We kick off Round 2 - best of 5 series; how about two teams from the AL East.
65. 1984 World Champion Detroit Tigers v. 128. 1979 AL Champion Baltimore Orioles
Tigers 104-58, Mgr. Sparky Anderson (AL Mgr of the Year)
Won AL East
d. Royals in ALCS
d. Padres in World Series
d. #64 1931 Athletics (MVP-Larry Herndon)
All-Stars: RP Willie Hernandez (AL MVP, AL Cy Young) OF Chet Lemon, SP Jack Morris, C Lance Parrish, SS Alan Trammell, 2B Lou Whitaker
Hall of Famers: Jack Morris, Alan Trammell, Sparky Anderson
Orioles 102-57 Mgr. Earl Weaver
Won AL East
d. Angels in ALCS
lost WS to Pirates
d. #1 1939 Yankees (MVP-Gary Roenicke)
All-Stars: DH Ken Singleton (2nd AL MVP) RP Don Stanhouse
AL Cy Young - SP Mike Flanagan
Hall of Famers: Eddie Murray, Jim Palmer, Earl Weaver
Couple of teams who know each other pretty well; same division, same era.
Orioles Lineup (Age) OPS+/ERA+/Cross-Comparative WAR
DH Lowenstein (32) 126 1.9
RF Singleton (32) 155 5.2
1B Murray (23) 130 5.2
LF Roenicke (24) 141 4.2
3B Decinces (28) 99 2.9
CF Bumbry (32) 95 2.5
SS Garcia (25) 82 1.2
2B Dauer (26) 81 2.2
C Dempsey (29) 80 2.7
SP Flanagan (LH) (27) 131 5.5
Bench
2B Smith (25) 101 1.2
DH Kelly (34) 144 1.1
SP2 Palmer (33) 122 2.1
SP3 McGregor (LH) (25) 120 2.6
Tigers have an all RH staff, that increases the value of Smith/Kelly, who might be used if some extra bats are needed. Flanagan won the Cy Young, so he's scheduled in games 1 and 4 and Palmer is in the Hall of Fame, still the team's second best ERA in the rotation at age 33, he goes games 2 and 5.
Tigers Lineup (Age) OPS+/ERA+/Cross-Comparative WAR
SS Trammell (26) 136 6.6
CF Lemon (29) 135 6.2
RF Gibson (27) 142 4.1
DH Kuntz (29) 125 .3
LF Herndon (30) 104 .9
C Parrish (28) 100 3.5
1B Bergman (31) 113 2.2
2B Whitaker (27) 113 3.6
3B Johnson (23) 99 1.3
SP Petry (25) 121 4
Bench
3B Evans (37) 106 1.6
LF Jones (29) 137 2.2
DH Grubb (35) 131 1.3
SP2 Morris (29) 109 3.8
SP3 Berenguer (29) 113 2
Evans/Herndon/Bergman were all former San Francisco Giants; platoons for Sparky at third, left, DH are scheduled here, so those guys would be in to face Palmer in games 2 and 5. All Detroit's starters are RH; Petry was their best, he goes in 1 and 4, Morris actually has the 4th best ERA on the staff, so the argument could be made to leave him off - but he led this team in wins and IP and he's in the HOF largely on big game reputation, so he's scheduled for 2 and 5. Milt Wilcox is left off, he has many more wins than Berenguer, but his ERA+ is below 100, making him a below average pitcher for 1984 standards and we aren't using those guys unless we have to. I believe this is the first series in the tournament where the DH will be used in each game.
WAR Advantage:
C Tigers
1B Orioles
2B Tigers
SS Tigers
3B Orioles
LF Orioles
CF Tigers
RF Orioles
DH Orioles
SP1 Orioles
SP2 Tigers
SP3 Orioles
Bullpen: Push
Orioles 7 Tigers 5 (the bullpen isn't a WAR eval, just a spotcheck)
So - Tigers have the seed advantage, giving them home field advantage in the series; maybe Baltimore has a slight WAR nod, although the top 2 players are both Tigers. Should be a competitive series; let's say Detroit is the slightest, the slightest of favorites to win in 5 games.
