batter Dan Gladden,
thensaw Gladden race home on a sacrifice fly. Two batters and it was already 1–0!
Fortunately for the Braves, Avery got the next two out. The following inning, he sent the batters down in order. He did the
same thing the next three innings. In all, Avery dispatched fifteen in a row, five of which were strikeouts! The Braves, meanwhile,
had chalked up four runs to make it a 4–1 ball game.
But by the eighth inning, the Twins tied it up, 4–4. The score stayed that way through the bottom of the ninth. In the tenth
inning, both teams threatened to push over the winning run, but failed. The score remained 4–4 through the eleventh, forcing
a twelfth.
Tension mounted as the Twins loaded the bases with two outs. A good hit now could win the game. But the chance of getting
that hit seemed slim. They were out of pinch hitters and were faced with batting either relief pitcher Mark Guthrie, who had
never batted in a game, or reliever Rick Aguilera, who had. They chose Aguilera.
Aguilera connected for a line drive to left. The runners took off at full speed — and then slowed to a halt. Ron Gant had
caught the ball for the third out.
The game had been going on for more than four hours. It finally ended in the bottom of the twelfth. With bases loaded, two
outs, Mark Lemke belted a single over short that was just strong enough to score David Justice. The Braves won the game, turning
what might have been a three-game deficit into a two-to-one Series.
Then, amazingly, two nights later, the Series stood at three to two! Game four had been another triumph for Mark Lemke, whose
ninth-inning triple scored the tying run and put him in position to make the winning run — which he made after tagging up
and beating a throw home.
By comparison, game five wasn't quite as exciting, unless you considered watching the home team completely destroy the visitors
14–5 exciting. Of course, after the close shaves of the last two games, that margin was just fine with the Braves and their
fans!
The two teams returned to Minnesota for game six, another extra-innings, edge-of-the-seat finish.
It was the bottom of the eleventh. The score had been tied at 3–3 for a grueling four-and-a-half innings. Both teams were
exhausted, but with the championship on the line, neither was about to give up.
Relief pitcher Charlie Leibrandt took the mound for the Braves. Kirby Puckett was in the batter's box. It was the third time
the two players had faced one another in the Series. In the two previous meetings, Puckett had struck out on Leibrandt's changeup.
He was determined not to be fooled by the same pitch again. When the same pitch came, Puckett blasted it far into center field.
Home run!
The hit marked the fourth one-run victory of the Series. Fans who liked down-to-the-wire excitement had had more than their
fill with this championship —and that was before game seven was even played.
Game seven, according to baseball watchers everywhere, was one of the most memorable ever played. It was a pitcher's duel,
pitting twenty-four-year-old John Smoltz of the Atlanta Braves against a man he had admired growing up, veteran hurler Jack
Morris. There was a twelve-year difference in their ages, but statistically, they were near equals.
Just how equal was evident right from the start. Morris retired the first six batters he faced. Smoltz sent four back to the
dugout before giving up two singles. He defused the scoring threat, however, by covering first on the next play to end the
inning.
Inning after inning it went on. Batters who got hits died on base. After seven innings, the scoreboard showed nothing but
goose eggs. The anticipation was almost palpable: Who, fans and players wondered, would finally break through?
The answer almost came at the top of the eighth. Lonnie Smith singled to right, bringing up Terry Pendleton. With a mighty
swing, Pendleton blasted the ball deep into left
thensaw Gladden race home on a sacrifice fly. Two batters and it was already 1–0!
Fortunately for the Braves, Avery got the next two out. The following inning, he sent the batters down in order. He did the
same thing the next three innings. In all, Avery dispatched fifteen in a row, five of which were strikeouts! The Braves, meanwhile,
had chalked up four runs to make it a 4–1 ball game.
But by the eighth inning, the Twins tied it up, 4–4. The score stayed that way through the bottom of the ninth. In the tenth
inning, both teams threatened to push over the winning run, but failed. The score remained 4–4 through the eleventh, forcing
a twelfth.
Tension mounted as the Twins loaded the bases with two outs. A good hit now could win the game. But the chance of getting
that hit seemed slim. They were out of pinch hitters and were faced with batting either relief pitcher Mark Guthrie, who had
never batted in a game, or reliever Rick Aguilera, who had. They chose Aguilera.
Aguilera connected for a line drive to left. The runners took off at full speed — and then slowed to a halt. Ron Gant had
caught the ball for the third out.
The game had been going on for more than four hours. It finally ended in the bottom of the twelfth. With bases loaded, two
outs, Mark Lemke belted a single over short that was just strong enough to score David Justice. The Braves won the game, turning
what might have been a three-game deficit into a two-to-one Series.
Then, amazingly, two nights later, the Series stood at three to two! Game four had been another triumph for Mark Lemke, whose
ninth-inning triple scored the tying run and put him in position to make the winning run — which he made after tagging up
and beating a throw home.
By comparison, game five wasn't quite as exciting, unless you considered watching the home team completely destroy the visitors
14–5 exciting. Of course, after the close shaves of the last two games, that margin was just fine with the Braves and their
fans!
The two teams returned to Minnesota for game six, another extra-innings, edge-of-the-seat finish.
It was the bottom of the eleventh. The score had been tied at 3–3 for a grueling four-and-a-half innings. Both teams were
exhausted, but with the championship on the line, neither was about to give up.
Relief pitcher Charlie Leibrandt took the mound for the Braves. Kirby Puckett was in the batter's box. It was the third time
the two players had faced one another in the Series. In the two previous meetings, Puckett had struck out on Leibrandt's changeup.
He was determined not to be fooled by the same pitch again. When the same pitch came, Puckett blasted it far into center field.
Home run!
The hit marked the fourth one-run victory of the Series. Fans who liked down-to-the-wire excitement had had more than their
fill with this championship —and that was before game seven was even played.
Game seven, according to baseball watchers everywhere, was one of the most memorable ever played. It was a pitcher's duel,
pitting twenty-four-year-old John Smoltz of the Atlanta Braves against a man he had admired growing up, veteran hurler Jack
Morris. There was a twelve-year difference in their ages, but statistically, they were near equals.
Just how equal was evident right from the start. Morris retired the first six batters he faced. Smoltz sent four back to the
dugout before giving up two singles. He defused the scoring threat, however, by covering first on the next play to end the
inning.
Inning after inning it went on. Batters who got hits died on base. After seven innings, the scoreboard showed nothing but
goose eggs. The anticipation was almost palpable: Who, fans and players wondered, would finally break through?
The answer almost came at the top of the eighth. Lonnie Smith singled to right, bringing up Terry Pendleton. With a mighty
swing, Pendleton blasted the ball deep into left
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