Twins 11, Red Sox 10 (11 innings)
In a comeback of epic proportions, the Minnesota Twins have taken the American League pennant. And Kent Hrbek is your ALCS MVP.
Building a two-run lead early wasn’t enough for Les Straker. Known for tiring early in games, he ran out of gas in the 5th inning. After getting two outs, the Twins starter allowed five runs before being pulled for Roy Smith, who promptly gave up two more runs on Ellis Burks’s second homer of the series. The Red Sox weren’t done either, as they added two more off a struggling Berenguer. Down 9-2 entering the 8th, the Twins began their miracle push towards the World Series.
Bob Stanley, in relief of Boddicker, had the first bad postseason game of his career thanks to an error by Marty Barrett. With two outs, Greg Gagne belted a three-run shot that put the Twins within three. But not ones to lay down, Rich Gedman led off the 8th with a homer off Berenguer, extending the lead back to four.
After John Moses singled off Stanley to begin the 9th, McNamara went to his closer, Lee Smith. But the Twins batters paid him no mind. After a walk to Bush, a fly out by Puckett, and a single by Gaetti, the Twins were within three runs with just one out. And then Hrbek came to the plate. After working the count to 3-2, Hrbek turned on a fastball, depositing it around Pesky’s Pole. Smith escaped the inning, but the game that was all but over was now headed for extras.
The 10th went by without much fanfare, but the Twins got to Sox southpaw Bolton in the 11th. Tim Laudner pinch-hit for Bush and somehow beat out an infield hit to second. Puckett, second only to Boggs in batting average this season, laid down a perfect sacrifice. And for the second time in the game, Gaetti came through, singling Laudner home. Reardon would try to get through his second inning but would make things interesting. Spike Owen walked before being pinch-ran for by Kevin Romine. But Romine, after watching Boggs pop out to short, was caught dead to rights by Brian Harper trying to swipe second. Barrett extended the game with a single and apparently Tom Kelly had seen enough. Instead of trusting his closer with the game, he went to German Gonzalez, who got Darrell Evans to an 0-2 count when Barrett stole second base. But Barrett remained in scoring position for just one pitch, as Gonzalez got Evans to swing and miss to end the series.
Kent Hrbek, who batted .400 in the series with two homers, including the game-tying blast in tonight’s game, is the easy choice for MVP.
In the 100 series simulated, the Twins won 60 times. Below is the breakdown:
Twins in 4: 10 Red Sox in 4: 4
Twins in 5: 11 Red Sox in 5: 9
Twins in 6: 21 Red Sox in 6: 15
Twins in 7: 18 Red Sox in 7: 12
Stay tuned, as at some point in the future you may see the results of the hypothetical 1988 World Series between the Twins and the Dodgers.
Boxscore and play-by-play below the fold
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 R H E LOB DP
1988 Minnesota 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 4 4 0 1 11 14 0 7 3
1988 Boston 0 0 0 0 7 0 2 1 0 0 0 10 14 1 5 1
Minnesota AB R H BI AVG Boston AB R H BI AVG
Moses lf 6 1 1 0 .214 Boggs 3b 5 2 2 0 .333
Bush rf 4 1 0 0 .313 Barrett 2b 6 1 3 1 .310
Laudner ph 1 1 1 0 .429 Evans rf 5 1 1 2 .360
Christensen rf 0 0 0 0 .000 Greenwell lf 4 2 2 1 .522
Puckett cf 5 1 2 0 .280 Burks cf 5 1 3 3 .320
Gaetti 3b 6 2 4 2 .292 Rice dh 4 1 1 1 .273
Hrbek 1b 6 3 2 3 .400 Benzinger 1b 5 0 0 0 .308
Larkin dh 5 1 1 1 .273 Gedman c 5 1 1 1 .308
Harper c 5 0 1 2 .111 Owen ss 4 1 1 1 .111
Gagne ss 4 1 1 3 .375 Romine pr 0 0 0 0 .000
Lombardozzi 2b 1 0 0 0 .250 43 10 14 10
Dwyer ph 1 0 1 0 1.000
Herr 2b 1 0 0 0 .412
45 11 14 11
Minnesota INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
Straker 4.2 7 5 5 3 0 77 44 9.00
Smith 0.1 2 2 2 0 0 16 10 11.12
Atherton 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 8 7 7.71
Berenguer 3.0 4 3 3 1 4 53 30 6.35
Reardon W 1-1 1.2 1 0 0 1 2 24 17 4.15
Gonzalez S 1 0.1 0 0 0 0 1 3 3 0.00
11.0 14 10 10 5 8 181 111
Boston INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA
Boddicker 6.1 6 2 2 1 3 98 68 2.93
Stanley 1.2 4 5 1 0 1 30 19 8.31
Smith 2.0 2 3 3 2 0 41 22 9.00
Bolton L 0-1 1.0 2 1 1 0 0 11 7 6.75
11.0 14 11 7 3 4 180 116
Min: Dwyer batted for Lombardozzi in the 7th
Herr inserted at 2b in the 7th
Laudner batted for Bush in the 11th
Christensen inserted at rf in the 11th
Bos: Romine ran for Owen in the 11th
E-Barrett. 2B-Harper, Owen. 3B-Evans. HR-Hrbek(2), Gagne(1), Burks(2),
Gedman(1). SB-Barrett(1), Greenwell(2). CS-Romine. K-Moses, Bush,
Lombardozzi, Herr, Evans 3, Greenwell, Benzinger 2, Gedman 2. BB-Bush, Gagne,
Herr, Boggs, Evans, Greenwell, Rice, Owen. SH-Puckett, Larkin.
