1992 World Series - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Game 1

Saturday, October 17, 1992 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, often shortened to "Fulton County Stadium," was a multi-purpose stadium that formerly stood in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.-History:...

in Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...

Braves fans had plenty to worry about in regard to both starting pitchers. Tom Glavine

Tom Glavine

Thomas Michael Glavine is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher.With 164 victories during the 1990s, Glavine was the second winningest pitcher in the National League, second only to teammate Greg Maddux's 176...

's post-season career had been less than stellar, including giving up eight runs in the second inning of Game 6 of the NLCS

1992 National League Championship Series

-Game 1:Tuesday, October 6, 1992 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaA rather uneventful opening to what would prove to be a memorable series, Game 1 was an easy win for the Braves. Atlanta scored four early runs, highlighted by Jeff Blauser's fifth-inning homer, and coasted to...

against Pittsburgh. Entering Game 1, Glavine's career post-season record was 1–5 despite two starts where he had pitched complete games and only given up one run each time. Glavine was 0–2 in those starts. In addition to Glavine's struggles in the postseason the Braves would face Toronto ace 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...

in Game 1. The Braves were more than familiar with Morris, having faced him three times in the 1991 World Series

1991 World Series

The 1991 World Series pitted the Minnesota Twins of the American League against the Atlanta Braves of the National League. The series was played from Saturday, October 19 to Sunday, October 27....

. Then pitching for the 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...

, Morris started three games and defeated Atlanta twice. The second of those wins was in the decisive seventh game, when Morris pitched a ten-inning complete game shutout on his way to earning Series MVP honors. However, Morris' 1992 postseason had not gone particularly well. He lost Game 1 of the ALCS

1992 American League Championship Series

-Game 1:Wednesday, October 7, 1992 at SkyDome in Toronto, OntarioThe first game of the series had Oakland's Dave Stewart face off against Toronto's Jack Morris. The A's put up a three-spot against Morris in the second inning, as Mark McGwire and Terry Steinbach hit back-to-back home runs...

against Oakland despite a complete game, and gave up five runs in the third inning of Game 4 but ended up with a no-decision after Toronto rallied for an extra-inning victory.

Glavine gave up a home run to 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....

in the fourth for the first run of the Series, while Morris shut the Braves out for five innings. In the sixth, with two runners on and two out Damon Berryhill

Damon Berryhill

Damon Scott Berryhill is a former Major League Baseball catcher who played ten seasons for the Chicago Cubs, the Atlanta Braves, the Boston Red Sox, the Cincinnati Reds, and the San Francisco Giants from to . He threw right and was a switch hitter...

golfed a Morris pitch over the right-field wall for a three-run homer. It was all the offense Atlanta needed, and the Braves took the game by a 3–1 count. Glavine went the distance for the victory, only giving up four total hits. In taking the loss, Morris suffered his first career World Series defeat in his sixth start, with one no-decision. It would not be his last.

Berryhill's home run marked the first runs Morris had given up in the World Series since a Terry Pendleton

Terry Pendleton

Terry Lee Pendleton is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball, and a former hitting coach and current first base coach of the Atlanta Braves. He played primarily for the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves, but he also spent time with the Florida Marlins, Cincinnati Reds, and Kansas...

home run in the bottom of the third inning of Game 4 of the 1991 Series. Morris pitched an additional innings in that game, all ten in Game 7, and the first innings of this game to run his scoreless innings streak in the World Series to 19.

Game 2

Sunday, October 18, 1992 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, often shortened to "Fulton County Stadium," was a multi-purpose stadium that formerly stood in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.-History:...

in Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta, Georgia

Before the game started, during the performance of the National Anthems of the United States and Canada, the U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard accidentally flew the flag of Canada upside down The Corps apologized for the error and took pains to carry the flag properly prior to Game 3 in Toronto after insisting that they would be honored to do so.. On top of that, Canadian rock/country musician Tom Cochrane

Tom Cochrane

Tom Cochrane, OC Canadian musician and humanitarian, best known for his hit songs "Life Is a Highway", "Lunatic Fringe", "Human Race" and "I Wish You Well". Cochrane fronted the Canadian rock band Red Rider and has won seven Juno Awards...

sang the Canadian national anthem

O Canada

It has been noted that the opening theme of "O Canada" bears a strong resemblance to the "Marsch der Priester" , from the opera Die Zauberflöte , composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and that Lavallée's melody was inspired by Mozart's tune...

incorrectly. Instead of singing the line "...from far and wide, oh Canada, we stand on guard for thee...", Cochrane instead sang a lyric that was in a previous version of the song: "...oh Canada, we stand on guard, we stand on guard for thee...". Not only did Cochrane substitute the archaic lyric, he also did not sing it correctly, as the lyric said "we stand on guard, O Canada, we stand on guard for thee" before it was changed.

