Tuesday, April 8, 2014

World Series: Did You Know?

The San Francisco Giants, despite being swept and routed in the 1989 World Series, had their moments. One was the dramatic last inning of game 3. That was the first World Series game played after The Quake.

Oakland had won game 1 of the 1989 Fall Classic 5-0. Dave Stewart tossed the shutout for Oakland. Game 2 was tied at 1 after 3 1/2 innings. The Athletics used a four run uprising in the bottom of the fourth to win the game, 5-1.

Game 3 was delayed 10 days because an Earthquake on October 17th. But when play resumed at Candlestick Park, so did the rout.

Actually, game 3 was only 4-3 after 4, but then it was time for another four runs by Oakland. It was in the top of the fifth that the A's started to just hammer it out of here. There would be more to come. Both Jose Canseco and Dave Henderson hit shots that found the seats in that inning. The A's didn't stop there. They followed up their four-run fifth with another tally in the sixth via a Carney Lansford home run. It was 9-4 for Oakland. And they still weren't through.

Lansford knocked in another run on a hit in the top of the 8th. And error on the play plated still another. Two more runs by Oakland and it was now a 13-3 rout.

Dave Stewart, who had pitched seven fine innings, was pinch-hit for in that fateful 8th inning. Rick Honeycutt took over in the 8th and stopped the Giants on just one hit. In the 9th, it was Gene Nelson that took over. That's where things got a little interesting! Turns out those four runs scored in the 8th meant a lot, after all!

Ken Oberkfell led off with a walk and Kirt Manwaring hit a one-out double. Bill Bath was sent up to pinch-hit. It was his first World Series plate appearance. Bath amazingly, Bill hit a 3-run, pinch-hit blast. It was the first time someone had a hit a pinch-hit long ball in their first ever World Series plate appearance. San Fran was not done yet, either. Candy Maldonado went down on strikes to put Oakland an out away from going up 3-0 in the 1989 Fall Classic. But Donell Nixon singled. Todd Burns came in to relieve Nelson. Greg Litton doubled him home to make it 13-7, Oakland. Will Clark walked before Burns finally got Oakland out of their when he retired Kevin Mitchell on a fly to deep left.

The A's went on to sweep San Francisco in the 1989 World Series. Alas, this game will always be remembered for baseball, "Getting back to business."


References


Enders, Eric. 100 Years Of The World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.

Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen, and Michael L. Neft. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. 12th ed. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. Print.

Nemec, David et all. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-by-year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's Edition. Lincolnwood, Ill: Publications International, 1993. Print.

Retrosheet. Web. 8 Apr. 2014.  <www.retrosheet.org>.

Snyder, John S. World Series!: Great Moments and Dubious Achievements. San Francisco: Chronicle, 1995. Print.

Sports Reference LLC.  Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 8 Apr. 2014.

Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web 8 Apr. 2014. <https://en.wikipedia.org>.

Youtube. Web. 8 Apr. 2014. <https://www.youtube.com/>.

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