October 27th, 1991
World Series, Game 7
Atlanta Braves at Minnesota Twins
Metrodome, Minneapolis
Some
baseball experts have called this the greatest World Series ever and I would
have to agree. Not only did you have five one-run games, four of which were
walk-offs, but you also had two teams, in Minnesota and Atlanta, who had
finished in last place in their respective divisions in 1990. The
worst-to-first story, which is very rare, happened to two teams in one year.
The
Braves benefited from the return of GM Bobby Cox to the dugout as the manager
of the club. He hadn’t been a manager since 1985 when he guided the Toronto
Blue Jays to the postseason. The emergence of starting pitchers Tom Glavine,
John Smoltz and Steve Avery, and the additions of Lonnie Smith, Sid Bream and
Terry Pendleton to a lineup that already included David Justice, Greg Olson and
Ron Gant helped change the fortunes of the Braves.
The
Twins had talent all throughout the lineup led by outfielders Kirby Puckett and
Dan Gladden, first baseman Kent Hrbek and rookie second baseman Chuck Knoblach.
Their pitching staff included Kevin Tapani, Scott Erickson and free-agent
signee Jack Morris.
After
the Twins took the first two games at home by scores of 5-2 and 3-2, the Braves
rallied to win all three games in Atlanta, 5-4 in 12 innings, 3-2 and 14-5 to
take a three games to two lead on the road to the Metrodome.
Game
6 is the most memorable game of the Series that included a terrific catch and
walk off home run in the eleventh inning by future Hall-of-Famer, and Twin fan
favourite, Kirby Puckett. It set the stage for Game 7, that was just as
dramatic, intense and nerve-wracking as the sixth game.
Smoltz
would start on the hill for Atlanta while Morris would get the ball for the
Twins. Morris would shut out the Braves over nine innings, while Smoltz would
pitch eight scoreless before being relieved in the bottom of the ninth. After
the Twins got the first two batters on in the ninth on singles, a double play
and a strike out ended the threat sending the scoreless game to extra innings.
But
if not for a base-running error, the Braves would have already won the World
Series. In the top of the eighth, Lonnie Smith led off for the Braves with a
single. The next batter, Terry Pendleton, lined a double into the gap in
left-centre field. Smith, hesitated on the play, thinking the ball was going to
be caught. Perhaps he lost sight of the ball, because it was obvious from
watching Gladden and Puckett take off for the ball that neither was going to
get it, and with Smith’s speed he should have scored easily.
Instead
he only made it to third. Morris would bear down and get the next three Braves
batters, leaving Smith at third and keeping the game scoreless.
Now
back to the extra innings. After the Braves went in order in the tenth (Morris was
still on the mound for the Twins), Gladden led off the bottom of the tenth with
a double. After Knoblach dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move him to third,
Puckett and Hrbek were intentionally walked to load the bases. With the
outfield in to try and get the runner at the plate on a potential short fly
ball, pinch-hitter Gene Larkin hit the ball over their heads for the
game-winning hit as Gladden touched the plate for the World Series-clinching
run.
Morris
was selected as the Series’ Most Valuable Player, having pitched three games,
won two of them, allowed only three runs for an ERA of 1.17 and struck out 15
batters in 23 innings of work.
To
date, this is the last World Series appearance for the Twins, while the Braves
would be back four more times throughout the 1990s.
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