The pitching match-up featured former Met David Cone

David Cone

David Brian Cone is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1986-2003 for six different teams. Cone pitched the sixteenth perfect game in baseball history. He also set the MLB record for most years between 20-win seasons. He was a member of five...

, acquired by the Jays in an August trade, against the Braves' John Smoltz

John Smoltz

John Andrew Smoltz is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and active sportscaster. He is best known for his prolific career of more than two decades with the Atlanta Braves, in which he garnered eight All-Star selections and received the Cy Young Award in 1996...

, with whom he had been battling for the National League strikeout lead at the time of the trade. Cone had 214 strikeouts when he was traded by the Mets to the Blue Jays for Jeff Kent

Jeff Kent

Jeffrey Franklin Kent is a retired Major League Baseball second baseman. Kent won the National League Most Valuable Player award in 2000 with the San Francisco Giants, and is the all-time leader in home runs among second basemen...

and Ryan Thompson

Ryan Thompson

Ryan Orlando Thompson is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played all or part of nine seasons in the majors between 1992 and 2002 for the New York Mets, Cleveland Indians, Houston Astros, New York Yankees, Florida Marlins, and Milwaukee Brewers. He also played one season in Japan for...

, and due to baseball rules involving players switching leagues his total was frozen at that number while Smoltz continued to earn strikeouts. Smoltz finished the season with 215 strikeouts to top Cone, but Cone led the major leagues with a combined total of 264 strikeouts (finishing 23 ahead of his nearest competitor, Randy Johnson

Randy Johnson

Randall David Johnson , nicknamed "The Big Unit", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 22-year career, he pitched for six different teams....

).

A controversial call was made by umpire Mike Reilly in the top of the fourth inning with Atlanta leading 1–0 after David Justice

David Justice

David Christopher Justice is a former outfielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for the Atlanta Braves , Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , and Oakland Athletics .-Early life:David was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of Robert and Nettie Justice...

scored on a wild pitch from Cone. 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...

was at third base with 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 ....

batting. On the first pitch of the at-bat, Smoltz threw a ball that skipped past Damon Berryhill

Damon Berryhill

. Alomar broke for home plate while Berryhill fielded the ball. Smoltz, the ball, and Alomar got to the plate at around the same time and Smoltz tagged Alomar. Reilly called Alomar out to end the inning, but replays shown by CBS showed that Alomar's hand had clearly touched the plate before Smoltz was able to apply a tag.

In the top of the fifth 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...

and Manuel Lee

Manuel Lee

Manuel Lora Lee is a former shortstop and second baseman for Major League Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays , Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals...

both reached base in front of Cone, who had already singled earlier in the game. Cone responded with his second hit of the game (only the third hit for a pitcher in the World Series since 1979) to drive in Borders and cut the Atlanta lead to 2–1. Lee then scored on a single by Devon White, tying the game. The Braves rallied in the bottom half of the inning as Deion Sanders

Deion Sanders

Deion Luwynn Sanders , nicknamed "Prime Time" and "Neon Deion", is a former National Football League cornerback and Major League Baseball outfielder who currently works as an NFL Network analyst...

provided a spark. With one out, Sanders singled. He then immediately stole second, and after Borders made an errant throw he got up and ran to third. Cone then walked Terry Pendleton

Terry Pendleton

, then gave up the go-ahead run when David Justice

David Justice

singled in Sanders. 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...

then pulled Cone in favor of 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...

, who gave up the fourth Atlanta run when pinch hitter Brian Hunter's sacrifice fly scored Pendleton.

Toronto made another rally in the eighth inning. Alomar doubled to left with one out, then gave up back to back singles to Joe Carter

Joe Carter

and Dave Winfield

Dave Winfield

David Mark Winfield is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is currently Executive Vice President/Senior Advisor of the San Diego Padres and an analyst for the ESPN program Baseball Tonight...

, the second of which scored Alomar and cut the lead to 4–3. Smoltz was then lifted in favor of Mike Stanton, who retired Olerud, and then closer Jeff Reardon

Jeff Reardon

Jeffrey James Reardon , nicknamed "The Terminator" for his intimidating presence on the mound and 98 mph fastball, is a former professional baseball relief pitcher from 1979-1994 who played for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, Minnesota Twins, and Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati...

struck out 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...

to end the threat.

