1991 American League Championship Series

Game 1

Tuesday, October 8, 1991 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly called the Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Opened in 1982, it replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington and Memorial Stadium on the University...

in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...

Game 1 saw a surprise starter for Toronto as Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston

Cito Gaston

Clarence Edwin "Cito" Gaston is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. His major league career as a player lasted from 1967–1978, most notably for the San Diego Padres and the Atlanta Braves...

chose knuckleballer Tom Candiotti

Tom Candiotti

Thomas Caesar Candiotti is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who was known for his knuckleball. He played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays, Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Dodgers...

to face the Twins over his new young gun Juan Guzmán and his left-handed ace Jimmy Key

Jimmy Key

James Edward "Jimmy" Key is a former left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Toronto Blue Jays , New York Yankees , and Baltimore Orioles...

. Twins manager Tom Kelly

Tom Kelly (baseball)

Jay Thomas Kelly , is the former manager of the Minnesota Twins baseball team from to . Currently, he serves as a Special Assistant to the General Manager for the Twins....

opted to counter with All-Star Game starter and Minnesota

Minnesota

Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...

native Jack Morris

Jack Morris

John Scott "Jack" Morris is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played in 18 big league seasons between 1977 and 1994, mainly for the Detroit Tigers, and won 254 games throughout his career...

. Gaston would draw questions later when the decision seemingly swung the series against Toronto.

In the bottom of the first, Dan Gladden

Dan Gladden

Clinton Daniel "Dan" Gladden III is an American former Major League Baseball player and current radio broadcaster.-Baseball career:Gladden is a graduate of Westmont High School in Campbell, California...

singled and Chuck Knoblauch

Chuck Knoblauch

Edward Charles "Chuck" Knoblauch is a retired Major League Baseball player. He played all or part of twelve seasons in the majors, from until , for the Minnesota Twins , New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals...

did the same. After a strikeout by Kirby Puckett

Kirby Puckett

Kirby Puckett was a Major League Baseball center fielder. He played his entire 12-year baseball career with the Minnesota Twins and he is the Twins franchise's all-time leader in career hits, runs, doubles, and total bases...

, Twins first baseman Kent Hrbek

Kent Hrbek

Frequently injured , Hrbek retired after the players strike in 1994, citing his nagging injury problems and desire to spend more time with his wife and daughter at their home in Bloomington, MN...

flied out to center field, moving Gladden to third. Knoblauch stole second and with two on and two out, Chili Davis

Chili Davis

Charles Theodore "Chili" Davis is the hitting coach for the Oakland Athletics. Davis is a former outfielder/designated hitter who played in Major League Baseball with the San Francisco Giants , California Angels , Minnesota Twins , Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees...

singled both home to give the Twins an early 2–0 lead.

In the second, the Twins added two more runs. Shane Mack singled off Candotti, stole second, and moved to third on a line out to right by Mike Pagliarulo

Mike Pagliarulo

Michael Timothy Pagliarulo, aka "Pags" , is a former Major League Baseball third baseman during the 1980s and into the mid 1990s...

. He then scored on a Greg Gagne single, and consecutive singles again by Gladden and Knoblauch plated Gagne to give the Twins a 4–0 lead.

In the third, Davis walked with one out, stole second, and scored on a double by Mack. Candiotti's line read: sixteen batters faced, five runs, eight hits, and four stolen bases. He was also responsible for Mack, perched on second. But reliever David Wells

David Wells

David Lee Wells , nicknamed "Boomer", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Wells was considered to be one of the game's better left-handed pitchers, especially during his years with the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays. He pitched the fifteenth perfect game in baseball history...

, as well as the rest of the Blue Jays relievers shut down the Twins and held them scoreless for the rest of the game.

In the top of the fourth, the Blue Jays tried to claw back into the game. After a Roberto Alomar

Roberto Alomar

Roberto "Robbie" Alomar Velázquez is a former Major League Baseball player , regarded by many as one of the best second basemen in MLB history. During his career he won more Gold Gloves than any other second baseman in history, and also won the second-most Silver Slugger Awards for a second...

single, Joe Carter

Joe Carter

Joseph Christopher Carter is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball who played from to . Carter is most famous for hitting a walk-off home run to win the 1993 World Series for the Toronto Blue Jays....

doubled and Blue Jays third base coach Nick Leyva

Nick Leyva

Nicholas Tomas Leyva is the current third base coach of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Leyva, who is of Mexican American descent, is a former minor league player and manager, and has spent over a decade as a Major League Baseball coach...

sent Alomar home. Two perfect throws from the Twins nailed Alomar at the plate for the first out and the squelching of the Blue Jay rally. Carter went to third and scored on John Olerud

John Olerud

John Garrett Olerud , is a former American first baseman in Major League Baseball. Olerud played with the Toronto Blue Jays , New York Mets , Seattle Mariners , New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox ....

's subsequent ground out to make the score 5–1.