HBP-Lombardozzi. PB-Harper. HB-Boddicker.
GWRBI: Gaetti
Temperature: 50, Sky: clear, Wind: out to left at 16 MPH.
************** Top of the 1st inning, Minnesota batting
0-0 0 — 10 Moses grounded out to second (BX)
0-0 1 — 22 Bush flied out to center (BBCCFX)
0-0 2 — 00 Puckett grounded out to first (X)
************** Bottom of the 1st inning, Boston batting
0-0 0 — 00 Boggs lined a single to right center (X)
0-0 0 1– 22 Barrett grounded into a double play, Gagne to Lombardozzi
to Hrbek (BFBbFX)
0-0 2 — 32 Evans walked (BBFFBB)
0-0 2 1– 32 Greenwell flied out to right (CC1BBB1>X)
************** Top of the 2nd inning, Minnesota batting
0-0 0 — 02 Gaetti lined a single to shallow center (CFX)
0-0 0 1– 00 Hrbek singled to shallow center, Gaetti to second (X)
0-0 0 12- 10 Larkin sacrifice bunted to third, Gaetti to third, Hrbek
to second (BXb)
0-0 1 -23 00 Harper doubled deep to left center, Gaetti scored, Hrbek
scored (X)
2-0 1 -2- 11 Gagne grounded out to short (BCX)
2-0 2 -2- 11 Lombardozzi was hit by a pitch (BCH)
2-0 2 12- 22 Moses struck out (FBCBFS)
************** Bottom of the 2nd inning, Boston batting
2-0 0 — 00 Burks bunted for a single (Xb)
2-0 0 1– 12 Rice flied out to center (C>FBFFX)
2-0 1 1– 12 Benzinger grounded into a double play, Lombardozzi to
Gagne to Hrbek (1BCF1X)
************** Top of the 3rd inning, Minnesota batting
2-0 0 — 12 Bush struck out (BCFFS)
2-0 1 — 02 Puckett lined a single to left (CCX)
2-0 1 1– 02 Gaetti lined a single to shallow left, Puckett to second
(1CCFX)
2-0 1 12- 01 Hrbek flied out to right, Puckett to third (CX)
2-0 2 1-3 12 Larkin grounded to short, forcing Gaetti at second (BCFX)
************** Bottom of the 3rd inning, Boston batting
2-0 0 — 32 Gedman flied out to left (BBFFBX)
2-0 1 — 10 Owen grounded out to second (BX)
2-0 2 — 10 Boggs grounded out to short (BX)
************** Top of the 4th inning, Minnesota batting
2-0 0 — 12 Harper lined out to short (CFBX)
2-0 1 — 12 Gagne grounded out to short (CCBFX)
2-0 2 — 22 Lombardozzi struck out (BBCFFC)
************** Bottom of the 4th inning, Boston batting
2-0 0 — 00 Barrett grounded a single up the middle (X)
2-0 0 1– 22 Evans flied out to left (FFFBBFX)
2-0 1 1– 12 Greenwell lined a single to left, Barrett to second
(B>FCX)
2-0 1 12- 21 Burks grounded into a double play, Lombardozzi to Gagne
to Hrbek (B2BFX)
************** Top of the 5th inning, Minnesota batting
2-0 0 — 11 Moses grounded out to third (SBX)
2-0 1 — 31 Bush flied out to left (BBBCX)
2-0 2 — 01 Puckett flied out to left (FX)
************** Bottom of the 5th inning, Boston batting
2-0 0 — 32 Rice walked (CBBCBFFB)
2-0 0 1– 00 Benzinger popped out to left (X)
2-0 1 1– 20 Gedman flied out to center (BBX)
2-0 2 1– 21 Owen lined a double to left center, Rice scored (FBBX)
2-1 2 -2- 30 Boggs walked (BBBB)
2-1 2 12- 00 Barrett grounded a single between third and short, Owen
scored, Boggs to second (X)
2-2 2 12- 00 Evans lined a triple down the right field line, Boggs
scored, Barrett scored (X)
Smith now pitching
2-4 2 –3 22 Greenwell lined a single between first and second, Evans
scored (BFFFBX)
2-5 2 1– 10 Greenwell stole second (B>C)
2-5 2 -2- 31 Burks homered deep to center, Greenwell scored (B>C.BBX)
2-7 2 — 12 Rice flied out to left (FBFFX)
************** Top of the 6th inning, Minnesota batting
2-7 0 — 32 Gaetti flied out to left (CFBBBX)
2-7 1 — 11 Hrbek grounded out to third (CBX)
2-7 2 — 02 Larkin grounded out to short (CFX)
************** Bottom of the 6th inning, Boston batting
Atherton now pitching
2-7 0 — 12 Benzinger flied out to center (BFSX)
2-7 1 — 02 Gedman struck out (FSS)
2-7 2 — 00 Owen flied out to left (X)
************** Top of the 7th inning, Minnesota batting
2-7 0 — 00 Harper popped out to right (X)