The Jays entered the ninth trailing by the one run Reilly had cost them and turned to their bench, which the team had nicknamed "The Trenches". After a walk to Derek Bell, Toronto reserve infielder Ed Sprague drilled a pitch from Reardon, then baseball's all-time saves

Save (sport)

In baseball, a save is credited to a pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team under certain prescribed circumstances. The number of saves, or percentage of save opportunities successfully converted, is an oft-cited statistic of relief pitchers...

leader, to left for a two-run homer. The play was called by legendary Blue Jays announcer the late Tom "Pops" Cheek, who said "Watch him hit a homer" during Sprague's at bat.

Atlanta tried to rally in the ninth. After Mark Lemke

Mark Lemke

Mark Alan Lemke is a former Major League Baseball player. Nicknamed "The Lemmer", he was a popular second baseman for the Atlanta Braves from to .-Biography:...

flew out, Toronto closer Tom Henke

Tom Henke

Thomas Anthony Henke , nicknamed "The Terminator" because of his ability and success as a closer, is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He was one of the most dominant and feared closers during the late 1980s and early 1990s, pitching for the Texas Rangers , Toronto Blue Jays , and St...

hit pinch hitter Lonnie Smith

Lonnie Smith

Lonnie Smith is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He made his debut for the Philadelphia Phillies on September 2, 1978 and later played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Baltimore Orioles...

with a pitch. Ron Gant

Ron Gant

Ronald Edwin "Ron" Gant is a former American Major League outfielder and second baseman earlier on who played for the Atlanta Braves , Cincinnati Reds , St...

came in to pinch run for him and after Otis Nixon

Otis Nixon

Otis Junior Nixon, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball player. He was a center fielder and switch-hitter who played from 1983 to 1999...

recorded the second out he stole second. Sanders then walked to put the winning run on base and Pendleton, an NL MVP candidate. Pendleton had led the majors with a .391 average with runners in scoring position and two out. However, he popped out to Jays third baseman Kelly Gruber

Kelly Gruber

to seal the victory for Toronto. Gruber then angered Braves fans and players by mocking the "Tomahawk Chop" as he left the field.

Game 3

Tuesday, October 20, 1992 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
Before this game, the U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard offered to hoist the Canadian flag once more in order to make amends for the inverted flag incident of Game 2. Likewise, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police flew the flag of the United States.

As Game 3 moved across the border (for the first Canadian Classic) the question still remained of the Blue Jays' ballpark

Rogers Centre

benefit. Before this series, the Blue Jays had previously only gone 3–6 in the postseason in their home park, with two of those wins coming in the 1992 postseason.

In the fourth inning, the first big defensive play of the Series nearly resulted in a rare World Series triple play and another bit of World Series history was made. With Deion Sanders

Deion Sanders

Deion Luwynn Sanders , nicknamed "Prime Time" and "Neon Deion", is a former National Football League cornerback and Major League Baseball outfielder who currently works as an NFL Network analyst...

and Terry Pendleton

Terry Pendleton

on with nobody out in the top of the inning, Devon White made a leaping catch of a deep fly ball off the bat of Atlanta's David Justice

David Justice

. As White made the catch and crashed into the wall Sanders and Pendleton got crossed up on the bases, and Pendleton ran past Sanders to result in an automatic out. Sanders remained stuck between second and third as Kelly Gruber

Kelly Gruber

received a relay from first baseman John Olerud

John Olerud

and began chasing him back to second. Gruber lunged at Sanders and appeared to tag him on the heel just before he got back to second, and television replays confirmed he did, but umpire Bob Davidson

Bob Davidson (umpire)

Robert Allan Davidson is an umpire for Major League Baseball.-Early life:Bob Davidson graduated from Duluth East High School in Duluth, Minnesota in 1970. He attended the University of Minnesota-Duluth where he played baseball for two seasons. Davidson then left to pursue a professional umpiring...

called Sanders safe. In the bottom half Joe Carter

Joe Carter

homered off of Braves starter Steve Avery

Steve Avery

Steven Thomas Avery is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who was a young star with the Atlanta Braves in the early 1990s.-Young Gun:...

, with the hit scoring the first ever World Series run in Canada.

The Braves would tie the game in the sixth when Sanders ripped a double into the right-field corner and scored on a Justice single through the right side. They then took the lead in the top of the eighth. Otis Nixon

Otis Nixon

Otis Junior Nixon, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball player. He was a center fielder and switch-hitter who played from 1983 to 1999...

led off the inning and reached on an error after Gruber misplayed a line drive off his bat. Nixon then stole second and with two out stood on third. Juan Guzman then walked Justice to pitch to Lonnie Smith

Lonnie Smith

, who delivered with a single that scored Nixon but also ended the inning as Justice was tagged out going to third. In the bottom of the inning Gruber made up for his gaffe in the top half and broke a long hitless streak with a game-tying home run.

