Los Angeles Dodgers 5 at New York Mets 4, F/12 — Backed by homers from Darryl Strawberry and Kevin McReynolds, Dwight Gooden and the Mets enjoyed a 4-2 lead in the 9th, and seem poised to take a 3-1 series lead. But Mike Scioscia, who had only three home runs all season, had other ideas,
Pittsburgh Pirates 2 at Atlanta Braves 3, F — Pittsburgh’s ace Doug Drabek was cruising along, holding the Braves scoreless for eight innings, getting out of his only real jam (bases loaded, no out) in the sixth inning. Atlanta’s starter, John Smoltz, was similarly solid, with the Pirates scraping together two runs on an Orlando
Boston Red Sox 7 at California Angels 6, F/11 — The Angels needed only one more out to earn their first World Series appearance, but it was the Red Sox who had destiny on their side. Angels closer Donnie Moore pushed Dave Henderson and the Red Sox one strike away from elimination, but Henderson earned
Houston Astros 5 at New York Mets 6, F — Game 3 in a series tied 1-1 are always critical momentum changers. Mets’ starter Ron Darling was shaky early, allowing four runs in the first two innings, but settled down after that. The Mets got back into the game in the 6th, tying it on
Chicago Cubs 3 at Padres 6, F — It was the decisive Game 5 of the National League Championship Series. The Cubs had posted the NL’s best record that season, and they had stormed out to a 2-0 series lead. But because of an old Major League Baseball rule at that time, the Padres had
Seattle Mariners 1 at Boston Red Sox 3, F — A 23-year-old legend-in-the-making, Roger Clemens strikes out the side in the first inning to set the tone for the chilly evening (Fenway held just 13,414 witnesses to history that night), as he becomes the first pitcher in Major League history to strike out 20 batters
National League 6 at American League 7, F — Ichiro Suzuki scores the first run of the game in the 3rd inning, giving the American League the lead on their way to a victory over the National League
Milwaukee Brewers 3 at St. Louis Cardinals 6, F — Clutch hits by Keith Hernandez and George Hendrick backed the gutsy pitching of Joaquin Andujar. When Bruce Sutter recorded the last out to close the door on the Milwaukee “Harvey’s wallbangers” Brewers, St. Louis had won its first World Series title since the Bob Gibson-led
New York Yankees 7 at Los Angeles Dodgers 2, F — Game 6 turned out to be grand finale for the unlikely heroic duo of Bucky Dent and Brian Doyle. Davey Lopes gave the Dodger home crowd a ray of hope with a leadoff home run off Catfish Hunter. Dent and Doyle put the Yankees
Pittsburgh Pirates 2 at Baltimore Orioles 1, F — With four 20-game winners and a powerful lineup featuring Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson and Boog Powell, the Orioles were expected to dominate. But with the help of a Roberto Clemente home run in the fourth, and a Willie Stargell run in the eighth, Pirates starter Steve
Los Angeles Dodgers 4 at New York Yankees 8, F — In a performance as legendary as any Yankee great before him, Reggie Jackson blasted three consecutive home runs on three pitches against three different Dodger hurlers (Burt Hooton, Elias Sosa and Charlie Hough) into the frenzied Stadium throng. It was his defining moment in
New York Yankees 5 at Boston Red Sox 4, F — For two bitter rivals, it all came down to this one-game showdown at historic Fenway Park. The winner would earn a trip to the ALCS against the Kansas City Royals; the loser would go home with 99 wins, and nothing to show for them.
OCincinnati Reds 3 at Baltimore Orioles 9, F — After a rocky first inning, Cuellar silenced the Reds over the final eight frames to earn a complete game, six-hit victory. Cuellar was backed by home runs by Frank Robinson and Merv Rettenmund, which highlighted a nine-run, 15-hit onslaught that saw every Baltimore position but Brooks
Oakland Athletics 3 at Los Angeles Dodgers 2, F — Reggie Jackson provided the power by opening the scoring with a home run in the second. Ace closer Rollie Fingers provided the pitching, coming on early in relief and earning the win. Staff ace Catfish Hunter closed up shop in the ninth for the save,
CLE@DET: Galarraga near perfect, retires 26 straight
Los Angeles Dodgers 2 at Minnesota Twins 0, F — With a league-leading 26 wins, 2.04 ERA and a then-record 382 strikeouts, Sandy Koufax was unquestionably the best pitcher in all of baseball. But with an advancing case of arthritis in his golden left arm, every breathtaking outing was countered by hours of treatment to
Boston Red Sox 1 at Tampa Bay Rays 3, F — Akinori Iwamura stabbed Jed Lowrie’s bad-hop grounder, had a moment of indecision about whether to flip the ball to shortstop Jason Bartlett, then he headed to second base. Once his foot touched down on the bag for the force out, the Rays were headed
New York Yankees 3 at Brooklyn Dodgers 2, F — A classic “Subway Series,” old-school style. Leading the Series 3-2, Brooklyn rookie Billy Loes battled Yankee veteran Vic Raschi zero for zero for five complete innings. Duke Snider and Yogi Berra exchanged solo shots in the sixth, and young slugger Mickey Mantle’s first career World
Baltimore Orioles 3 at New York Mets 5, F — Slugger Donn Clendenon and light-hitting Al Weis each homered to back the five-hit pitching of Jerry Koosman as the “Miracle Mets” closed out their first-ever World Series championship with a 5-3 victory over the heavily favored Orioles. A key play in the sixth featured Cleon
Detroit Tigers 1 @ Boston Red Sox 7, F — Daisuke Matsuzaka tossed nine seemingly-effortless innings, striking out five and walking none en route to his first complete game victory in the Major Leagues, surrendering only a solo home run to Curtis Granderson in the third.