2-7 1 — 32 Gagne walked (CSBBBFB)
Dwyer pinch hitting for Lombardozzi
2-7 1 1– 32 Dwyer grounded a single between first and second, Gagne
to second (BBFSFBX)
Stanley now pitching
2-7 1 12- 10 Moses grounded out to third, Gagne to third, Dwyer to
second (BX)
2-7 2 -23 11 Bush popped out to the catcher (FBX)
************** Bottom of the 7th inning, Boston batting
Herr now playing second base
Berenguer now pitching
2-7 0 — 12 Boggs grounded a single up the middle (CBCX)
2-7 0 1– 32 Barrett popped out to short (SBBCBX)
2-7 1 1– 21 Harper allowed a passed ball, Boggs to second (1CBBB)
2-7 1 -2- 32 Evans struck out (1CBBB.CS)
2-7 2 -2- 30 Greenwell was walked intentionally (IIII)
2-7 2 12- 32 Burks lined a single to left center, Boggs scored,
Greenwell to third (CBBBF>F>X)
2-8 2 1-3 01 Rice lined a single between third and short, Greenwell
scored, Burks to second (CX)
2-9 2 12- 12 Benzinger struck out (CBFC)
************** Top of the 8th inning, Minnesota batting
2-9 0 — 21 Puckett lined a single to shallow left (BBFX)
2-9 0 1– 00 Gaetti grounded out to first, Puckett to second (X)
2-9 1 -2- 10 Puckett to third, Hrbek to first on an error by the
second baseman Barrett (BX)
2-9 1 1-3 32 Larkin lined a single to right, Puckett scored, Hrbek to
second (CSBBBX)
3-9 1 12- 11 Harper grounded out to second, Hrbek to third, Larkin to
second (BCX)
3-9 2 -23 00 Gagne homered deep to left, Hrbek scored, Larkin scored
(X)
6-9 2 — 22 Herr struck out (FCFFBBS)
************** Bottom of the 8th inning, Boston batting
6-9 0 — 01 Gedman homered deep to right (CX)
6-10 0 — 00 Owen flied out to right (X)
6-10 1 — 10 Boggs flied out to right (BX)
6-10 2 — 10 Barrett popped out on a bunt to first (BXb)
************** Top of the 9th inning, Minnesota batting
6-10 0 — 00 Moses lined a single to left center (X)
Smith now pitching
6-10 0 1– 32 Bush walked, Moses to second (BSBCBB)
6-10 0 12- 22 Puckett flied out to right, Moses to third (BCSBFX)
6-10 1 1-3 31 Gaetti grounded a single between third and short, Moses
scored, Bush to second (BCBBX)
7-10 1 12- 32 Hrbek homered deep down the right field line, Bush
scored, Gaetti scored (BSCBBX)
10-10 1 — 11 Larkin flied out to right (BCX)
10-10 2 — 00 Harper popped out to second (X)
************** Bottom of the 9th inning, Boston batting
10-10 0 — 22 Evans struck out (CSBBS)
10-10 1 — 32 Greenwell struck out (BSBFBC)
10-10 2 — 10 Burks bunted into an out to the catcher (BXb)
************** Top of the 10th inning, Minnesota batting
10-10 0 — 12 Gagne grounded out to short (CCBX)
10-10 1 — 32 Herr walked (BBBCCB)
10-10 1 1– 12 Moses lined into a double play, Barrett to Benzinger,
Herr out at first (B1SCX)
************** Bottom of the 10th inning, Boston batting
Reardon now pitching
10-10 0 — 01 Rice lined out to right (CX)
10-10 1 — 12 Benzinger struck out (BCSS)
10-10 2 — 02 Gedman struck out (FFS)
************** Top of the 11th inning, Minnesota batting
Bolton now pitching
Laudner pinch hitting for Bush
10-10 0 — 20 Laudner reached on an infield single to second (BBX)
10-10 0 1– 00 Puckett sacrifice bunted to the mound, Laudner to second
(Xb)
10-10 1 -2- 01 Gaetti lined a single to right center, Laudner scored (CX)
11-10 1 1– 00 Hrbek lined out to center (X)
11-10 2 1– 21 Larkin grounded out to the mound (BCBX)
************** Bottom of the 11th inning, Boston batting
Christensen now playing right field
11-10 0 — 32 Owen walked (BBCBCB)
Romine pinch running for Owen
11-10 0 1– 11 Boggs popped out to short (FbB>X)
11-10 1 1– 01 Romine was caught stealing second (C>C)
11-10 2 — 12 Barrett lined a single to left (C>C.FBFX)
Gonzalez now pitching
11-10 2 1– 00 Barrett stole second (>C)
11-10 2 -2- 02 Evans struck out (>C.C+2S)
