1987 American League Championship Series
Encyclopedia
Game 1
Wednesday, October 7, 1987 at Hubert H. Humphrey MetrodomeHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly called the Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Opened in 1982, it replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington and Memorial Stadium on the University...
in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
The 1987 AL playoffs opened at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly called the Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Opened in 1982, it replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington and Memorial Stadium on the University...
, with the Tigers throwing Doyle Alexander
Doyle Alexander
Doyle Lafayette Alexander is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, and Detroit Tigers...
against the Twins' Frank Viola
Frank Viola
Frank John Viola, Jr. is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Minnesota Twins , New York Mets , Boston Red Sox , Cincinnati Reds and Toronto Blue Jays . A three-time All-Star, he was named World Series MVP with the Twins in 1987 and won the AL Cy Young Award in 1988...
. In the bottom of the second, the Twins opened the scoring when third baseman Gary Gaetti
Gary Gaetti
Gary Joseph Gaetti , nicknamed "G-Man", "Rat", or "Zorn" is an American former third baseman in Major League Baseball for the Minnesota Twins , California Angels , Kansas City Royals , St...
homered off Alexander to give Minnesota a 1–0 lead. However, Detroit answered back the very next half-inning, as catcher Mike Heath
Mike Heath
Michael Thomas Heath is a former catcher in Major League Baseball. Heath played fourteen seasons in the major leagues with the New York Yankees , Oakland Athletics , St...
socked a home run to center field to tie the game. The game remained tied until the bottom of the fifth, when the Twins erupted for three runs. Gaetti led off the inning with his second round-tripper of the game, and Randy Bush
Randy Bush
Robert Randall Bush , is a former professional baseball player and currently a front office member of the Chicago Cubs. With the hiring of Theo Epstein, Bush will continue as an assistant General Manager, and will be involved in the hiring process of the field and scouting staff.Bush played for...
followed by stroking a triple to right field and coming home on a double by Tom Brunansky
Tom Brunansky
Thomas Andrew Brunansky , nicknamed "Bruno", is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1981 to 1994 for the California Angels, Minnesota Twins, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, and Milwaukee Brewers....
. Steve Lombardozzi
Steve Lombardozzi
Stephen Paul Lombardozzi is a former American professional baseball player who was a second baseman for the Minnesota Twins and Houston Astros for six Major League Baseball seasons. Lombardozzi, perhaps best known for his defense, provided key hits in the 1987 postseason when the Twins won the...
sacrificed Brunansky to third, and he scored on a subsequent base hit by Dan Gladden
Dan Gladden
Clinton Daniel "Dan" Gladden III is an American former Major League Baseball player and current radio broadcaster.-Baseball career:Gladden is a graduate of Westmont High School in Campbell, California...
to make it 4–1.
Beginning in the top half of the sixth, however, Detroit staged a comeback. Kirk Gibson
Kirk Gibson
Kirk Harold Gibson is a former Major League Baseball player and currently the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks. As a player, Gibson was an outfielder who batted and threw left-handed...
smacked a solo home run that inning, and then Heath ripped an RBI single in the seventh that scored Larry Herndon
Larry Herndon
Larry Darnell Herndon is a former Major League Baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals , San Francisco Giants , and Detroit Tigers...
to cut Minnesota's lead down to one. In the top of the eighth, the Tigers took a one-run lead with a pair of sacrifice flies
Sacrifice fly
In baseball, a sacrifice fly is a batted ball that satisfies four criteria:* There are fewer than two outs when the ball is hit.* The ball is hit to the outfield....
off Twins reliever Jeff Reardon
Jeff Reardon
Jeffrey James Reardon , nicknamed "The Terminator" for his intimidating presence on the mound and 98 mph fastball, is a former professional baseball relief pitcher from 1979-1994 who played for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, Minnesota Twins, and Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati...
that scored Gibson and Alan Trammell
Alan Trammell
Alan Stuart Trammell is a retired American baseball shortstop of the Detroit Tigers from to . Trammell, nicknamed "Tram", played his entire career with the Tigers, highlighted by a World Series championship in and an American League East division championship in . Although his arm was not...