GAME ONE
1st: We kick off Round 2 at Tiger Stadium; 25 year old RH Dan Petry on the bump for Sparky Anderson's slightly favored Tigers, 18-8, 3.24. 32 year old John Lowenstein, a lefty bat, scheduled to DH throughout the series, is leading off for Earl Weaver's Orioles. It's Petry's 6th season in the bigs, he finished 5th in the AL Cy Young race - and he sets down Baltimore in order.
1st: The Cy Young Winner in 1979 was 27 year old Mike Flanagan. 23-9, 3.08. It's Flanagan's 5th year in MLB, those 23 wins led baseball and this will be the high water mark for Flanagan's career, which will be a long one - he pitches until he is 40 years old. He gives up a lead off single to Alan Trammell, but first base is as far as the Tiger shortstop will travel.
2nd: 1-2-3, Petry actually won more games (19) the year prior, when he led MLB with 38 starts. He's going to be out of the league after he's 32. 1-2-3
2nd: Herndon reaches on an error and then Lance Parrish hits a two run homer to left center and the Tigers are on the board. Parrish is a 28 year old catcher in the middle of a multi-year All Star run - he was a member of 8 All Star teams. This year, he won his second Gold Glove and he gives the Tigers the lead with his bat. Orioles 0 Tigers 2
3rd: 25 year old Kiko Garcia took over at short from veteran Mark Belanger, he leads off with a walk and he will come all the way around to score on a Rich Dauer double. Dauer is a 26 year old second baseman, he will spend his entire career in Baltimore and comes up with the big hit here. Two outs later, the veteran Ken Singleton, 2nd in AL MVP in '79, singles Dauer home to tie the score. Orioles 2 Tigers 2
3rd: Trammell doubles, his second hit, he came up with the Tigers at the age of 19 back in '77 and has their starter at short since he was 20 years old. He's 26 now, on his way to a Hall of Fame career that he spends entirely in Detroit. After an out - he scores the go ahead run on a Kirk Gibson base hit. Rusty Kuntz, DH'ing against the left Flanagan - then singles, but that's where it ends. Orioles 2 Tigers 3
4th: 1-2-3, Petry holds the lead.
4th: With one out, Tiger first baseman Dave Bergman hits the second Tiger homer of the day, a ball that just clears the wall in right. Begman's a 31 year old lefty bat, a year before he was the Giants first baseman - they sent him to the Phillies - and the Phillies then sent him and Willie Hernandez (the Cy Young winner out of the Tiger pen in '84) to Detroit. He'll spend the rest of his career as a Tiger. After the second out, third baseman Howard Johnson singles, the inning ends Orioles 2 Tigers 4
5th: 1-2-3, Petry has retired 8 straight.
5th: 1-2-3, Flanagan's first perfect inning.
6th: Lowenstein opens with a double, '79 is his first year in Baltimore, he spent his first 8 seasons in Cleveland, moved to Texas, they released him and he came to Baltimore, platooning in left (although he is DH'ing here) where he would have all of his best seasons, all after the age of 30. He makes it to third base, but no further.
6th: Larry Herndon, MVP of the Tigers Round One series, singles, that's all Flanagan allows.
7th: The 4th Oriole hit of the day is a 2 out Garcia single, Dauer follows with a single, the middle of that Oriole infield getting on base today, but Petry holds firm.
7th: 1-2-3, both pitchers strong since the 4th.
8th: 23 year old switch hitting first baseman Eddie Murray is on his way to the Hall of Fame, he was AL Rookie of the Year in '77, finished 8th in the AL MVP balloting in '78 and in '79 tied for the team lead among position players in WAR. He singles with two out and then Gary Roenicke walks, and then Doug Decinces, on an 0-2 pitch, shocks this sold out Detrout crowd with a 3 run homer to dead center to give the Orioles the lead. Decinces is Baltimore's 28 year old third baseman, he took over the job from Brooks Robinson back in '76, had a great year with the bat last year, in '78 - and 3 years from now as the Angel third baseman he'll place third in the AL MVP race -- but right now his 3 run homer has totally changed the complexion of this series and given Baltimore the lead. It ends Petry's day, 35 year old RH Aurelio Lopez comes on and ends the inning, but it might be a pitch too late, Orioles 5 Tigers 4
8th: 1-2-3, big perfect inning for Flanagan, 8 straight and the Orioles are 3 outs away from taking game one.