The top of the ninth inning saw the first World Series ejection since 1985. Sid Bream

Sid Bream

Sidney Eugene "Sid" Bream is an American former Major League Baseball player. He played his entire 11-year career in the National League...

led off the inning with a single and then was lifted for pinch runner Brian Hunter. With a 2–2 count on Jeff Blauser

Jeff Blauser

Jeffrey Michael Blauser is a former Major League Baseball shortstop. He played for the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs from 1987 to 1999.-Career:...

, Hunter tried to steal second. Blauser attempted to check his swing as Pat Borders

Pat Borders

threw out Hunter at second. Toronto shortstop Manuel Lee

Manuel Lee

Manuel Lora Lee is a former shortstop and second baseman for Major League Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays , Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals...

jumped up and told Borders to appeal to first base umpire Dan Morrison to see if Blauser swung. Morrison ruled he did, and shortly thereafter Duane Ward

Duane Ward

Roy Duane Ward was a Major League Baseball reliever during the late 1980s and early 1990s.Ward went to school and made his early athletic mark in Farmington, New Mexico, a small oil and gas city, and one known for its amateur baseball programs...

struck out Damon Berryhill

Damon Berryhill

to end the inning. In between innings Braves manager Bobby Cox

Bobby Cox

Robert Joseph "Bobby" Cox is a former Major League Baseball third baseman and manager. He first led the Atlanta Braves from 1978 to 1981, and then managed the Toronto Blue Jays from 1982 to 1985. He later rejoined the Braves in 1985 as a general manager...

picked up a batting helmet and threw it out of the dugout to protest the strikeout call on Blauser and was immediately ejected by umpire Joe West.

Avery started the bottom of the ninth for the Braves and gave up a single to Roberto Alomar

Roberto Alomar

. Acting manager Jimy Williams

Jimy Williams

James Francis "Jimy" Williams is an American former manager of three Major League Baseball teams. He was born in Santa Maria, California.-Playing career:...

pulled Avery from the game in favor of Mark Wohlers

Mark Wohlers

Mark Edward Wohlers is a former right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball best known for his years with the Atlanta Braves from to...

, who issued an intentional walk to Carter after Alomar stole second. After Dave Winfield

Dave Winfield

bunted the runners into scoring position, Williams brought in Mike Stanton to pitch to Olerud. The Blue Jays sent up Game 2 hero Ed Sprague to pinch hit, and he was walked intentionally to load the bases. Again, Williams came out and called for a new pitcher, this time Game 2 loser Jeff Reardon

Jeff Reardon

. Facing 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"...

with one out, Reardon gave up his second consecutive game winning hit as Maldonado singled to center. Alomar scored from third and Tomahawk Chopped his way to the plate as Gruber had done with the last out in Game 2. Ward took his second consecutive win while Avery was saddled with the loss.

Game 4

Wednesday, October 21, 1992 at SkyDome

Rogers Centre

in Toronto, Ontario
Having decided on a three-man rotation for the series, Game 1 winner Tom Glavine

Tom Glavine

took the mound for Atlanta in Game 4. Toronto countered with veteran starter 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...

, who had not made a start in the postseason and only pitched once, in relief, to this point. After giving up a lead-off single to Otis Nixon in the first inning, Key picked Nixon off first base and gave up only three hits over seven innings.

In the third inning, the Blue Jays scored their first run when Pat Borders

Pat Borders

hit a solo home run. They added a second run in the bottom of the seventh, which would prove decisive, when Kelly Gruber

Kelly Gruber

scored on a single by Devon White with two out.

The Braves attempted to rally in the eighth when Ron Gant

Ron Gant

Ronald Edwin "Ron" Gant is a former American Major League outfielder and second baseman earlier on who played for the Atlanta Braves , Cincinnati Reds , St...

led off with a double. He advanced to third on a bunt single by Brian Hunter and then scored on an infield groundout by Mark Lemke

Mark Lemke

Mark Alan Lemke is a former Major League Baseball player. Nicknamed "The Lemmer", he was a popular second baseman for the Atlanta Braves from to .-Biography:...

with one out. That proved to be the end for Key, as Duane Ward

Duane Ward

came in for his third consecutive appearance. He struck out the first batter he faced, Otis Nixon

Otis Nixon

Otis Junior Nixon, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball player. He was a center fielder and switch-hitter who played from 1983 to 1999...

, but the pitch got away from Borders and the speedy Nixon was able to reach base, with Hunter advancing to third. Nixon then stole second to put runners in scoring position, but Ward got Jeff Blauser

Jeff Blauser

Jeffrey Michael Blauser is a former Major League Baseball shortstop. He played for the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs from 1987 to 1999.-Career:...

to ground out to John Olerud

John Olerud

to end the threat.