.
In the bottom of the eighth, however, Minnesota took the lead for good. A double by Kirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett was a Major League Baseball center fielder. He played his entire 12-year baseball career with the Minnesota Twins and he is the Twins franchise's all-time leader in career hits, runs, doubles, and total bases...
brought Gladden home to tie the game, and Don Baylor
Don Baylor
Donald Edward Baylor is a Major League Baseball coach currently the hitting coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks, and a former player and manager. During his 19-year playing career, he was a power hitter who played as a first baseman, outfielder, and designated hitter...
and Brunansky drove in the go-ahead runs off Willie Hernández
Willie Hernández
Guillermo "Willie" Hernández Villanueva is a former relief pitcher for the Chicago Cubs , Philadelphia Phillies , and the Detroit Tigers . He threw and batted left-handed.-Career:...
with a single and double, respectively. A single by Johnny Grubb
Johnny Grubb
John Maywood Grubb, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and designated hitter, who also occasionally played at first base...
and a walk to Lou Whitaker was all the Tigers could muster against Reardon in the ninth, as Gibson struck out to give the Twins an 8–5 victory and a 1–0 lead in the series.
Game 2
Thursday, October 8, 1987 at Hubert H. Humphrey MetrodomeHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly called the Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Opened in 1982, it replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington and Memorial Stadium on the University...
in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
For Game 2, the Twins sent Bert Blyleven
Bert Blyleven
Bert Blyleven is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played from to , and was best known for his curveball. Blyleven was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011...
to the hill against Detroit's ace, Jack Morris
Jack Morris
John Scott "Jack" Morris is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played in 18 big league seasons between 1977 and 1994, mainly for the Detroit Tigers, and won 254 games throughout his career...
. In the top of the second, the Tigers opened the scoring when Chet Lemon
Chet Lemon
Chester Earl Lemon is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. A three time All-Star, he was a member of the World Series champion 1984 Detroit Tigers.-Early years:...
cracked a two-run home run off Blyleven. In the bottom half of the inning, however, the Twins stormed back, as Gaetti doubled to right and scored on another double by Brunansky. After a walk to Greg Gagne, catcher Tim Laudner
Tim Laudner
Timothy Jon Laudner is a former Major League Baseball catcher who played for the Minnesota Twins from 1981 to 1989.-Playing career:...
lashed the third double of the inning off Morris, scoring both Brunansky and Gagne for a 3–2 Minnesota lead.
The Twins extended their lead in the fourth, as Bush singled and then stole second and third. After consecutive walks to Brunansky and Gagne, Gladden singled to left to drive in Bush and Brunansky. Kent Hrbek
Kent Hrbek
Frequently injured , Hrbek retired after the players strike in 1994, citing his nagging injury problems and desire to spend more time with his wife and daughter at their home in Bloomington, MN...
then added a solo homer in the fifth, giving Minnesota a 6–2 lead. Tigers second baseman Lou Whitaker touched Blyleven for a solo homer in the eighth, but the Twins hurler would allow nothing more, striking out the side in the ninth to hand the Twins a 6–3 victory and a 2–0 series lead.
Game 3
Saturday, October 10, 1987 at Tiger Stadium in Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
The Series shifted to Detroit for Game 3, with the Tigers' Walt Terrell
Walt Terrell
Charles Walter Terrell is a former starting pitcher with an eleven year career from 1982 to 1992. He played for the New York Mets , Detroit Tigers , San Diego Padres , New York Yankees , Pittsburgh Pirates , and once again the Detroit Tigers...
facing the Twins' Les Straker
Les Straker
Lester Paul Straker Bolnalda , best known as Les Straker, is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher who played for the Minnesota Twins....
. The two pitchers matched zeroes for the first two-and-a-half innings until the bottom of the third, when Detroit's Pat Sheridan
Pat Sheridan
Patrick Arthur Sheridan is a former professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues primarily as an outfielder from 1981, 1983–1989, and 1991....
doubled to left, moved to third on a single by Whitaker, and scored on a force out by Gibson that sent Whitaker to third. After Gibson stole second, a balk
Balk
In baseball, a pitcher can commit a number of illegal motions or actions that constitute a balk. In games played under the Official Baseball Rules, a balk results in a dead ball or delayed dead ball. In certain other circumstances, a balk may be wholly or partially disregarded...
by Straker scored Whitaker, and a single by Trammell brought in Gibson. A double by Herndon then scored Trammell and Lemon to give the Tigers a 5–0 lead.