9th: After two out, Rick Dempsey and Lowenstein walk - but Lopez holds the line and we go to the bottom of the 9th.
9th: Dan Stanhouse (Stan the Man Unusual) is a 28 year old RH, he made the All Star team this year, 21 saves, a 2.85 ERA - and he comes on for Weaver to close this out.
Parrish is up - he grounds back to the mound, Stanhouse flips to first for out number one.
Next comes Bergman - he punches a ball into right center for a base hit - that's the tying run at first.
Lou Whitaker is next - and he works a walk. Tigers have the tying run in scoring position and the potential winning run on base.
Howard Johnson is next, he hits a grounder to third -- it takes a bad hop for Decinces - he can't quite hold onto the ball - it squirts away and everyone is safe.
Bases loaded. One out. Tying run at third. Potential winning run at second. Top of the order for Tammell -- AND HE HITS THE FIRST PITCH OVER THE LEFT FIELD WALL FOR A WALK OFF GRAND SLAM HOME RUN!
Absolute pandamonium at Tiger Stadium - Detroit gave up a lead on a 3 run Decinces homer in the 8th and then walked this one off with a Trammell grand slam in the botom of the 9th. It's the biggest home run in the tournament so far - the biggest moment in the tournament - what a way to kick off round 2.
Orioles 5
Tigers 8
WP Lopez
LP Stanhouse
Trammell doubles, homers, four RBI, 2 runs scored, three hits. Bergman had 2 hits and scored two runs.
For Baltimore, Lowenstein reached twice, Decinces homered with 3 RBI, Garcia reached twice, Dauer had two hits.
We stay in Detroit for Game 2 - gonna be tough for the Orioles to shake this one off.
DH Lowenstein (32) 126 1.9
RF Singleton (32) 155 5.2
1B Murray (23) 130 5.2
LF Roenicke (24) 141 4.2
3B Decinces (28) 99 2.9
CF Bumbry (32) 95 2.5
SS Garcia (25) 82 1.2
2B Dauer (26) 81 2.2
C Dempsey (29) 80 2.7
SP2 Palmer (33) 122 2.1
No change in the Orioles lineup.
DH Grubb (35) 131 1.3
RF Gibson (27) 142 4.1
SS Trammell (26) 136 6.6
LF Jones (29) 137 2.2
CF Lemon (29) 135 6.2
1B Bergman (31) 113 2.2
2B Whitaker (27) 113 3.6
3B Evans (37) 106 1.6
C Parrish (28) 100 3.5
SP2 Morris (29) 109 3.8
Detroit makes their changes facing the RH; 3 platoon swaps and the lineup shuffle. Two Hall of Fame RH on the mound in game two.
GAME TWO
1st: Jack Morris is a 29 year old RH, he's been in the Tiger rotation since '79 (meaning, multiple starts against this very Oriole club) in both '81 and '83 he was third in the AL Cy Young and 7th this year, he pitches until hes 39 - but right now he's on the Tiger Stadium mound looking to give Detroit a 2-0 lead, 19-11, 3.60 1-2-3
1st: Morris is in the Hall of Fame - so is Jim Palmer, 33 year old RH, 10-6, 3.30 -- Palmer's an Oriole lifer, came up back in '65, started 30 games as a 20 year old in '66, won the Cy Young in '73, '75, '76, second in '77 and third in '78 -- so he has had just a dominant stretch here, really the longterm backbone of Earl Weaver's rotation - he gives up a leadoff double to Johnny Grubb, DH'ing today against the RH - and on the next pitch, Kirk Gibson singles him home and Detroit's taken the lead. Orioles 0 Tigers 1
2nd: 1-2-3
2nd: Lou Whitaker draws a two out walk, he's a 27 year old second baseman - was Rookie of the Year back in '78, he'll be a Tiger throughout his full career, like his keystone mate Trammell - retiring after the '95 season. That's all for Detroit in the second.
3rd: Rich Dauer walks with one out and after the second out, John Lowenstein singles, it's the first hit of the day for Baltimore - but it ends here.