Tom Henke

Tom Henke

earned his second save of the series by shutting down the Braves in the ninth. Key won his first postseason game since 1989, and this win proved to be his last as a starter for the Blue Jays. Glavine pitched his second complete game for the Braves in the Series in a losing effort.

Game 5

Thursday, October 22, 1992 at SkyDome

Rogers Centre

in Toronto, Ontario
Down three games to one and facing elimination the Braves returned John Smoltz

John Smoltz

to the mound for Game 5, who was still seeking his first World Series win. Jack Morris

Jack Morris

, who had lost Game 1 of the series, was given the start for Toronto. Before the game Terry Pendleton

Terry Pendleton

, who had seen a 3–1 lead evaporate in the World Series before (having been a member of the 1985 St. Louis Cardinals

1985 St. Louis Cardinals season

The St. Louis Cardinals' 1985 season was the team's 104th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 94th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 101-61 during the season and finished in first place in the National League East division by three games over the New York Mets...

), reminded his teammates that the possibility still existed that they may win the series.

Entering the game, the Braves' three, four, and five hitters had not gotten an extra base hit in the entire series. That changed in the first inning, as with one out and Otis Nixon

Otis Nixon

Otis Junior Nixon, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball player. He was a center fielder and switch-hitter who played from 1983 to 1999...

on third base, #3 hitter Pendleton doubled to right field to score the first run of the game. In the bottom of the second Pat Borders

Pat Borders

tied the game with a two-out double to score John Olerud

John Olerud

.

The fourth inning saw the Braves #4 hitter get his first extra base hit of the series, as David Justice

David Justice

hit a home run to give Atlanta the lead. But again, Borders struck in the bottom half to tie the game with an RBI single to score Olerud.

In the fifth inning, the Braves blew the game open. With two out, Nixon singled, stole second, and then scored on a single by Deion Sanders

Deion Sanders

Deion Luwynn Sanders , nicknamed "Prime Time" and "Neon Deion", is a former National Football League cornerback and Major League Baseball outfielder who currently works as an NFL Network analyst...

. Pendleton then hit a ground-rule double, forcing Sanders to stop at third base. Morris then walked Justice to load the bases, duplicating what the Blue Jays had done in the eighth inning of Game 2. However, the move backfired as it had in the second game and in a game where the #3 hitter and #4 hitter had finally gotten extra base hits, #5 hitter Lonnie Smith

Lonnie Smith

got his and put the game out of reach with a grand slam

Grand slam (baseball)

In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...

home run to extend the Braves' lead to 7–2. Morris was pulled after giving up the grand slam, with Smith being the last batter he faced in a postseason series; he did not pitch in the 1993 postseason for the Blue Jays after being injured late in the season and retired after the 1994 season. Smoltz pitched six innings to get his first World Series win, and Mike Stanton pitched the final three to earn a save.

Atlanta's offensive outburst dashed any hopes of the World Series being decided on Canadian ground, which would happen the following year

1993 World Series

-Game 1:Saturday, October 16, 1993 at SkyDome in Toronto, OntarioThe Series' first game sent two staff aces—Curt Schilling for Philadelphia and Juan Guzman for Toronto—against one another. The result was less than a pitcher's duel, however, as both teams scored early and often.The deciding plays...

. After winning twice and holding the Braves to three runs the year before, in two starts against the same team in 1992 Morris lost both of his starts and had an ERA above 8.00. Smith's grand slam was the first in the World Series since Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, when Jose Canseco

José Canseco

José Canseco Capas, Jr. is a Cuban-American professional baseball manager, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Yuma Scorpions of the North American League and former Major League Baseball player. He is the identical twin brother of former major league player and current teammate Ozzie Canseco...

hit one. (It was the first hit in a game by the winning team since Game 6 of the 1987 World Series; Canseco's home run was nullified by Kirk Gibson

Kirk Gibson

Kirk Harold Gibson is a former Major League Baseball player and currently the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks. As a player, Gibson was an outfielder who batted and threw left-handed...

's famous home run later in the game while 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 in Game 6 put the game out of reach.)

Game 6

Saturday, October 24, 1992 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, often shortened to "Fulton County Stadium," was a multi-purpose stadium that formerly stood in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.-History:...

in Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta's Steve Avery and Toronto's David Cone were the starters in this game. Because Avery was a left-handed pitcher, the Blue Jays started Joe Carter at first base instead of John Olerud. Dave Winfield was moved to right field to replace Carter, as he had done in the first two games of the series. However, since Carter had played left field in those two games, this left an open spot in the Toronto lineup and manager Cito Gaston elected to start Candy Maldonado

Candy Maldonado

in left field.

