Game #443 - Toronto Blue Jays, 3 @ Minnesota Twins, 5
The Blue Jays entered this contest riding a six game win streak, so Minnesota knew it had its work cut out for them.
Ernie Whitt started the scoring by blasting a solo homer in the top of the third off starter Ken Schrom. But the Twins scored two of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Jim Clancy got himself into a bases loaded jam when Kirby Puckett roped a single to plate Dave Engle and Jim Eisenreich.
Whitt picked up another RBI in the seventh, where he tied the game on a base knock that scored Damaso Garcia. Toronto took the lead in the top of the eighth when Rance Mulliniks laced a triple that let George Bell cross home plate. This Blue Jays team has more triples than any other team this season!
It wasn't looking good for the Twins, because Clancy was cruising when he started the bottom of the eighth. With one out, though, Mickey Hatcher and Kent Hrbek had back to back singles, bringing big Tom Brunansky to the plate. Toronto brought in reliever Roy Lee Jackson, but Brunansky crushed a three run bomb to take the lead for good!
Winning Pitcher - Rick Lysander
Losing Pitcher - Jim Clancy
Save - Mike Walters
Player of the Game - Brunansky, HR, 3RBI's
Hall of Famers in the Game - Kirby Puckett
Game #444 - Oakland A's, 3 @ New York Yankees, 4
In the top of the first Rickey Henderson singled, stole second, went to third base on a sacrifice fly, and scored on a Carney Lansford single. But in the bottom of the inning New York tied it back up with a Omar Moreno triple that brought Ken Griffey home. The Yankees grabbed another run in the second off a Tim Foli double.
In the top of the fifth Steve Keifer tried to bunt his way on base, but reached second on Don Mattingly's first error of the season. Rickey Henderson drove him home with a single, and then scored himself after another Carney Lansford RBI, giving Oakland the lead. In the bottom of the sixth, though, the Yankees got an unexpected power boost from light hitting shortstop Bobby Meachem, who cranked a solo shot over the left field fence to tie things up, 3-3.
The score remained knotted until the bottom of the eighth. With the bases loaded and two outs, Ken Griffey ripped a single off Keith Atherton. Steve Kemp scored but Rickey Henderson threw out Roy Smalley at home to end the inning. Despite two batters reaching base in the top of the ninth, Dave Righetti recorded the save for the Bronx Bombers.
Winning Pitcher - Mike Armstrong
Losing Pitcher - Chris Codiroli
Save - Dave Righetti
Player of the Game - Armstrong, 1 2/3 IP in relief, 2K's
Hall of Famers in the Game - Rickey Henderson, Dave Winfield