3rd: After an out, Gibson singles for the second time - Gibson's 27, former Michigan St football player, came up in '79 - so you can see this core Trammell/Parrish/Whitaker/Gibson have all been together for a few years (playing against this Oriole team) and here they are in their primes - 4 years from now he's NL MVP and hits the big World Series homer for the Dodgers off of Dennis Eckersley - after the second out, Ruppert Jones - playing left today against the right handed Palmer - hits a two run homer to left and the Tigers have extended the lead. Orioles 0 Tigers 3
4th: Eddie Murray walks and after an out Doug Decinces and Al Bumbry single to load them up for Baltimore -- but Jack Morris, his reputation for big game pitching the reason for his Hall induction - gets out of it.
4th: 1-2-3, Palmer's first perfect inning.
5th: Rick Dempsey is Baltimore's 29 year old catcher, largely playing due to his glove, came up a decade prior with Minnesota, came to Baltimore from the Yankees in the big 1976 nine player trade where the Orioles acquired Tippy Martinez and Scotty McGregor. Dempsey doubles - then scores on a Lowenstein triple -- Lowenstein scores on a Ken Singleton sac fly and it's 3-2. Eddie Murray reaches on an error - and after the second out, Doug Decinces who hit the 3 run game one shot - hits a two run bomb -- and can you believe this series, it's been everything we hoped, the Orioles are now up. Orioles 4 Tigers 3
5th: 1-2-3, Palmer's set down 7 straight.
6th: Dempsey's aboard again, singling with two out, but that's all.
6th: Ruppert Jones hit that homer in the third, he singles here with one out, this is Jones's only season in Detroit - he signed as a free agent after 3 years in San Diego and he'll leave as a free agent to head to the Angels where he finishes his career. That's all Palmer allows though and we head to the 7th.
7th: Gary Roenicke walks with two out - but that's it and Morris is through 7.
7th: Lou Whitaker doubles - after an out, Lance Parrish singles to drive him home and the Tigers have tied the game and sent Palmer to the showers. 29 year old lefty Tippy Martinez had a 2.88 ERA and he now enters. he had a 14 year big league career and never left the pen, only two career starts for Martinez - he gets the second out, but then Gibson comes through again with a base hit to put men on the corners. So - here's the big spot - dead tied, bottom 7, men on the corners with two out - coming to the plate is Trammell.
And he comes through again - a base hit that scores Parrish and the Tigers go back in front.
Martinez walks Ruppert Jones, that's it but once again Detroit leads, Orioles 4 Tigers 5
8th: Aurelio Lopez won game 1 and he's back now in relief of Morris, 10 wins and a sub 3.00 ERA for Senor Smoke. Lopez came up with the Royals in '74, then was out of US professional baseball entirely until '78, he came to Detroit in '79 - pitching against these Orioles, and was 7th in the Cy Young race. Here, he gives up a leadoff walk to Al Bumbry but that's all.
8th: 1-2-3, Martinez keeps it close and we go to the 9th.
9th: It's our first look at the Tiger closer, the AL MVP and Cy Young Award winner, the 29 year old lefty Willie Hernandez with 32 saves and a 1.92 ERA -
First is Dempsey - easy fly ball to center
Next is Lowenstein - Hernandez totally baffles him, a 3 pitch strikeout
Then Singleton - he gets a good cut -- but Chet Lemon is able to track down the fly ball and it is over.
Orioles 4
Tigers 5
WP Morris
LP Palmer
Two games that have given all we could have wanted - the Tigers take them both.
Trammell added his 4th hit today, and it was the big one, the game winner. Gibson had 3 hits today, Jones reached 3 times including that home run and Whitaker reached twice.
For Baltimore, Lowenstein has now reached 4 times with a triple, Decinces has homered twice, he's got 5 RBI, Bumbry reached twice today and Dempsey had two hits.
We go to Baltimore - the Orioles need to win the next three games to stay alive.