In the top of the fourth, the Twins cut Detroit's lead to 5–2 with a Gagne home run and a Bush single that scored Hrbek, and in the sixth they reduced the lead down to one with a two-run homer by Brunansky. In the top of the seventh, a two-out single by Gaetti drove in Gladden and Gagne to give the Twins a 6–5 lead and put them on the cusp of taking a stranglehold on the series.
Facing the prospect of blowing a 5–0 lead and falling behind three games to none, the Tigers rallied in the bottom of the eighth. Minnesota brought in Reardon to get a two-inning save. After a lead-off single by Larry Herndon, Reardon got Tom Brookens
Tom Brookens
Thomas Dale Brookens is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Detroit Tigers , New York Yankees , and Cleveland Indians...
to pop out to Hrbek. Pat Sheridan
Pat Sheridan
Patrick Arthur Sheridan is a former professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues primarily as an outfielder from 1981, 1983–1989, and 1991....
, 1 for 6 lifetime versus Reardon, then stepped to the plate and launched the reliever's first pitch into the upper deck in right field for a two-run home run that restored Detroit's lead, 7–6. In the top of the ninth, Mike Henneman
Mike Henneman
Michael Alan Henneman was a pitcher with a 10-year career from 1987 to 1996. He played for the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers, both of the American League, and the Houston Astros of the National League....
retired the Twins in order to put the Tigers back in the Series, which now stood at 2–1 for Minnesota.
Game 4
Sunday, October 11, 1987 at Tiger Stadium in Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
The fourth game of the series matched Viola against Tiger left-hander Frank Tanana
Frank Tanana
Frank Daryl Tanana is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He was the California Angels' 1st round draft pick in 1971....
, who had thrown a 1–0 complete-game shutout over the Toronto Blue Jays
1987 Toronto Blue Jays season
The Toronto Blue Jays season witnessed the Blue Jays finishing second in the American League East with a record of 96 wins and 66 losses. They had been in first place by 3½ games over the Detroit Tigers with a week left to play...
on the final day of the regular season to punch Detroit's playoff ticket.
In the bottom of the first, the Tigers gave Tanana a 1–0 lead when Lou Whitaker walked to lead off the inning and eventually scored on a throwing error by Twins shortstop Greg Gagne. However, in the top of the third, Kirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett was a Major League Baseball center fielder. He played his entire 12-year baseball career with the Minnesota Twins and he is the Twins franchise's all-time leader in career hits, runs, doubles, and total bases...
homered off Tanana to tie the game, then Gagne added a homer of his own in the top of the fourth to give Minnesota a 2–1 lead. The Twins made it a 3–1 lead in the fifth when Puckett came home on a Gary Gaetti
Gary Gaetti
Gary Joseph Gaetti , nicknamed "G-Man", "Rat", or "Zorn" is an American former third baseman in Major League Baseball for the Minnesota Twins , California Angels , Kansas City Royals , St...
sacrifice fly, but the Tigers came to within a run in the bottom of the fifth when an infield hit by Kirk Gibson
Kirk Gibson
Kirk Harold Gibson is a former Major League Baseball player and currently the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks. As a player, Gibson was an outfielder who batted and threw left-handed...
scored Whitaker.