In the sixth, the Blue Jays got within a single run. Five consecutive singles by Devon White, Alomar, Carter, Olerud, and Kelly Gruber

Kelly Gruber

Kelly Wayne Gruber is a former Major League Baseball third baseman.-Early career:Gruber played baseball at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas where his number was later retired. He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 1st round of the 1980 amateur draft but did not see time with the team...

with only one out plated three runs and made the score, 5–4. But Carl Willis

Carl Willis

Carl Blake Willis was a relief pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins...

came on to get the last two outs, and the Minnesota relief corps held the Blue Jays the rest of the way for a 5–4 victory for the Twins and starter Jack Morris. Rick Aguilera

Rick Aguilera

Richard Warren Aguilera is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 16-year baseball career, he pitched from 1985-2000 for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago Cubs....

got the save while Candiotti was saddled with the loss.

The victory gave the Twins a 1–0 lead in games in the ALCS. It also put them one win short of tying the post-season record for most consecutive wins at home held by the New York Yankees

New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

Game 2

Wednesday, October 9, 1991 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...

The number-two pitchers on each staff squared off in Game 2, as Juan Guzmán took the hill for the Blue Jays against Kevin Tapani

Kevin Tapani

Kevin Ray Tapani is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, and Chicago Cubs from 1989 to 2001.-Early life:...

for the Twins. A win would not only give the Twins a 2–0 lead, but would also enable them to set the record for the most consecutive home field wins in post-season history, as they had won their first seven post-season games (including the 1987 playoffs

1987 American League Championship Series

-Game 1:Wednesday, October 7, 1987 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, MinnesotaThe 1987 AL playoffs opened at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, with the Tigers throwing Doyle Alexander against the Twins' Frank Viola. In the bottom of the second, the Twins opened the scoring when third...

and World Series

1987 World Series

The 1987 World Series pitted the Minnesota Twins versus the St. Louis Cardinals.Minnesota was victorious in a World Series that was the first in which the home team won every game...

) in the Metrodome. Unfortunately for the Twins, the Blue Jays came out swinging and held on for a 5–2 win.

Devon White began the scoring in the top of the first when he singled, stole second, moved to third on Roberto Alomar's bunt, and scored on Joe Carter's single to give the Jays a 1–0 lead. In the third, White and Alomar struck for two more Blue Jays runs when White doubled, moved to third on Alomar's single, and both scored after Alomar stole second and Kelly Gruber singled both home with two outs. The Blue Jays led, 3–0. The Twins got a run back in the bottom of the third when Chuck Knoblauch singled, stole second, and scored on Kirby Puckett's single. Knoblauch scored again in the sixth when he walked, moved to second on Puckett's ground out, and scored on a single by Brian Harper. The run cut Toronto's lead to 3–2.

Game 2 was a show for Devon White and Roberto Alomar, and in the seventh they put the contest out of reach. After Manuel Lee walked, the Twins relieved Tapani with Steve Bedrosian. White walked to put runners on first and second with one out. Alomar's single scored Lee, and White moved to third on an error by Shane Mack. White then scored his third run of the game on a sacrifice fly by Joe Carter, giving the Blue Jays a 5–2 lead. That was how the game ended.

Juan Guzman was the winning pitcher, and Keven Tapani the loser. Duane Ward got his first post-season save. The Blue Jays ended Minnesota's quest for a record home winning streak and both teams headed to Canada with the games count standing at one win apiece.

Game 3

Friday, October 11, 1991 at SkyDome

Rogers Centre

Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower, near the shores of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League...

in Toronto, Ontario
With the series tied at one win apiece, the teams ventured across the border to Toronto's Skydome where Jimmy Key

Jimmy Key

James Edward "Jimmy" Key is a former left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Toronto Blue Jays , New York Yankees , and Baltimore Orioles...

squared off against the Twins' twenty-game winner, Scott Erickson

Scott Erickson

Scott Gavin Erickson is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.-Career:Erickson was born in Long Beach, California, and began his professional career, after being drafted by the NY Mets in 1986, Houston Astros in 1987, and Toronto Blue Jays in 1988, in when he was drafted by the Minnesota Twins...

. The Blue Jays quickly jumped out to a 2–0 lead in the first when Joe Carter

Joe Carter

homered with two outs. The Jays got another run when Kelly Gruber

Kelly Gruber

singled, John Olerud

John Olerud

singled, and Candy Maldonado

Candy Maldonado

Candido Maldonado Guadarrama is a former Major League Baseball outfielder from to for the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, Cleveland Indians, Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, and Texas Rangers. Chris Berman, a fellow ESPN analyst, called him the "Candyman"...

doubled Gruber home.

The Twins got on the board in the fifth when Shane Mack led off with a triple and scored on Kent Hrbek

Kent Hrbek

Frequently injured , Hrbek retired after the players strike in 1994, citing his nagging injury problems and desire to spend more time with his wife and daughter at their home in Bloomington, MN...