SS Trammell (26) 136 6.6
CF Lemon (29) 135 6.2
RF Gibson (27) 142 4.1
DH Kuntz (29) 125 .3
LF Herndon (30) 104 .9
C Parrish (28) 100 3.5
1B Bergman (31) 113 2.2
2B Whitaker (27) 113 3.6
3B Johnson (23) 99 1.3
SP3 Berenguer (29) 113 2
LF Lowenstein (32) 126 1.9
RF Singleton (32) 155 5.2
1B Murray (23) 130 5.2
DH Kelly (34) 144 1.1
CF Roenicke (24) 141 4.2
3B Decinces (28) 99 2.9
SS Garcia (25) 82 1.2
2B Dauer (26) 81 2.2
C Dempsey (29) 80 2.7
SP3 McGregor (LH) (25) 120 2.6
Lefty going for Baltimore, so the Tigers revert to the Game 1 lineup - Baltimore goes with Pat Kelly, sitting Bumbry, trading some defense to get an extra stick in the lineup.
GAME THREE
1st: Nervous crowd in Baltimore for Game 3 - they've seen their Orioles drop both games one and two in just bonecrushing fashion and now they are facing elimination. 25 year old lefty Scotty McGregor gets the call from Weaver, 13-6, 3.35, he's going to spend his entire big league career in Baltimore, just like game 2 starter Palmer. He gets the first two - then Gibson stays hot with a double; the unfortunately named Rusty Kuntz is platooning at DH in the series, this is his first year in Detroit and his last full year in the bigs, even though he's just 29. This is easily his best ever year - he singles in this spot, Gibson will come around to score and the Tigers are on the board. Tigers 1 Orioles 0
1st: 29 year old RH Juan Berenguer is 11-10 with a 3.48 ERA and he can end the series. Unlike his three teammates who are former Giants, he will be on his way to San Francisco in '86 in a trade involving future big league manager Bob Melvin. He gets an out - but then gives up a game tying homer to Ken Singleton - that lets the crowd breathe a little bit. Pat Kelly singles after the second out, the inning ends Tigers 1 Orioles 1
2nd: 1-2-3
2nd: Decinces singles, he moves to second on an out - and he will score on a Rich Dauer double; the Orioles taking the lead in the must win game. Dempsey reaches on an error and then a Lowenstein single scores Baltimore's 3rd run - Lowenstein continues to produce at the top of the Baltimore lineup. Berenguer walks Singleton to load the bases -- can the Orioles bust this one open? Murray grounds to Johnson - but he kicks it - everyone's safe and now it's 4-1 and when Pat Kelly walks, that makes it 5. That's all but that's a lot - for the first time in this series, a team has stretched out the lead Tigers 1 Orioles 5
3rd: Trammell won both games 1 and 2 and he doubles with one out, McGregor strands him at third.
3rd: Dauer walks with one out, but that's all.
4th: 1-2-3
4th: Singleton walks with one out, but that's all.
5th: After an out, Whitaker and HoJo single - Johnson's platooning at third with the veteran Darrell Evans in the series, Johnson is 23, this is his first year getting the lion's share of playing time and it's the last year he'll spend in Detroit - he's off the the Mets, traded for pitcher Walt Terrell in the offseason. He'll have some strong years in New York, finishing 5th in the NL MVP race in both '89 and '91. Chet Lemon singles after the second out and so the Tigers have the bases loaded here with two out - can they start getting back into this game? They do - Kirk Gibson is smoking right now -- he triples -- it clears the bases -- that is a big, big blow and the Tigers trail by only a run. Tigers 4 Orioles 5
5th: Decinces keeps going - he singles with one out - and after the second out, Rich Dauer keeps going - he hits another double and it drives in a run. Rich Dauer had 20 doubles all season and has 2 today. Rick Dempsey then doubles and now it's 7-5; the two offenses really battling all series. Nip and tuck. Tigers 4 Orioles 7
6th: Former Giant Larry Herndon reaches on an error and after an out, he's sent to third on a single by former Giant Dave Bergman. Lou Whitaker then doubles to make it 7-5 and after the second out, it's Trammell again - he singles home two runs to tie the score. Chet Lemon spent the first half of his career with the White Sox, after the '81 season he came over in a trade for slugger Steve Kemp - Chet Lemon really hit the heck of the baseball, a career OPS+ of 121 as a center fielder - and here he doubles down the left field line - that scores Trammell - the Tigers have come all the way back Tigers 8 Orioles 7
6th: For the third straight game, Aurelio Lopez gets the call; he walks Singleton and Murray - maybe Sparky is pushing Senor Smoke a day too far - and then he walks Kelly. Bases loaded for the Birds and nobody out here in the bottom of the 6th. And Lopez gets out of it. That could be the big spot - if the Tigers clinch this series three innings from now - Aurelio Lopez loaded the bases with nobody out and didn't give up the tying run.