In the top of the sixth, Gagne doubled, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a base hit by pinch-hitter Gene Larkin
Gene Larkin
Eugene Thomas Larkin is a former switch-hitting first baseman, designated hitter and right fielder in Major League Baseball who played his entire seven-season career with the Minnesota Twins. During his playing career he wore #9 for Minnesota, and was a member of both the 1987 and 1991 World...
to give Minnesota a 4–2 advantage. In the bottom half of the inning, the Tigers again clawed to within a run when pinch-hitter Dave Bergman
Dave Bergman
David Bruce Bergman was a Major League Baseball first baseman, designated hitter, and outfielder.Born in Evanston, Illinois, Bergman is an alumnus of Maine South High School and Illinois State University...
followed up singles by Chet Lemon
Chet Lemon
Chester Earl Lemon is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. A three time All-Star, he was a member of the World Series champion 1984 Detroit Tigers.-Early years:...
and Darrell Evans
Darrell Evans
Darrell Wayne Evans is a former third baseman and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played from 1969 to 1989 with the Atlanta Braves , San Francisco Giants and Detroit Tigers . He is also the former manager and director of player personnel for the Victoria Seals of the Golden Baseball...
with a single of his own, scoring Lemon and moving Evans to second. After Mike Heath
Mike Heath
Michael Thomas Heath is a former catcher in Major League Baseball. Heath played fourteen seasons in the major leagues with the New York Yankees , Oakland Athletics , St...
sacrificed Evans to third and Bergman to second, Twins manager Tom Kelly
Tom Kelly (baseball)
Jay Thomas Kelly , is the former manager of the Minnesota Twins baseball team from to . Currently, he serves as a Special Assistant to the General Manager for the Twins....
pulled Keith Atherton
Keith Atherton
Keith Rowe Atherton , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues primarily in relief from -. Atherton played for the Oakland Athletics , Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Indians ....
in favour of Juan Berenguer
Juan Berenguer
Juan Bautista Berenguer was a Major League Baseball pitcher for the New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins and other teams. He had a career record of 67 wins and 62 losses. A mean-looking, husky Panamanian with long hair and a mustache, he was called "Pancho Villa" by his...
. However, the Tiger rally was squelched when catcher Tim Laudner
Tim Laudner
Timothy Jon Laudner is a former Major League Baseball catcher who played for the Minnesota Twins from 1981 to 1989.-Playing career:...
picked a stunned Evans off third and Berenguer induced a flyout from Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison (baseball)
James Forrest Morrison , is a former professional baseball player who played second and third base in the Major Leagues from 1977 to 1988. During his baseball career, Morrison played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Detroit Tigers, and Atlanta Braves...
to end the inning.
In the eighth, the Twins restored their two-run lead when Laudner reached on an error by Evans (who was playing third base, as Bergman had stayed in the game as the first baseman) and came home to score on a single by Steve Lombardozzi
Steve Lombardozzi
Stephen Paul Lombardozzi is a former American professional baseball player who was a second baseman for the Minnesota Twins and Houston Astros for six Major League Baseball seasons. Lombardozzi, perhaps best known for his defense, provided key hits in the 1987 postseason when the Twins won the...
. In the ninth, Reardon managed to preserve a 5–3 Twins win, putting them one victory away from the pennant.
Game 5
Monday, October 12, 1987 at Tiger Stadium in Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
In what would turn out to be the last postseason game ever played at Tiger Stadium, the Twins would send Blyleven to the mound to face the Tigers' Doyle Alexander
Doyle Alexander
Doyle Lafayette Alexander is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, and Detroit Tigers...
.
In the top of the second, Minnesota drew first blood when Tom Brunansky
Tom Brunansky
Thomas Andrew Brunansky , nicknamed "Bruno", is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1981 to 1994 for the California Angels, Minnesota Twins, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, and Milwaukee Brewers....
doubled home Gary Gaetti
Gary Gaetti
Gary Joseph Gaetti , nicknamed "G-Man", "Rat", or "Zorn" is an American former third baseman in Major League Baseball for the Minnesota Twins , California Angels , Kansas City Royals , St...
and Randy Bush
Randy Bush
Robert Randall Bush , is a former professional baseball player and currently a front office member of the Chicago Cubs. With the hiring of Theo Epstein, Bush will continue as an assistant General Manager, and will be involved in the hiring process of the field and scouting staff.Bush played for...