's ground out. The Twins tied it in the sixth when Chuck Knoblauch

Chuck Knoblauch

doubled and scored on Kirby Puckett

Kirby Puckett

's single. The tie got rid of Jimmy Key

Jimmy Key

James Edward "Jimmy" Key is a former left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Toronto Blue Jays , New York Yankees , and Baltimore Orioles...

as David Wells

David Wells

came on in relief.

The score stayed 2–2 until the tenth. Reliever Mike Timlin

Mike Timlin

-Early life:Timlin was born in Midland, Texas to Jerome Francis Timlin Sr. and Nancy Sharon Beyer. Timlin graduated from Midland High School in Midland, Texas. He then attended and pitched at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta.-Baseball career...

came on and after retiring Gene Larkin

Gene Larkin

Eugene Thomas Larkin is a former switch-hitting first baseman, designated hitter and right fielder in Major League Baseball who played his entire seven-season career with the Minnesota Twins. During his playing career he wore #9 for Minnesota, and was a member of both the 1987 and 1991 World...

, gave up an eventual game-winning homer to pinch-hitter Mike Pagliarulo

Mike Pagliarulo

Michael Timothy Pagliarulo, aka "Pags" , is a former Major League Baseball third baseman during the 1980s and into the mid 1990s...

, who was hitting for Scott Leius

Scott Leius

Scott Thomas Leius is a former American League baseball player during the 1990s. Leius was a late season call up by the Minnesota Twins and debuted with the parent club on September 3, 1990...

. Rick Aguilera

Rick Aguilera

closed out the bottom of the tenth with a 1–2–3 inning to give the Twins a 3–2 win and a 2–1 lead in games. Another notable event in this game was the hamstring injury to Joe Carter, the Blue Jays' most influential hitter, who injured himself trying to make a circus catch in the outfield. Although Carter played in the next two games as the Designated Hitter, he was in obvious discomfort and was largely a non-factor in the following two games.

Game 4

Saturday, October 12, 1991 at SkyDome

Rogers Centre

in Toronto, Ontario
For the fourth game, Morris returned to the mound for Minnesota against Toronto's Todd Stottlemyre

Todd Stottlemyre

Todd Vernon Stottlemyre is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played 15 seasons for the Toronto Blue Jays, Oakland Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks. He is the son of Mel Stottlemyre, former New York Yankees pitcher. His brother...

. The Blue Jays took the lead in the bottom of the second, when Candy Maldonado

Candy Maldonado

singled to center, took second on a wild pitch by Morris, and came home on a single by Pat Borders

Pat Borders

Patrick Lance Borders is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who is best remembered for being the Most Valuable Player in the 1992 World Series. Borders also won an Olympic Games gold medal with the United States' baseball team at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney...

. The Twins, however, came back in a big way in the fourth – Kirby Puckett

Kirby Puckett

hit a solo home run, Chili Davis

Chili Davis

, who had doubled, scored on a single by Mike Pagliarulo

Mike Pagliarulo

Michael Timothy Pagliarulo, aka "Pags" , is a former Major League Baseball third baseman during the 1980s and into the mid 1990s...

, and a two-run single by Dan Gladden

Dan Gladden

plated both Pagliarulo and Shane Mack. This turn of events gave the Twins a 4–1 lead and eventually the win.

Game 5

Sunday, October 13, 1991 at SkyDome

Rogers Centre

in Toronto, Ontario
With their backs against the wall, the Blue Jays sent Candiotti to the hill for Game 5 against the Twins' Tapani. In the top of the first, Puckett hit a solo home run to give Minnesota a 1–0 lead. The Twins added another run the next inning, when Davis singled, moved to second and then third on consecutive passed balls by Toronto catcher Pat Borders

Pat Borders

, then came home on a single by Mack.

In the bottom of the second, Tapani struck out Maldonado, but Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston

Cito Gaston

did not agree with home plate umpire Mike Reilly's call. He continued arguing until Reilly finally ejected him, depriving the Jays of the guiding hand of their manager. Nevertheless, Toronto took a 3–2 lead in their half of the third courtesy an RBI single by Alomar, an RBI double by Carter, and a groundout by Olerud. Alomar added a two-run single in the fourth to give the Jays a 5–2 lead.

In the sixth, the Twins stormed back to tie the game. Mack singled, stole second, then moved to third on a base hit by Pagliarulo. The Jays tried to nab Mack at the plate when Gladden hit into a fielder's choice, but Borders missed the throw by third baseman Gruber and Mack scored. Knoblauch followed by lashing a double to right field that scored both Pagliarulo and Gladden, and the game was knotted at 5.

In the eighth, Minnesota took the lead for good when Gladden singled, stole second, moved to third on a base hit by Knoblauch, and came home on a single by Puckett. Hrbek then drove both Knoblauch and Puckett in with a single to left, giving the Twins an 8–5 advantage. Rick Aguilera shut the door on the Jays in the bottom of the ninth, giving the Twins their second American League pennant in five years.

Composite box

1991 ALCS (4–1): Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...

over Toronto Blue Jays

Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....

Series quotes

External links

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