7th: Tippy Martinez pitched in game 2 and he comes back now in game 3 - he gives up a one out single to former Giant Herndon and then a two out walk to Bergman - but that's all.
7th: 1-2-3 -- big, big inning for Lopez as the Tigers hold on to that lead.
8th: After an out, Trammell singles and Lemon walks - Martinez gets through it though and the Orioles still have a chance.
8th: Sparky goes to 33 year old lefty Sid Monge, this is Monge's only year in Detroit and it's his last year in the bigs - he came over from the Padres during the season - and then the Tigers beat those Padres in the World Series. After two out, he walks Eddie Murray and then Pat Kelly singles -- tying run in scoring position for the Orioles -- but Monge strikes out Roenicke and we head to the 9th.
9th: Baltimore's best reliever in '79 was 26 year old RH Tim Stoddard with a 1.71 ERA - he's going to pitch another decade but this is his career year easily. He gives up a two out Bergman single but nothing else. Let's do it - last stand for Baltimore.
9th: If the Orioles are coming back - they have to do it against the AL MVP Willie Hernandez, who saved game 2.
Decinces is first - Hernandez gets two quick strikes but then Decinces just battles back and works a walk.
Kiko Garcia lines the first pitch he sees into center for a base hit. Two on, nobody out. Can the Orioles live to see another day?
Dauer hits a slow grounder to Trammell - they flip to second for one -- they can't get Dauer though, so men are on the corners with one out.
Dempsey....bunts right down the first base line -- Hernandez is off the mound and he flips to first -- but there's no play at the plate and the Orioles have scored the tying run -- big call there by Weaver to have his catcher lay one down, he does and it ties the score.
AND THEN LOWENSTEIN HITS A TWO RUN HOMER TO END THE GAME!
I'll tell you what - if this is what Round 2 has in store, we are looking at some of the greatest baseball ever played. A walk off grand slam in game 1 - a 1 run game in game 2 - a walk off 2 run homer in game 3.
Wow.
Tigers 8
Orioles 10
WP Stoddard
LP Hernandez
Lowenstein has reached 6 times, he's got a triple and this game winning homer, 3 RBI and 2 runs scored just today. Singleton reached twice today with a homer. Murray reached twice today. Pat Kelly got the start at DH and reached 4 times. Decinces reached 3 times, he already has those 2 homers. Dauer reached 3 times today and scored 3 runs with those 2 doubles.
Trammell now has 7 hits on the series, Lemon reached 3 times today, Gibson tripled and doubled to add to his 3 hit game 2. Bergman reached 3 times today. Whitaker has now reached 4 times in the last two games.
How about Game 4? The two game 1 starters returning for this one.
SS Trammell (26) 136 6.6
CF Lemon (29) 135 6.2
RF Gibson (27) 142 4.1
DH Jones (29) 137
LF Herndon (30) 104 .9
C Parrish (28) 100 3.5
1B Bergman (31) 113 2.2
2B Whitaker (27) 113 3.6
3B Johnson (23) 99 1.3
SP Petry (25) 121 4
One change - Rupper Jones getting the start even against a LH.
LF Lowenstein (32) 126 1.9
RF Singleton (32) 155 5.2
1B Murray (23) 130 5.2
DH Kelly (34) 144 1.1
CF Roenicke (24) 141 4.2
3B Decinces (28) 99 2.9
SS Garcia (25) 82 1.2
2B Dauer (26) 81 2.2
C Dempsey (29) 80 2.7
SP Flanagan (LH) (27) 131 5.5
Orioles sending out the same lineup for Game 4.