The Blue Jays got on the board right out of the gate when David Justice misplayed a line drive by Carter to right field scoring Devon White who had singled. In the third, Atlanta's surprise hero of the series Deion Sanders

Deion Sanders

Deion Luwynn Sanders , nicknamed "Prime Time" and "Neon Deion", is a former National Football League cornerback and Major League Baseball outfielder who currently works as an NFL Network analyst...

doubled off Carter's glove and scored when Terry Pendleton hit a sac fly. Toronto untied the affair immediately when Maldonado hit a solo home run in the top of the fourth. Roberto Alomar made a memorable play on a Jeff Blauser ground ball: the ball was grounded to the far right of Alomar, who dove for the ball and recorded the out at first after a quick throw from the knees. The 2–1 score was preserved by solid pitching and defense from the Blue Jays as Cone, 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...

, David Wells

David Wells

, and Duane Ward held the Braves to one run through eight innings. The Braves were just as good defensively as well, and although Avery only lasted four innings Pete Smith, Mike Stanton, and Mark Wohlers

Mark Wohlers

Mark Edward Wohlers is a former right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball best known for his years with the Atlanta Braves from to...

held the Blue Jays in check and kept them scoreless over the next five innings. The score stood 2–1 in favor of the Blue Jays entering the bottom of the ninth, with Toronto needing just three outs to become the first non-American team to win the World Series.

Once again the Blue Jays turned to Tom Henke, who was looking for his third save of the World Series and also to continue the Blue Jays' bullpen's success in the postseason, as he and the rest of the relief corps did not blow a save or allow an earned run in the entire 1992 postseason. Blauser led off the Braves' ninth inning with a single, and moved to second base after a sacrifice bunt by Damon Berryhill. Lonnie Smith came up next as a pinch hitter for Mark Lemke and after falling behind 0–2, coaxed a walk out of Henke. The next batter was Francisco Cabrera, who had yet to have an at bat in the series but who had provided the game winning hit in Game 7 of the NLCS

1992 National League Championship Series

that sent the Braves to the World Series. However, this time Cabrera could not provide the heroics as he lined out to left field on a ball that Maldonado misjudged and had to jump at the last minute to catch before it went over his head.

The last hope for the Braves rested on the bat of Otis Nixon as he came to the plate with two out. Henke quickly got two strikes on him, but on the third pitch Nixon slapped a single to left field. Blauser was waved around third and scored as Maldonado made an errant throw that sailed over the backstop behind home plate. The score was now tied and Henke blew the save, as well as allowing the first earned run against the Toronto bullpen. However, with Smith now on third with the winning run, he escaped further damage by forcing Ron Gant to fly out to end the inning.

The Braves called on veteran Charlie Leibrandt, who had not pitched in the entire series, to pitch the tenth and he retired the Blue Jays in order. The Braves could not capitalize in the bottom half, as Henke and Game 4 winner 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...

combined to shut them out. That set the stage for the eleventh inning. Leibrandt got the first out by retiring Key but allowed the next two runners to reach base, hitting White and allowing a single to Alomar. Jeff Reardon had been warming up in the bullpen for the Braves and CBS's Tim McCarver wondered aloud if Bobby Cox would go to Reardon to replace Leibrandt with Joe Carter coming up to the plate. Cox elected not to bring in his closer, who had already lost one game in the series and was responsible for another loss that Avery suffered, and Leibrandt retired Carter for the second out.

Needing only one out to give the Braves a chance to break the tie in the bottom of the eleventh, Leibrandt's next batter was Winfield. To that point Winfield had not been hitting well, struggling throughout the series as well as in Game 6 having been retired in four previous at bats. Winfield had also not gotten a postseason extra base hit, dating back to his previous postseason experience with the New York Yankees

1981 New York Yankees season

The New York Yankees' 1981 season was the 79th season for the Yankees. In the ALCS, the Yankees swept the Oakland Athletics for their only pennant of the 1980s. However, they lost in the World Series in 6 games to the Los Angeles Dodgers. New York was managed by Gene Michael and Bob Lemon...

in 1981

1981 World Series

The 1981 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Los Angeles Dodgers, marking their third meeting in the Series in five years as well as a record eleventh Series meeting overall and last Series meeting to date...

. After working the count full Winfield drove the ball down the left field line for a double, scoring both White and Alomar, and the Blue Jays regained the lead at 4–2. At 41 years of age, Dave Winfield became the oldest player to hit an extra base hit in the World Series. It was the second consecutive year that Leibrandt had given up the go-ahead run in Game 6 of the World Series, as he gave up a game-winning walk-off home run to Minnesota's 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...

in the eleventh inning of Game 6 in 1991.

