To say it was a wild and crazy series would be an understatement. The 1988 Toronto Blue Jays swept the 79 Tigers in a series of incredible games. The Tigers, led by a red hot Ron LeFlore, ran wild on the bases and came up with timely hits only to see their bullpen collapse in three straight games – as the powerful Blue Jays, led by George Bell and Fred McGriff, were just too much for the boys from Motown.
Game 1 at TOR 12 DET 11
The craziness started early as the Blue Jays battered Tigers starter Milt Wilcox for 7 runs in 5 1/3 to take a 9-5 lead, after trailing 5-2. But then the Tigers struck back. In the 8th inning, with Duane Ward on in relief, the Tigers rallied for five runs on 5 hits as Leflore and Whitaker both stole bases. The rally put Detorit ahead 10-9. And so lefty relief ace John Hiller came on to pitch in the bottom of the 8th to close it out. Not. In the bottom of the 8th, with one man on, George Bell blasted a homer off Hiller and Toronto was back on top 11-10!. But the resilient Tigers weren’t through yet. With Blue Jays closer Tom Henke on the mound, Allan Trammel led off with a single to center and took third on a hit and run single by Aurelio Rodriguez. After Champ Summers lined out, Ron Leflore came through yet again (5-6,2 R, 2 RBI, 2 SB) with a base hit to center and once again the game was tied. 11-11! Whitaker then tried to bunt his way on but was retired with LeFlore taking second, where he was stranded when Steve Kemp popped to short.
On to the bottom of the 9th in a tie game. Hiller still out there for the Tigers. With one out, Chico Fernandez walks. Toronto had watched as the Tigers had stolen three bases on Ernie Whitt so this time it was the Blue Jays turn as Fernandez tried to steal second off All Star catcher Lance Parrish. And not only did he make it to second he ended up on third when Parrish’s throw went into CF. Detroit then walked Liriano and Moseby intentionally, to load the bases with one out for the very dangerous Fred McGriff. The strategy backfired when McGriff walked on a 3-2 pitch – and Toronto had an incredible, stirring, come from behind 12-11 victory.
Tom Henke (1-0, BS2) got the win. Hiller (0-2, BS 1) took the loss. Bell was the hitting star for the Jays going 2-3 with 3 runs scored, 3 RBIs, a double and a HR (9). Ron Leflore went 5-6 for the Tigers and lifted his BA to .354, third best in the AL.
Game 2 - At TOR 8 DET 6
One would have thought that all those hits would have
exhausted the two teams but they kept on chugging in the second game at Toronto’s Skydome. It was Dan Petry for Detroit against Dave Stieb in a battle of righthanders. Toronto jumped out to an early 2-0 lead and then the Tigers came back, scoring 1 in the 3rd, 2 in the 5th and 3 in the 6th to go ahead 6-2. Leflore continued his torrid hitting with a solo HR (3) and Champ Summers pinch hit a solo HR (4). Leading by 6-2, and with Petry struggling, the Tigers went to the bullpen again and again as Toronto mounted a comeback of its own. Two in the 6th made it 6-4 and then one in the 7th made it 6-5. Detroit took its 1 run lead into the bottom of the 8th. Lefty Pete Burnside got 2 out but with 2 on and 2 out, and the righty hitting George Bell at the plate, the Tigers went to the pen and brought in their top closer, Aurelio Lopez. BOOM! He did it again. Bell with an incredible, dramatic, 2 out 3 run HR to put Toronto ahead 8-6! And for Bell it meant a 5-5 game with 2 runs scored, 4 RBIS and hitting for the cycle (with a double, triple, HR and 2 singles). WOW! There would be no 9th inning comeback for Detroit this time as Ward came on to get his third save of the season. David Wells, in relief, was credited with the victory (1-0).
Lopez took the loss (0-3, BS1). Leflore went 3-5 with 1 run scored and 2 RBIs and yet another SB (21) as he lifted his BA to .361. Lynn Jones also had a SB giving Detroit 5 on the series.
Game 3 - TOR 10 at DET 9
What do these two teams do for an encore, as the series shifts to Detroit. The Tigers come out swinging against starter Jimmy Key and jump out to a 3-0 lead. Key left in the second with an injury and was replaced by Todd Stottlemyre. Trailing 3-1 in the 4th, Toronto strikes for 3 runs to go ahead 4-2. And the see saw series continued as Detroit got 2 more off Stottlemyre in the 4th to retake the lead 5-4. In the 6th, Detroit scored 3 more against shaky Tigers starter Pat Underwood to take the lead yet again, 7-5 -and send Underwood to the showers.. In the bottom of the 7th, it was Detroit’s turn as the Tigers rallied against relieverTony Castillo, plating four runs and the lead was theirs once again! 9-8! WOW!
And so it went to the top of the 9th. And Lopez is on the mound for his second inning of relief. Did someone say Byung-hyun Kim? Manny Lee leads off with a routine fly to left but Steve Kemp DROPS THE BALL – and Lee reaches second on the error. Tying run in scoring position. Lopez rears back and fans Fernandez. Now it is Fred McGriff at bat with Pat Borders on deck. First base is open. Do the Tigers put the lead run on base? No -they pitch to McGriff and the slugging 1B deposits the ball into the right field seats – and HOLY COW – the Blue Jays have done it yet again, winning the game on their last at bat for the third day in a row!
Lopez drops to 0-4 with his second blown save. Willis gets the win in relief (2-2, BS1). Kemp and Trammell each get 3 hits for the Tigers while LeFlore “cools off” going only 2 for 5 with 2 RBIs. The Tigers go wild on the bases, stealing 5 bases in 6 tries as Trammel and Morales swipe two each and LeFlore gets his 22nd steal.
Game 4 - TOR 2 at DET 0
Even if the players weren’t tired, the two managers were J.
The Blue Jays fielded a rag tag lineup against Tigers ace Jack Morris as the two teams played the final game of a disappointing season for both squads. John Cerruti took the mound for Toronto. Cerutti shut down Detroit pitching a 4 hit complete game shutout with no walks and 3 strikeouts. Morris was almost as good but an RBI double by Ducey in the third scored the only run Toronto neede. Chico Fernandez hit a solo HR (5) in the 8th for an insurance run.
LeFlore’s 15 game hit streak came to an end as he went 0-4. Ducey and Fernandez each had 2 hits for the Blue Jays. Cerruti’s win gives him a 4-3 record on the season. Morris took the loss and ends the year at 5-4.
Toronto finishes the season at 21-19, fourth in the AL East. Detroit finishes in the cellar with a record of 15-25.
--submitted by Alan Rayesberg--
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