GAME FOUR
1st: Mike Flanagan is back and on the mound for the Orioles. Trammell greets him with his 8th hit and then steals second; Lemon doubles him home and the Tigers are on the board after only 5 pitches. Gibson keeps rolling with a base hit - that scores Lemon and it's 2-0. Two outs later, Parrish singles but that's where it ends. Tigers 2 Orioles 0
1st: Dan Petry has that 2 run lead and looks to end this series today. He walks the game 3 hero Lowenstein, but that's all.
2nd: HoJo singles with one out, but that's all.
2nd: 24 year old Gary Roenicke almost sat today in favor of Bumbry despite his 141 OPS+, he became an Oriole back in '77 in a deal where both he and Stanhouse came over from the Expos, he singles with one out, but that's all.
3rd: 1-2-3
3rd: 1-2-3, strong start here for Petry, just giving up one hit so far.
4th: Parrish walks and Bergman singles -- dicey here for Flanagan, he can't afford to get much further behind, he gets two and then walks Trammell to load the bases -- big, big spot -- and he gets through it.
4th: Ken Singleton had a great run with the bat from the ages of 28-34, never had an OPS+ below 132 in that stretch. He triples to open and scores on a Murray single. Kelly walks, and then after two out - Garcia hits a bases clearing double to give Baltimore the lead. Dauer then singles home Garcia, it's 4-2 Baltimore and Sparky isn't messing around, he brings out the hook for Petry and Doug Bair gets the call. 34 year old RH, he's had some strong years including 28 saves and a sub 2.00 ERA with Sparky and the '78 Reds - he gives up a base hit to Dempsey and then hits Lowenstein to load the bases -- Singleton then walks for another run and the Orioles have batted around - Murray singles for the second time in the inning - that scores two - the Orioles have busted this sucker wide, wide open Tigers 2 Orioles 7
5th: Gibson walks and an out later so does Herndon - after the second out a wild pitch scores Gibson, Tigers 3 Orioles 7
5th: Kiko Garcia had 5 homers on the year - after two outs he homees to dead center to get Baltimore that run back and it sure feels like we are headed back to Detroit for the showdown. 33 year old RH Glenn Abbott's ERA approached 6 but he gets the call now for Detroit. This is Abbott's last year in the bigs, most of which was as a starter for the A's and Mariners, he had a great year out of the Tiger pen in '83, but clearly is at the very end now. He gives up a base hit to Dauer, that's all. Tigers 3 Orioles 8
6th: Trammell singles with 2 out, that's all.
6th: 1-2-3
7th: Tippy Martinez comes on again for the Birds, he gets the first two, then Jones singles and Herndon triples him home. Herndon was the Giants CF for four years, came over after the '81 season in a bad trade for Dan Schatzeder. Tigers 4 Orioles 8
7th: 1-2-3, Glenn Abbott comes in strong for the Tigers.
8th: 1-2-3, Baltimore's 3 outs away from forcing the showdown.
8th: Garcia singles, after a double play Dempsey singles, then Lowenstein singles -- and Kenny Singleton ends the game with a 3 run bomb - a monster shot to left -- that makes it 11-4 and we will see you for Game 5. Aurelio Lopez comes on for the 4th game and he ends the inning. Tigers 4 Orioles 11
9th: Lemon singles with one out, that's it.
Tigers 4
Orioles 11
WP Flanagan
LP Petry
After nothing but nailbiting, we get a blowout. Lowenstein has now reached 8 times, Singleton homered and tripled today after homering in the game 3 win, he had 4 RBI today, Murray has reached 4 times in the last two games and had 3 RBI today, Kiko Garcia had 3 hits today with a homer and double, drove in 3 runs and scored 2 runs. Dauer reached 5 times in the last two days and Dempsey had 2 hits today.
Trammell has reached 10 times in the series, Lemon reached twice today after reached 3 times in game 3. Gibson has reached 7 times in the past 3 games, Herndon tripled and reached twice, Parrish reached twice.
We go back to Tiger Stadium for Game 5. One game - winner take all. Jack Morris vs. Jim Palmer.
