#23: Jays clinch third straight AL
East title
Toronto Blue Jays (2) at Milwaukee
Brewers (0)
Monday, September 27, 1993
County Stadium
On
a cold, damp night in Milwaukee, the Blue Jays became the first team to win
three straight American League East titles since the 1976-78 New York Yankees.
It was the start of what would turn out to be the last hurrah for this bunch of
players, as less than a month later they would be celebrating their second
consecutive World Series Championship.
However,
it was a different team than the one that had won the previous year. While the
1992 team depended on solid pitching, strong defense and timely hitting, the
1993 version clubbed their opponents into submission. This was perhaps the best
offensive unit in franchise history as not only could they hit for average and
supply power, their effectiveness with runners in scoring position was what
defined them.
The
personnel was different as well. A new third baseman (Ed Sprague in for Kelly
Gruber), shortstop (Tony Fernandez for Manuel Lee), left fielder (Rickey
Henderson for Candy Maldonado), designated hitter (Paul Molitor for Dave
Winfield) and new pitchers in the starting rotation. Jimmy Key had signed with
the Yankees as a free agent and Jack Morris was injured. Dave Stewart was added
as a free agent signing and Pat Hentgen quickly became the ace of the staff
after winning 19 games in his first full season as a starter.
The
game in which they clinched was rather dull, but it did have its moments. This
would actually be the 19th win for Hentgen as he pitched 6 2/3
innings, allowing seven hits while striking out seven. Duane Ward—who had
replaced Tom Henke as the closer—would record his 43rd save of the
season.
Former
Brewer, Molitor, opened the scoring in the top of the second when he hit a home
run to left field off of Milwaukee starter, Cal Eldred. The few Brewer fans
that were in attendance saluted Molitor, who had been a superstar while with
the Milwaukee organization for more than a dozen years, when he circled the bases.
The
second run was scored an inning later when centre-fielder, Devon White, hit a
sacrifice fly that scored Sprague from third. After that, not much happened in
the way of offense.
Probably
the most exciting moment of the night occurred in the top of the eighth when
home plate umpire, Ken Kaiser, called White out on strikes. Devo, obviously mad
at the call, stewed in the dugout. After someone from the Toronto bench
complained about the strike call, Kaiser—a former professional wrestler—just
glared at the Blue Jays’ players.
Fernandez,
jokingly held out his arms as if to say, “What’s the problem?” and looked like
he was about to get tossed until back-up shortstop, Alfredo Griffin, pulled
Fernandez back into the dugout and made the motion with his arms for everybody
to calm down.
The
bottom of the ninth ended on a 6-4-3 double play (Fernandez to Roberto Alomar
to John Olerud) and the Jays celebrated the fifth division championship in club
history. It was a muted celebration—not like the previous four—as the team took
a business-like approach and new that what they really wanted to celebrate had
not yet been achieved.
At
the time, no one would have ever predicted it would be another 22 years before
the Toronto Blue Jays would celebrate another division championship.
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