by Keith Moreland would bring in the other scores.

                But it was a six-run fifth that put the game out of reach, hi-lighted by Matthews’ second homer of the game, this time a three-run shot. An RBI single by Jody Davis, a run-scoring ground out by Larry Bowa and an RBI single by Ryne Sandberg would make the score 11-0.

                Two more runs would score in the sixth to make the final score 13-0. Sutcliffe pitched seven shut out innings for the victory while also picking up a single to go with his home run.

May 6, 1998

Cubs vs Houston Astros

Kerry K’s 20

                There was a time (very briefly) that Kerry Wood looked like he was going to be a dominant pitcher for years to come. Unfortunately, injuries would slow down his career significantly and he never lived up to the hype. But for one day at Wrigley, he was the best pitcher in the world as he tied Roger Clemens’ MLB record for most strike outs in a game with 20.

                Wood struck out the first five batters he faced, and only surrendered one hit all game to the Astros hitters, that being of the infield variety in the top of the third to Ricky Gutierrez. For the game, Wood pitched all nine innings and didn’t walk a batter as the Cubs won the game by a 2-0 score.

September 13, 1998

Cubs vs Milwaukee Brewers

Slammin’ Sammy passes Maris

                This was an amazing comeback by the Cubs in their pursuit of a postseason berth, that also featured two home runs by Cubs’ right fielder Sammy Sosa in his chase of the single-season home run record. While Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals had already broken Roger Maris’ record a few days earlier, Sosa still had a chance to catch Big Mac. He entered the game with 60 home runs, one behind Maris.

                After falling behind 2-0, the Cubs exploded for six runs in the third inning. After Milwaukee scored another run in the fourth, Sosa stepped to the plate with a runner on in the fifth and blasted a pitch from Brewer reliever Bronswell Patrick over the ivy in left for a two-run shot, tying Maris and giving the Cubs a 10-3 lead.

                Unfortunately, the Chicago pitchers were having an off-day and the Brewers were able to plate a run in the sixth, one in the seventh, four in the eighth and another one in the ninth to head to the bottom of the ninth with a 10-8 lead.

                With one out, Sosa faced Brewer pitcher Eric Plunk and deposited the fourth pitch of the at-bat over the wall in left, passing Maris and closing the gap to Milwaukee to one. The game would be tied two batters later when Gary Gaetti singled in Jason Maxwell. Off to extra innings.

                In the bottom of the tenth, with two out and Sosa in the on-deck circle, Cubs’ first baseman Mark Grace would end the game with a home run of his own, giving Chicago a much-needed walk-off victory and a one-game lead in the Wild Card chase.

October 13, 2015

Cubs vs St. Louis Cardinals

NLDS Game 4

                Since they won the World Series in 1908, the Cubs had played in only 14 postseason series. Of those 14, they had only won one and they won the clinching game on the road. That means Wrigley Field had never seen its home team clinch a postseason series. Until 2015. The Cubs entered the game with a two games to one lead and had Jason Hammel on the mound against John Lackey of the Cards.

                St. Louis jumped on Hammel for two runs in the first but the Cubs quickly came back with four of their own in the second, thanks to Hammel’s RBI single and a three-run home run off the bat of substitute shortstop Javier Baez.

                But the Cards would fight back and eventually tie the score in the sixth. The tie wouldn’t last long because in the bottom of the inning, first baseman Anthony Rizzo would blast a solo shot to give the Cubs a 5-4 lead. Third baseman Kyle Schwarber would hit another solo homer in the seventh to up the lead to 6-4 and the Cards never dented the plate again.

                The Cubs had finally clinched a postseason series at Wrigley.

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