The Braves started off the bottom of the eleventh with Blauser singling to left field off Key, just as he started off the bottom of the ninth inning against Henke, then advanced to third after Berryhill reached on an error as Alfredo Griffin

Alfredo Griffin

Alfredo Claudino Griffin is a former Major League Baseball player, who played shortstop for four teams from 1976 to 1993. He is currently the first base coach for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.-Playing career:...

, normally sure-handed at shortstop, misplayed a ground ball that took a bad hop at the last second and Blauser was able to advance to third. With the Braves running low on players, pitcher John Smoltz

John Smoltz

was called on to run for Berryhill. Rafael Belliard

Rafael Belliard

Rafael Leonidas Belliard Matias is a former Major League Baseball shortstop. He is currently the infield coach for the Detroit Tigers....

, who had entered the game in the tenth as a defensive replacement for Lemke, laid down a sacrifice bunt that advanced Smoltz to second with the tying run. Brian Hunter then pinch hit for Leibrandt and scored Blauser on a groundout to the right side. However, although Smoltz advanced to third, Hunter's play left the Braves with one final out as they had been in the ninth inning with the tying run on base. Once again, the batter was Nixon.

Cito Gaston headed to the mound to talk to Key with action in the Toronto bullpen. It appeared that he was going to simply talk to his pitcher, but instead he elected to pull Key from the game. Right hander 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...

entered the game to try to close the scoring and earn a save. This would also force Nixon, a switch-hitter, to turn around and bat from the left side of the plate. It was Nixon's stronger side of the plate, however, and since he was prone to bunting his way on base to take advantage of his speed he would get a quicker jump from the left side.

After fouling off Timlin's first pitch, Nixon did indeed lay down a bunt. Timlin, who said that Carter had warned him prior to returning to his position of the bunt possibility, fielded the ball cleanly and threw it to Carter to retire Nixon and win the World Series for the Blue Jays. Carter initially looked to keep the ball but gave it up to Timlin who pleaded to Carter for the ball saying it was "[his] World Series save." Carter would eventually have possession of the game-winning ball of the 1993 World Series: his Series-ending home run ball.

Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston

Cito Gaston

became the first African American

African American

African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...

manager to win a World Series.

American League

American League

The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...

president Dr. Bobby Brown presented the World Series Trophy

World Series Trophy

The Commissioner's Trophy is presented each year by the Commissioner of Baseball to the Major League Baseball team that wins the World Series. Recent trophy designs contain flags representing each team in North America's top two leagues, the National League and the American League...

in the place of the commissioner. Just a month earlier, Fay Vincent

Fay Vincent

Francis Thomas "Fay" Vincent, Jr. is a former entertainment lawyer and sports executive who served as the eighth Commissioner of Major League Baseball from September 13, 1989 to September 7, 1992.-Early life and career:...

was forced to resign and was replaced by Bud Selig

Bud Selig

Allan Huber "Bud" Selig is the ninth and current Commissioner of Major League Baseball, having served in that capacity since 1992 as the acting commissioner, and as the official commissioner since 1998...

(then owner of the Milwaukee Brewers

Milwaukee Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

) on what was originally perceived to be an "interim basis." Dr. Brown also presented the Blue Jays the trophy in 1993

1993 World Series

.

It also marked the first world championship for the city of Toronto

Toronto

Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

since the National Hockey League

National Hockey League

The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...

team Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...

won the 1967 Stanley Cup Finals

1967 Stanley Cup Finals

The 1967 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven series played between the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs would win the series four games to two to win their thirteenth Stanley Cup...

Composite box

1992 World Series (4–2): 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 ....

(A.L.) over Atlanta Braves

Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....

(N.L.)

The 1992 World Series is notable for being one of the few in which the losing team outscored the winning team over the course of the series.

Broadcasting

At 30 years of age, CBS' Sean McDonough

Sean McDonough

Sean McDonough is an American sportscaster, currently employed by ESPN.-Early life and career:The son of Boston Globe sportswriter Will McDonough, Sean graduated from Syracuse University in 1984. It was in Syracuse where McDonough began his broadcasting career in 1982 as the play-by-play announcer...

became the youngest man to call all nine innings and games of a World Series (while serving as a full network television employee). Although Vin Scully

Vin Scully

Vincent Edward Scully is an American sportscaster, known primarily as the play-by-play voice of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team on Prime Ticket, KCAL-TV and KABC radio...

and Al Michaels

Al Michaels

Alan Richard "Al" Michaels is an American television sportscaster. Now employed by NBC Sports after nearly three decades with ABC Sports, Michaels is one of the most prominent members of his profession...

were several years younger when they called their first World Series, they were products of the then broadcasting policy of announcers representing the participating teams (a process that ended following the 1976 World Series

1976 World Series

The 1976 World Series matched the defending champion Cincinnati Reds of the National League against the New York Yankees of the American League, with the Reds sweeping the Series to repeat. The Reds became the only team to sweep an entire multi-tier postseason. The Reds are also the last National...