, but was thrown out trying to stretch his hit into a triple. Dan Gladden
Dan Gladden
Clinton Daniel "Dan" Gladden III is an American former Major League Baseball player and current radio broadcaster.-Baseball career:Gladden is a graduate of Westmont High School in Campbell, California...
and Kirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett was a Major League Baseball center fielder. He played his entire 12-year baseball career with the Minnesota Twins and he is the Twins franchise's all-time leader in career hits, runs, doubles, and total bases...
added RBI base hits of their own to give the Twins a 4–0 lead, and Tigers manager Sparky Anderson
Sparky Anderson
George Lee "Sparky" Anderson was an American Major League Baseball manager. He managed the National League's Cincinnati Reds to the 1975 and 1976 championships, then added a third title in 1984 with the Detroit Tigers of the American League. He was the first manager to win the World Series in both...
replaced Alexander with Eric King
Eric King (baseball)
Eric Steven King was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He may be best known for giving up Ken Griffey, Jr's first career Major League home run....
.
As they had several times during the series, Detroit cut the Twins' lead down to one run in the bottom of the fourth, when Kirk Gibson
Kirk Gibson
Kirk Harold Gibson is a former Major League Baseball player and currently the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks. As a player, Gibson was an outfielder who batted and threw left-handed...
scored on an Alan Trammell
Alan Trammell
Alan Stuart Trammell is a retired American baseball shortstop of the Detroit Tigers from to . Trammell, nicknamed "Tram", played his entire career with the Tigers, highlighted by a World Series championship in and an American League East division championship in . Although his arm was not...
single and Matt Nokes
Matt Nokes
Matthew Dodge Nokes is a retired American professional baseball catcher and designated hitter. He played eleven seasons in Major League Baseball for the San Francisco Giants , the Detroit Tigers , New York Yankees , the Baltimore Orioles, and the Colorado Rockies...
followed with a two-run homer that scored Trammell. In the top of the seventh, however, the Twins restored their two-run lead when Kent Hrbek
Kent Hrbek
Frequently injured , Hrbek retired after the players strike in 1994, citing his nagging injury problems and desire to spend more time with his wife and daughter at their home in Bloomington, MN...
singled, moved to second when Gaetti was hit by a pitch, took third on a wild pitch by King, and plated on a sacrifice fly by Bush.
In the eighth, Tiger reliever Mike Henneman
Mike Henneman
Michael Alan Henneman was a pitcher with a 10-year career from 1987 to 1996. He played for the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers, both of the American League, and the Houston Astros of the National League....
, who replaced King in the seventh, allowed a double to Gladden and a walk to Gagne. Puckett then grounded to Henneman, who attempted to initiate a double play. However, first baseman Darrell Evans
Darrell Evans
Darrell Wayne Evans is a former third baseman and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played from 1969 to 1989 with the Atlanta Braves , San Francisco Giants and Detroit Tigers . He is also the former manager and director of player personnel for the Victoria Seals of the Golden Baseball...
misplayed the ball for his second error of the series, allowing Gladden to score and make it a 6–3 Minnesota lead. Although Chet Lemon
Chet Lemon
Chester Earl Lemon is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. A three time All-Star, he was a member of the World Series champion 1984 Detroit Tigers.-Early years:...
homered for Detroit in the bottom half of the inning to make it 6–4, the Twins decisively stormed ahead in the top of the ninth. Brunansky tattooed his second home run of the postseason, and Gladden and Gagne followed with consecutive RBI doubles off Henneman and Jeff Robinson.
The Twins sent Reardon, who entered the game in the bottom of the eighth, to the hill to close out the series in the bottom of the ninth. Although an RBI single by Gibson scored Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison (baseball)
James Forrest Morrison , is a former professional baseball player who played second and third base in the Major Leagues from 1977 to 1988. During his baseball career, Morrison played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Detroit Tigers, and Atlanta Braves...
, the Minnesota stopper allowed nothing more, as Matt Nokes
Matt Nokes
Matthew Dodge Nokes is a retired American professional baseball catcher and designated hitter. He played eleven seasons in Major League Baseball for the San Francisco Giants , the Detroit Tigers , New York Yankees , the Baltimore Orioles, and the Colorado Rockies...
grounded out to Reardon to end a 9–5 Twins victory and clinch the franchise's first World Series berth since .
Composite box
1987 ALCS (4–1): Minnesota TwinsMinnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
over Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...