LF Lowenstein (32) 126 1.9
RF Singleton (32) 155 5.2
1B Murray (23) 130 5.2
DH Kelly (34) 144 1.1
3B Decinces (28) 99 2.9
CF Bumbry (32) 95 2.5
SS Garcia (25) 82 1.2
2B Dauer (26) 81 2.2
C Dempsey (29) 80 2.7
SP2 Palmer (33) 122 2.1
DH Grubb (35) 131 1.3
RF Gibson (27) 142 4.1
SS Trammell (26) 136 6.6
LF Jones (29) 137 2.2
CF Lemon (29) 135 6.2
1B Bergman (31) 113 2.2
2B Whitaker (27) 113 3.6
3B Evans (37) 106 1.6
C Parrish (28) 100 3.5
SP2 Morris (29) 109 3.8
Tigers go with their standard LH bats against the RH Palmer, Weaver returns Bumbry to the lineup and sits Roenicke.
GAME FIVE
1st: Here we go. Jack Morris against Jim Palmer. Two Hall of Famers. Winner advances. 1-2-3, huge roar from the Tiger Stadium crowd.
1st: After an out, Palmer hits Gibson - after the second out, he walks Jones, but that's all.
2nd: Morris had a big postseason in '84, 3-0, threw 2 complete games in the World Series, gave up a total of 5 earned in 25 innings. He walks Decinces with one out but that's all.
2nd: Palmer started 15 playoff games in his career and the last ones were this year. He was 8-3, he won a game in the '66 World Series, in the '70 World Series, in the '71 World Series. He gives up a Bergman double and that's all.
3rd: 1-2-3, no hits yet for Baltimore
3rd: Gibson singles with one out, that's all.
4th: Murray doubles with one out, Morris's first hit allowed, that's all.
4th: Lemon walks - Palmer gets the next two and Lemon's standing on second when Darrell Evans comes to the plate. Evans is 37, getting the start at third today. He came up with the '69 Braves, was sent to the Giants in '76 and was a starter in San Francisco for 8 years, the best year of his career coming with the '83 Giants. He leaves as a free agent to sign with this Tigers team. He singles here, scoring Lemon and the Tigers take the lead. Orioles 0 Tigers 1
5th: 1-2-3, Morris doesn't let up at all.
5th: Palmer gets one - but then gives up a homer to Gibson - we are through five innings here in Game 5, Orioles 0 Tigers 2
6th: Dempsey singles and an out later Singleton walks -- two on and one out for Baltimore, Morris gets the second out but then walks Kelly to load the bases. And then he walks Decinces to score a run- that's all the Orioles get, Orioles 1 Tigers 2
6th: Lemon doubles, Bergman walks - Lou Whitaker then clears the bases with a double - that's 4 runs now for Detroit and the Tiger Stadium faithful can feel it happening. Palmer gets one, but then a Parrish sac fly scores Whitaker. Palmer walks Grubb and gives up a Gibson single - it ends there but that might be enough. Orioles 1 Tigers 5
7th: 1-2-3 -- huge roar from the crowd for Morris, who has only allowed 2 hits.
7th: One more appearance for Tippy Martinez; he walks Jones, thats it.
8th: Getting late for the Orioles - Lowenstein walks/Singleton singles, the third Baltimore hit and they're in business. How much leash will Morris get? After an out, Kelly walks to load the bases - that puts the tying run at the plate. Morris gets Decinces 6-4-3 and that's another big one, that could be the death blow here.
8th: Grubb walks with two out, that's it. And let's go to the 9th.
9th: Aurelio Lopez - for the fifth game - takes the mound for the Tigers.
Bumbry is first - and he singles.
Garcia goes 6-4, so he now stands at first with one out.
Dauer flies to center - easy one for Lemon, two outs.
And Dempsey grounds to Trammell -- throw on to first -- and the Tigers have won.
Huge celebration on the Detroit mound - the Tigers have survived this one and become the first team to advance to the Round of 32.
Orioles 1
Tigers 5
WP Morris
LP Palmer
8 hittings of 3 hit ball for Morris - he beats Palmer twice in the series. Gibson had 9 hits in the series, including 3 today with the homer; Trammell was 0-4 today, but reached 10 times and won the first two games. I won't ever do 3 MVPs - but it's hard to leave any of these three out when talking about who won this series -- I guess it has to be the two offensive players.
The 1984 Tigers are the first team to advance to the next round. 31 slots remain.