). McDonough's record would subsequently be broken by Fox's Joe Buck

Joe Buck

Joseph Francis "Joe" Buck is an American sportscaster and the son of legendary sportscaster Jack Buck. He has won numerous Sports Emmy Awards for his play-by-play work with Fox Sports.-Education:...

, who at 27 years of age, called the 1996 World Series

1996 World Series

-Game 1:Sunday, October 20, 1996 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkGame 1 and Game 2 were originally scheduled for Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20, respectively. Rain on October 19, however, washed out Game 1. The schedule was moved up one day, with Game 1 and Game 2 rescheduled for...

. Ironically, McDonough replaced Joe Buck's father, Jack

Jack Buck

John Francis "Jack" Buck was an American sportscaster, best known for his work announcing Major League Baseball games of the St. Louis Cardinals. Buck received the Ford C. Frick Award from the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987, and is honored with a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame...

, as CBS's lead play-by-play man. Serving as field reporters for CBS's coverage were Jim Kaat

Jim Kaat

James Lee "Jim" Kaat , nicknamed "Kitty", is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins , Chicago White Sox , Philadelphia Phillies , New York Yankees , and St...

(in the Braves

1992 Atlanta Braves season

The 1992 Atlanta Braves season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Braves finishing first in the National League West with a record of 98 wins and 64 losses, clinching their second straight division title....

' dugout) and Lesley Visser

Lesley Visser

Lesley Candace Visser is an American sportscaster, radio personality, and sportswriter. Visser is the first female NFL analyst on TV, and the only sportscaster in history, male or female, who has worked on Final Four, NBA Finals, World Series, Triple Crown, Monday Night Football, the Olympics, the...

(in the Blue Jays

1992 Toronto Blue Jays season

The Toronto Blue Jays played their 16th season in Major League Baseball. Toronto finished first in the American League East for the 4th time with a record of 96 wins and 66 losses, closing the season with an attendance record of 4,028,318...

' dugout).

CBS Radio

Major League Baseball on CBS Radio

Major League Baseball on CBS Radio was the de facto title for the CBS Radio Network's coverage of Major League Baseball. Produced by CBS Radio Sports , the program was the official national radio broadcaster for the All-Star Game and the postseason from 1976 to 1997.-Contracts:CBS first covered...

also broadcast the Series nationally, with Vin Scully

Vin Scully

Vincent Edward Scully is an American sportscaster, known primarily as the play-by-play voice of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team on Prime Ticket, KCAL-TV and KABC radio...

and Johnny Bench

Johnny Bench

Johnny Lee Bench is a former professional baseball catcher who played in the Major Leagues for the Cincinnati Reds from 1967 to 1983 and is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame...

announcing. Locally, the Series was called on WGST-AM in Atlanta by Skip Caray

Skip Caray

Harry Christopher "Skip" Caray, Jr. was an American sportscaster, best known for his long career as a radio and television play-by-play announcer for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball...

, Pete Van Wieren

Pete Van Wieren

Pete van Wieren is a former American sportscaster best known for his long career calling play-by-play for Major League Baseball's Atlanta Braves.-Atlanta Braves:...

, Joe Simpson, and Don Sutton, and on CJCL-AM

CJCL (AM)

CJCL is a Canadian sports radio station in Toronto, Ontario. Owned and operated by Rogers Communications, the station broadcasts at 590 kHz on the AM radio dial with a 50,000 watts transmitter and directional antenna concentrating its signal over the Toronto/Hamilton region...

in Toronto by Jerry Howarth

Jerry Howarth

Jerry Howarth is an American Canadian recognized as the voice of the Toronto Blue Jays as a play-by-play announcer for the team's radio broadcasts, a position he has held for the Major League Baseball team since 1981.- Early career :...

and Tom Cheek

Tom Cheek

Thomas F. Cheek was an American sportscaster.Best known as the "Voice of the Blue Jays", Tom announced Major League Baseball games for the Toronto Blue Jays on radio from the team's establishment in 1977 until his retirement in 2004, in which he had a 27-year consecutive game streak of 4,306...

External links

1992 NLCS|Game 7 and World Series memories from MLB.com
1992 Toronto Blue Jays and 1992 Atlanta Braves at baseballlibrary.com

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.